In this program, participants will explore the relationship between trauma and HIV/AIDS.  Topics covered include: a) the effects of trauma on sexual risk taking; b) the ways in which trauma affects HIV disease management; and, c) evidence-based approaches to integrating trauma treatment among people with HIV/AIDS who report psychological distress.  Case vignettes are used to highlight interpersonal and contextual factors that influence evidence-based treatment approaches applicable to clinical practice.

This workshop was developed by the HIV Office for Psychology Education (HOPE) Program of the APA Office on AIDS through funding from the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) (Contract No. 280-04-0121).

Learning Objective 1
Learn why and how mental health and substance abuse problems place people at greater risk for HIV infection.

Learning Objective 2
Understand how the combined burden of trauma-related symptoms and HIV affect the lives of HIV-positive individuals.

Learning Objective 3
Identify effective intervention strategies for addressing the co-occurence of trauma-related symptoms, HIV disease management, and sexual risk taking among HIV-positive individuals.

Presenter: Cheryl Gore-Felton, PhD

Cheryl Gore-Felton, PhD is a licensed psychologist who is nationally and internationally recognized for her work examining the intersection between HIV and trauma, and is well known as one of the nation’s leading experts on the sequelae of trauma and HIV behavior research. Dr. Gore-Felton has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, she serves on the editorial boards of Health Psychology and Journal of Behavioral Medicine.   Her research focuses on the development of clinical interventions to reduce traumatic stress symptoms and enhance health-related behaviors.