Clinical and Forensic Psychology from a U.S. Perspective
Psychological practice has operated in the United States for more than 150 years, now representing a multitude of subspecialties. Hundreds of academic programs provide psychological training and supervision, and tens of thousands of specialized psychologists are employed throughout the US. However, despite this tremendous variety in psychological practice, there are some common cultural foundations that exist across all areas of US psychological practice. At its roots, US psychological practice operates largely in an individualistic context, placing accountability for change within the individual client, focusing on cognitive and emotional change while often diminishing cultural and spiritual belief systems, restricting access to care to those that can afford it, and relying on a medical model of “fixing” diseases and deficits rather than enhancing strengths and resiliencies. We will explore how these foundations impact the practice of clinical and forensic psychology in the US, how they may compare and contrasts with those found in other nations, and where progress and creativity is pushing these foundations forward. In addition, we will explore our own training and service model at the University of Denver, which emphasizes the role of community and strives to ensure that our clients’ intersectional identities are empowered, seen, and heard.
Dr Neil Gowensmith
Neil Gowensmith is a core faculty member at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology, teaching exclusively in the Masters of Forensic Psychology program. In 2014, he created and became the director of the department’s forensic mental health institute, Denver FIRST (The University of Denver’s Forensic Institute for Research, Service, and Training), which operates a postdoctoral fellowship, an outpatient competency restoration program, and a robust forensic evaluation service. Dr. Gowensmith has worked in prisons, jails, courts, community mental health centers, and mental health hospitals throughout his career. He continues to serve as a national expert in forensic mental health, with consultation, research, and practice focusing specifically on outpatient competency restoration, standards for forensic evaluators, conditional release of insanity acquittees, and public forensic mental health systems.
Dr Lavita Nadkarni
Dr. Lavita Nadkarni received her Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from City University-John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adelphi University’s Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. Her APA accredited clinical psychology internship was at New York University Medical Center/ Bellevue Hospital in New York City and Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center. She is Director of Forensic Studies and Professor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP), where she teaches graduate level students and supervises doctoral and postdoctoral students who conduct forensic assessments for those who are legally involved and underserved. She has been teaching, consulting, and presenting on issues related to forensic psychology for more than 25 years. As a clinical psychologist for the Courts, she has provided forensic psychological evaluations relating to the matters of domestic violence, trauma, immigration, and asylum, competency, parental custody and access, child abuse and neglect, and assessment of risk. Dr. Nadkarni has also supervised graduate students involved in research contracts assessing high-risk criminally involved populations, and those returning citizens who have co-occurring substance use and mental illness disorders. She has program evaluation experience with correctional and legally-encumbered individuals and programs. She has presented on animal maltreatment evaluations and collaborative responses to animal cruelty cases.