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VA Interprofessional Fellowship Program in PSR and Recovery Oriented Services

San Diego

 

San Diego Beach
Photo by MontyLov

Our PSR Fellowship is currently in its 13th year of providing advanced training in serious mental illness (SMI) to mental health trainees in sunny, vibrant, and diverse San Diego. Our fellowship has been recognized by the American Psychological Association for its excellence in training in recovery-oriented, evidence-based SMI services. PSR fellows are an integral part of our award-winning, CARF-accredited Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Recovery Center, the Center of Recovery Education (CORE), which specializes in serving Veterans with psychosis. The CORE family is a diverse group of talented, committed clinicians and scientist-practitioners who are deeply committed to serving Veterans with SMI. We are committed to delivering high-quality, culturally-competent evidence-based practices, developing and evaluating new practices, and disseminating best practices both on an individual level with our Veterans, and more broadly to the community through trainings, presentations, and publications. We are closely affiliated with UC San Diego, one of the world's leading public research universities with active research in psychosis. The 50 residents we have trained thus far have gone on to rewarding careers in a variety of settings.

Our Directors

 

Viara Quiñones, PhD

Viara Quiñones, PhD

Program Manager | VA San Diego PRRC
Associate Clinical Professor | UC San Diego Dept. of Psychiatry

Professional Interests: Psychosis training; cultural informed care; dual-diagnosis; somatic comorbidities; leadership and professional development.

Jessica McGovern, PhD

Jessica McGovern, PhD

Program Manager | VA San Diego PRRC
Associate Clinical Professor | UC San Diego Dept. of Psychiatry

Professional Interests: Psychosis evidence-based therapies (EBTs), Trauma EBTs, co-occurring social and anxiety related disorders, LGBTQ+ affirming care, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Compensatory Cognitive Skills Training.

 

The Fellowship Class 2024 - 2025

 

Mira Copich, ASW

Mira Copich, ASW

Social Work Fellow

Professional Interests: Trauma-informed treatment of psychosis; PTSD treatment; sleep; third-wave approaches to psychotherapy; schizophrenia and psychotic spectrum disorders; culturally competent care; person-centered and recovery-oriented practice; social justice considerations in therapy.

 

Brandon Kertson, PhD

Brandon Kertson, PhD

Chaplaincy Fellow

Professional Experience: Has 19 years of full-time ministry experience as a youth pastor, worship pastor and college campus minister. Has pioneered and pastored a campus ministry at San Diego State University and was a professor of Systematic Theology at SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary. He completed his first year of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the San Diego VA. He has a PhD in theological studies from Regent University. He studies and practices at the center of religion, ethics and culture.

 

Rachel Quinn, PhD

Rachel Quinn, PhD

Psychology Resident

Professional Interests:Schizophrenia and psychotic spectrum disorders; cognitive dysfunction in psychosis/cognitive remediation; social cognition; early sensory processing/retinal abnormalities in SZ; genetic and ERP biomarkers.

 

Additional Information

For more information on application process, deadlines, and training opportunities:

VA San Diego PSR Fellowship Brochure: PDF | Doc

Site Contact
Jessica McGovern, Ph.D.
Jessica.McGovern@va.gov
P: (619) 228-8074

 


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