MIRECC / CoE
VA Interprofessional Fellowship Program in PSR and Recovery Oriented Services
Bedford
![Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/images/Edith_Nourse_Rogers.jpg)
PSR fellows will become part of an interdisciplinary team of postgraduate fellows which may also include social work, nursing, psychiatry, vocational rehabilitation, and/or occupational therapy. Each fellow will select two programs to work in throughout the year. The primary placement will be a program that focuses on serving Veterans with serious mental illnesses. For the second placement, fellows can choose from a variety of inpatient, outpatient, or community-based programs. No specific emphasis is required for the second placement choice, and the options are designed to be flexible and offer the fellow opportunities to pursue individual professional interests.
The program placements provide the fellow with an environment to learn and to apply the principles of psychosocial rehabilitation while working with an interdisciplinary team of experienced professionals. All fellows will provide recovery services to Veterans with serious mental illness through the Program for Outpatient Wellness, Engagement, and Recovery (POWER). In addition, the fellow will be actively involved in recovery-oriented assessments, program development, consultation, and educational dissemination regarding psychosocial rehabilitation within the healthcare system and nationally via conference presentations. Opportunities for participation in research are also available in collaboration with the VISN 1 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC).
The overall goals of the PSR fellowship are to provide training and clinical experiences for fellows so that they become grounded in the principles and values of PSR and incorporate them into their work with Veterans. In addition, fellows acquire knowledge of current PSR research and practices in order to become a skilled PSR practitioner capable of promoting change in the VA system (to act as “agents of change”).
Our Directors
![Andrew D. Peckham, Ph.D.](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/images/Andrew_Peckham.png)
Andrew D. Peckham, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist | VA Bedford
Research Investigator | VISN 1 New England Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry | University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Professional Interests: Treatment of bipolar disorder; mechanisms of impulsivity and emotion dysregulation; cognitive remediation.
![Adam Kirschner, LICSW](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/Adam_Kirschner.jpg)
Adam Kirschner, LICSW
Professional Interests: Recovery-oriented case management and psychotherapy, artistic modalities of mental health treatment, military sexual trauma and intimate partner violence
The Fellowship Class of 2023 - 2024
![Christina Cardwell, Psy.D.](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/Christina_Cardwell.png)
Christana Cardwell, Psy.D.
Psychology Resident
Professional Interests: Serious and persistent mental illness, psychosis, substance use disorders, cognitive impairment, complex trauma and trauma-informed care, movement-based interventions, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, recovery-oriented care, multicultural considerations in evaluation and treatment.
![Karen Harkins](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/Karen_Harkins.png)
Karen Harkins
Professional Interests: Psychosocial adjustment and rehabilitation within organized settings and roles; multicultural counseling competency practices; spiritually integrated mental health care; person-centered, evidence-based care of trauma; psychosis; mood disorders; behavioral addictions; obsessive-compulsive disorder.
![Allison Liu, LCSW](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/Allison_Liu.png)
Allison Liu, LCSW (she/they)
Social Work
Professional Interests: Integrated health and behavioral health treatment, psychosocial development across the lifespan, intergenerational and racial trauma, trauma-informed practice, mindfulness, recovery-oriented systems and practices, person-centered care.
![Emily C. MacLean, M.A.](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/Emily_MacLean.png)
Emily C. MacLean, M.A. (LMHC Candidate)
Professional Interests: PTSD/Chronic PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Psychosis, Behavioral Addictions/Substance Use Disorders, Complex Trauma/Trauma-informed Care, Military Sexual Trauma, Spiritual Integration, Justice/Incarceration, Social Justice/Advocacy, Multicultural considerations, Stigma Reduction, Shame, Career counseling, Couples/Family interventions, Attachment theory, Third-wave approaches to psychotherapy, Art-and-recreation-based treatment modalities.
![Sarah Wilkins, Psy.D.](/MIRECC/visn5/training/interprofessional_fellowship_program/bedford/Sarah_Wilkins.png)
Sarah Wilkins, Psy.D.
Professional Interests: Include serious mental illness, early or first episode psychosis, decreasing stigma associated with mental illness, vocational rehabilitation interventions, integrative psychotherapy, culturally sensitive and competent treatment, trauma informed care, evidence-based and evidence-informed practice, and co-occurring disorders. .
Additional Information
For more information on application process, deadlines, and training opportunities:
Download our Brochure: VA Bedford PSR Fellowship Description
Site Contacts
Andrew D. Peckham, Ph.D. | Andrew.Peckham@va.gov
Adam Kirschner, LICSW | Adam.Kirschner1@va.gov