Robin Gurwitch, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with close to 30 years of experience in evidence-based treatments and the impact of trauma/disaster/terrorism on children. She is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center and the Director of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) Training at the Center for Child & Family Health.
Dr. Gurwitch has been involved in research, training, and clinical services involving PCIT; she is one of 22 PCIT Master Trainers worldwide, certified by PCIT International. She has studied the application and adaptation of PCIT to many populations, including children with a history of maltreatment and neglect, military children, children with prenatal substance exposure and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Native American children, and children in foster care settings. Dr. Gurwitch is a co-developer of CARE, a program for use by any adult interacting with children and teens and has been involved in its implementation and dissemination across the United States.
Since the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City, Dr. Gurwitch has concentrated professional efforts on the impact of trauma and disasters on children and their families, including materials development, training, research, and clinical services. She has responded to numerous events in the United States and internationally. Dr. Gurwitch is a member of the APA Disaster Response Network and served on the National Commission on Children and Disasters, Subcommittee on Human Services Recovery. Among other appointments, Dr. Gurwitch is a subject matter expert regarding at-risk populations for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She recently completed her service on the HHS National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters. She has been an active member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) since 2001.
Areas of Focus: PCIT, CARE, Trauma and Disasters/Terrorism, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Military/Veterans, NCTSN’s 12 Core Concepts of Childhood Trauma