Tres Stefurak, Ph.D.

Education

B.A., Psychology, University of Georgia, 1996
M.Ed., Community Counseling, University of Georgia, 2000
Pre-Doctoral Internship: University of Virginia, Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, 2003-2004
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University of Georgia, 2004
Alabama Licensed Psychologist #1356

Teaching Philosophy

Most instructional duties occur with graduate students seeking to become mental health professionals. Therefore, my style of teaching is focused on both mastering understanding of abstract concepts informed by theory and empirical research, but also demonstration of clinical competencies. My instruction is also informed by my conceptualization of the developmental needs of students and meeting them where they are. My values around teaching sit in three broad areas: a) democratic and egalitarian learning environments, b) pluralism and respect for the complexity and diversity of human experience and ideas, c) pragmatism - viewing the goals of instruction as tied to results that have a real effect on how students will act and experience their future work.

Research

a) adolescent youths placed at-risk, specifically juvenile offenders, and youth involved in the child welfare system

b) victims of violence and their intersection with law enforcement and other systems of aid and advocacy

c) mixed methods research and program evaluation

Outreach

This project, the Mobile Juvenile Court Collaborative, has provided clinical internship training for approximately 30 graduate trainees in counseling and psychology since 2008, and approximately 14,000 hours of free, supervised mental health services including individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy and psychological assessments to juvenile offenders in that same time period. 

I also provide numerous workshops for social and mental health service agencies who are trying to become more trauma-informed, and to provide healthier workplaces for those who serve highly traumatized populations of clients. 

Biography

I grew up in various areas of the southeast including LA, MS, NC, GA & VA (actually I moved 13 times before I was 18). I spent my adolescence and young adulthood in Georgia in areas surrounding Atlanta. I have three degrees from the University of Georgia and bleed red and black. I have two children who occupy the majority of my time. When I'm not having fun or herding kids, I spend my time playing guitar badly, thinking of ways to improve services for at-risk youth, and trying not to read too many sci-fi novels and comic books.