The University of New Mexico’s Veterans Resource Center, along with President Garnett S. Stokes and Provost Chaouki Abdallah, host two training workshops for those in the campus community who work with student veterans in any capacity.

The workshops are part of President Stokes’ student veteran initiative and are designed to create a deeper awareness of the factors that impact UNM’s student veterans in their transition to civilian and student life.  

Session 1, titled “Serving Those Who Served: Foundations for Working with Veterans,” is scheduled Monday, July 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Lobo A and B in the UNM Student Union Building (SUB). The introduction is by Dr. James Goff, chief-of-staff, New Mexico Veterans Association Health Care System (NMVAHCS) and retired lieutenant colonel. 

Open to all interested staff and faculty, this workshop features a variety of subject matter experts on topics such as military culture, recognizing PTSD, traumatic brain injury, potential implications for suicide prevention and community resources for veterans. The training will provide participants an overview and context of potential factors that impact Veterans in their transition to civilian and student life, and is ideal for any staff or faculty member who anticipates working with student veterans in any capacity.

Session 2, titled “Cognitive Processing Therapy,” featuring NMVAHCS Madeline Goodkind, is a two-day workshop scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, July 24 and 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Roberts Room in Scholes Hall.

The workshop offers in-depth, specialized training in Cognitive Processing Therapy or CPT, an evidence-based treatment modality for PTSD. CPT is a 12-session manualized therapy used by clinicians to help people recover from PTSD and related conditions. CPT is considered a best practice for the treatment of PTSD and is endorsed by the VA, DoD, and International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies.

Participants will learn how to deliver this treatment modality over an intensive two-day training that includes a review of the research base, session-by-session instructions and role-playing. This workshop is designed for qualified clinicians who anticipate delivering treatment to individuals with PTSD in the course of their work. This workshop is limited to 15 participants. Additionally, Session 1 (July 23) is a pre-requisite for attending the two-day, Session 2 workshop on July 24-25. Applications for CMEs/CEs are pending.

To obtain more information or to RSVP, email the President’s office at, presrsvp@unm.edu. Interested attendees must RSVP by Monday, July 16.

Forr more information on the UNM Veterans Resource Center, visit the website.