UNF Psychology

Exciting Opportunity: Join the Psychology Department as Our New Coordinator Academic Support Services! Are you a pro at managing office operations and love working in a vibrant academic setting? We're looking for a dynamic individual to lead our Psychology Department's office and support our amazing team of faculty and students. If you're ready to bring your business and financial operations expertise to a role where every day is different, click the link to apply now! Let’s make an impact together! https://lnkd.in/d5YF8RUR

Feeling stressed or anxious? The UNF counseling center offers sessions that can help with your "top of mind" concerns. Follow them on Instagram or book an initial session on their link-tree: https://lnkd.in/dEavRCsS

We’re hosting a naming competition for the brain in our Psychology main office! This teaching tool helps us learn about the brain, and now it needs a name. Go to our Instagram so you won't miss this chance to leave your mark on UNF Psychology!

Welcome to the entire incoming class, with a special warm welcome to our psychology majors! Here is to a great start!

We are thrilled to welcome two new adjuncts to the Department of Psychology! Dr. Beenne Anglin, earned her PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Her dissertation focused on workplace satisfaction and psychological contracts among online adjunct faculty. She will be teaching Research Methods and Conflict Transformation. Dr. Alexandria Tomkunas is from the University of Connecticut to the UNF family! She will be teaching Lifespan Developmental Psychology. She is on record saying: “I am excited to teach undergraduate students in the Sunshine State (where I am originally from)!” Welcome to the UNF Psychology family, Dr. Anglin and Dr. Tomkunas!

Welcome to the beginning of the fall semester everyone! Let's make this the best year yet! #UNF Psychology #Swoop #Fall2024

June is PTSD Awareness Month. Let's talk about it. Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. Some factors can increase the chance that someone will have PTSD, many of which are not under that person's control. For example, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during the event can make it more likely that a person will develop PTSD. PTSD is also more common after certain types of trauma, like combat and sexual assault. PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not appear until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than 4 weeks, cause you great distress, or interfere with your work or home life, you might have PTSD. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms). Memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time. They can feel very real and scary. Having more negative thoughts and feelings than before the event. The way you think about yourself and others may become more negative because of the trauma. Feeling on edge or keyed up (also called hyperarousal). You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. You might suddenly become angry or irritable. Avoiding things that remind you of the event. You may try to avoid situations or people remind you of the trauma event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event. "Getting better" means different things for different people. There are treatment options for PTSD. For many people, these treatments can get rid of symptoms altogether. Others find they have fewer symptoms or feel that their symptoms are less intense. Your symptoms don't have to interfere with your everyday activities and relationships. A few trauma-focused psychotherapies are the most highly recommended treatments for PTSD. "Trauma-focused" means that the therapy focuses on the memory of the traumatic event or its meaning. The 3 most effective types of trauma-focused psychotherapy are: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): Where you learn skills to understand how trauma changed your thoughts and feelings. Changing how you think about the trauma can change how you feel. Prolonged Exposure (PE): Where you talk about your trauma repeatedly until memories are no longer upsetting. This will help you get more control over your thoughts and feelings about the trauma. You also go to places or do things that are safe, but that you have been staying away from because they remind you of the trauma. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Which involves focusing on sounds or hand movements while you talk about the trauma. This helps your brain work through the traumatic memories. Help Raise PTSD Awareness. Read more at ptsd.va.gov #UNFPsychology #PTSDAwareness #Psychology

Today we are celebrating Dr. John Oliver, who has been named by the College of Arts and Sciences as someone who demonstrates passion for student success. Graduating students expressed their appreciation for Dr. Oliver's passion for student success by recognizing him on a survey administered to students completing their degrees at UNF. In fact, he was the most nominated faculty member in the entire college with 20 nominations from graduating students. Here's what Dr. Oliver had to say about student success: "Student success is all about the student taking responsibility for their growth and happiness. Knowledge will only get them so far. What is needed is action." #SWOOP #UNFPsychology #StudentSuccess

Happy Faculty Friday (Staff Edition)! This week, we celebrated a birthday for Erica in the main office and we discussed her journey with the Department of Psychology. Q: Where did you go to college and what were your majors? A: "I went to the Los Angeles Film School and received my Bachelors of Science in Digital Filmmaking." Q: Why did you decide to join the Department of Psychology? A: "I have always been interested in psychology. Growing up, my dad stressed the importance of mental health and the need to nurture our minds. This influenced my work in college, where most of my short films focused on mental health awareness. My capstone project specifically explored anxiety, depression, and memory loss, highlighting the critical issues that are often miscommunicated and misinformed in mainstream media." Q: What's your favorite thing about working in the department? A: "The people here are incredible! From the moment I joined the department, I felt so welcomed, and it really set the tone for an amazing workplace. Working with faculty, students, and other staff has been the best part of my job. I love listening to life stories and making connections with people. Being in such a large department means I get to do that every day! I remind myself daily that we do what we do for the students, and it makes me so happy to know that I'm helping them and contributing to their futures in psychology." Q: What's a fun fact about yourself that most people wouldn't know? A: "Growing up, my parents was in the 501st Squad 7 in Jacksonville, and we went to a lot of conventions and Star Wars celebrations. I was able to meet and befriend many Star Wars actors and crew members! My fondest memory is sharing a slice of chocolate cake with Jeremy Bulloch, the original Boba Fett, in Orlando at a Star Wars celebration (before Disney took over haha). Meeting David Prowse and chatting with him was a big deal to me too. I love Darth Vader!" #UNFPsychology #UNF #FacultyFriday

More photos from abroad! Yesterday, Dr. Courtney Boise shared the enriching experiences students are having in the UK with us. "Today, our Teesside partners guided us through Bamburgh Castle and Durham." We are thrilled that this study abroad trip has been profoundly insightful and academically enriching for our Psychology students. If you are interested in future Psychology study-abroad opportunities, please connect with Dr. Boise. "I am always happy to discuss studying abroad. Feel free to send me a message or visit my office to explore the options available to you." #UNFPsychology #StudyAbroad #Swoop