VISN 1 MIRECC Staff: Brian J. Stevenson, Ph.D.
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Brian J. Stevenson, Ph.D.
Dr. Brian J. Stevenson is a licensed psychologist and researcher for the VISN1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC). He is also Co-Director of the VISN 1 Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research & Treatment at the VA Bedford Healthcare System, a faculty member for the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Fellowship, and Co-Director of the Program for Outpatient, Wellness, Engagement, & Recovery (POWER), a clinic providing outpatient services to veterans living with serious mental illness, as well as director of the Work & Recovery Lab. Dr. Stevenson’s clinical and research endeavors focus on improving vocational outcomes of individuals living with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, as well as the provision of recovery-oriented psychotherapy services. He received a 5-year VA Rehabilitation Research & Development (RR&D) Career Development Award-2 (CDA-2) to develop and test a novel vocational counseling intervention to augment transitional work services. Dr. Stevenson serves as a member of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Task Force on Serious Mental Illness and Severe Emotional Disturbance (TFSMI/SED) where he is involved in advocacy and policy work to enhance recovery services for individuals living with serious mental illness. Dr. Stevenson is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UMass Chan Medical School as well as Adjunct Instructor of Counseling Psychology at Boston College.
Education
- B.A., Film & Media Studies, University of California, Irvine, 2007
- M.A., Education; Counseling & Student Personnel Services, 2011
- Ph.D., Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2016
Areas of Research Interest
- Vocational Interventions for Meaningful Work
- Unemployment and Job Loss Prevention
- Co-occuring Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders, and Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
- Process Dimensions of Recovery-Oriented Psychotherapy
- Development and Evaluation of Recovery Support Interventions
Projects & Grants
- Community-Based Early Intervention for Veterans at Risk of Unemployment and Suicide: A Demonstration Project for Supported Employment-Engage and Keep (SEEK) (Project Lead)
Clinical demonstration project funded by the VHA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention to expand and evaluate a job retention program for suicide prevention. 2021-2023. - Improving Vocational Outcomes of Veterans with Psychiatric Disorders: Career Counseling & Development (PI)
A Rehabilitation Research and Development (RR&D) CDA-2 to develop and evaluate a vocational counseling protocol for veterans engaged in transitional work rehabilitation services. 2021 – 2026. - Examining Factors Related to Career Indecision and Vocational Functioning among Veterans with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders (PI)
Funded by the VISN1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) to explore antecedents and outcomes related to vocational identity development of veterans living with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. 2018 – 2021.
