Doctoral Program

Developed in the early 2000s, Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) was developed as a distinct therapeutic technique for the treatment of traumatic stress. The technique is based on the principles of testimony therapy, according to the American Journal of Psychotherapy, and invites people to tell their stories or experiences, including traumatic events, in which the specific political context of the traumatic events is emphasized.

Dr. Taylor Dowdy-Hazlett, a recent FSU College of Social Work graduate joins the faculty of the University of Kentucky College of Social Work as an assistant professor.  Taylor’s dissertation focused on children and families involved in the foster care system, titled  “Latent Profiles of Foster Parents and their Association with Intent to Disrupt Placement and Turnover,” working with her major professor Dr. Shamra Boel-Studt.

A recent study from Florida State University examined how the cumulative experience of violence can impact virally stable people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

The College of Social Work is eager to welcome all of our students including our latest cohort of doctoral students. Each comes to Florida State University with experiences and a dedication to social work research and scholarship that will benefit the profession and the populations it serves.

On Friday, April 29th the College of Social Work celebrated the graduation of 196 graduates including 57 BSWs, 137 MSWs and doctoral graduates Jessica Bagneris and Aidan Ferguson. The drop-in event was held in the College of Social Work lobby and classrooms featuring refreshments, commemorative items and photo opportunities for graduates and their guests along with faculty and staff.

Ohio State University (OSU) has appointed Dr. David A. Jenkins (PhD, 1992) as the dean of the College of Social Work. Jenkins’ appointment is effective July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2027.

In his Social Policy and Programs course, adjunct professor and doctoral candidate Christopher (Chris) Collins worked with undergraduates on projects in the Tallahassee community.

“Students facilitated community-wide projects in support of local non-profits,” explained Chris. “They were tasked with identifying a piece of social policy legislation that impacted a disenfranchised community and to develop an assistance campaign educating the public on the bills.”

Margaret M. Holland, a recent graduate of the Doctoral Program in the College of Social Work, joined the faculty of the University of Wyoming as an assistant professor in the College of Health Sciences Division of Social Work starting fall 2022.

“I am very excited to be joining the faculty in the Division of Social Work this fall,” expressed Margaret. “The University of Wyoming is doing a lot of great things, and I am really looking forward to contributing to the work they are doing.”

Dr. Kia Bentley (PhD, 1987), professor at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), was awarded by the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) the 2021 GADE Award for Education Leadership in Doctoral Education.

A study recently published in the Journal of Threat Assessment and Management, a publication from the American Psychological Association, examined the case of the sole perpetrator of Incel-related violence that took place in a Tallahassee, Florida yoga studio in 2018. The perpetrator opened fire on a Tallahassee yoga studio on November 2, 2018, injuring several and fatally wounding FSU student Maura Binkley and FSU faculty member Dr. Nancy Van Vessem.