UCF RESTORES® Partners with the Stop, Drop & Push Campaign to Deliver Cutting-Edge PTSD Treatment for Two Out-of-State Veterans ORLANDO, Fla. (November 6, 2019) – UCF RESTORES, a leading independent research center devoted to revolutionizing the treatment and understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has partnered with the Stop, Drop & Push (SDP) Campaign to offer one-of-a-kind therapy treatment to two out-of-state veterans with PTSD due to military sexual trauma

News 13’s Julie Gargotta covers the latest on UCF RESTORES’ development of its proprietary VR technology and interviews Lakeland Fire Dept. Training Chief John Almskog about his personal experience in working with UCF RESTORES to find healing in the wake of trauma.

U.S. Army Continues Investment in Cutting-Edge Treatment Tool U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy has announced UCF RESTORES’ receipt of next-phase funding for ongoing development of its own virtual reality (VR) treatment software. This technology will not only allow UCF RESTORES to broaden the immersive scenarios created for veteran and active-duty military patients, but will also open up a new “playing field” in the treatment of first responders, survivors of mass shootings

Dr. Deborah Beidel weighs in on the issue of mental illness and mass shootings for an in depth, Spectrum News 13 piece.

Center for Mass Violence Response Studies’ Statement Regarding the Mass Violence Attacks in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton In 2019, persons motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and individual factors have engaged in acts of mass violence targeting innocent persons in communities across the United States. These attacks have increased in frequency as well as lethality. Mass violence attacks at festivals, in shopping malls, entertainment venues, schools, religious institution

WFTV’s Jaime Holmes shares the progress made on UCF RESTORES' proprietary VR technology, currently under development through funding from the US Department of Defense and multiple partnerships across campus. The technology, unlike any other, will allow therapists to precisely render scenes of patients' trauma. Undergraduate UCF students spearhead the day-to-day development of the new technology, providing them the experience necessary to stand out once they enter the workforc

“There’s no helmet you can put on to protect yourself from emotional trauma, and we need to be talking about this.” While PTSD Awareness Month may be drawing to a close, UCF RESTORES’ Kimberly Neisler asserts that the conversation surrounding mental health and peer support for our first responders must continue. Thank you, Florida Fire Chiefs' Association, for helping us shed light on the resources available to our state’s behind-the-scenes heroes.

The Orlando Sentinel discusses the focus that UCF RESTORES has on mental health support for first responders. The article highlights the importance of letting fire fighters know it's ok to talk about mental health and seek support through networks like the Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative.

We are thrilled to announce that UCF RESTORES has partnered with the Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative to serve as its committed partner for mental health and wellness, enhancing support for more than 350 fire departments across the state. In addition to providing evidence-based research and ongoing institutional expertise, UCF RESTORES will play a crucial role in enhancing one of the collaborative’s anchor initiatives – the Redline Rescue model. Redline Re

Click on the image to view a short film about how the effects of combat related trauma have been addressed since the civil war.

PTSD can take hold and wreak havoc in the lives of individuals who have experienced a traumatic event. The Florida Channel’s story, Invisible Injuries, highlights the innovative treatment services that UCF RESTORES provides to veterans, first responders and other trauma survivors who are struggling with PTSD. The story also provides an in depth look into the lives of some of these individuals and their families.

Dr. Deborah Beidel and Dr. Amie Newins from UCF RESTORES contributed to a document posted on The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies' website that answers some of the many questions about the nature of sexual assault, post-traumatic stress, and memory for traumatic events. If you have further questions or would like to learn about treatment options, please don't hesitate to contact us at 407-823-3910.

The September issue of the American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology, examines long-term outcomes for survivors of mass shootings. The article discusses the need for access to community connections and mental health services. Our Trauma Management Therapy program is featured on page 43. We have assessed and treated survivors of mass shootings as well as first responders who were at these events.

Dr. Deborah Beidel was invited to speak at the 2018 Military Health System Research Symposium, the Department of Defense’s premier scientific meeting. She presented the results of two of our research studies: When Parents go to War: Psychosocial Adjustment among the Families of Deployed OEF/OIF Service Members and From Combat to Mass Shootings: Treating PTSD in the Aftermath of the Pulse Night Club Shooting.

UCF RESTORES participated in the Orlando VA Medical Center’s Mental Health Summit. It was a time to come together as stakeholders in the Mental Health community with the goal of enhancing access to mental health services. Dr. Amie Newins, our Sexual Trauma Program Director, spoke on supporting veterans during their transition from uniformed service to civilian life.

This week, UCF RESTORES had staff visits from the offices of U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy and US Rep Darren Soto, both strong supporters. We discussed the development of UCF RESTORES over the past year and the continuation of services to be provided in the future. It was exciting to give tours of the clinic and demonstrations of the virtual reality software. We are honored to have their support!

A UCF RESTORES annual review of clinical productivity revealed a 103% increase in clinic appointments. Due to the continued support from our state legislators, we are thankful for the opportunity to expand our services to trauma survivors.

We enjoyed our time with the Miami-Dade Firefighters who came for a visit last week. They are doing great work with peer support training about mental health issues such as PTSD.