Triage Team |
Vanessa Miller, Ph.D.Dr. Vanessa Miller is currently an Associate Professor of Psychology at Athens State University in Athens, Alabama. She holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology (specialization in Cognitive Neuroscience) from the University of California, Riverside and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Chapman University in Orange California. Dr. Miller teaches the following undergraduate courses: Abnormal Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Psychology of Learning, Drugs and Behavior, Statistics, Human Sexuality, Psychological Disorders and Creativity, Human Neuropsychology. Dr. Miller also serves as the Psychology Department Faculty Advisor for the undergraduate internship program.
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Dr. Miller brings several areas of experience to the team. One area of experience is in Suicide Awareness, Education, Training and Prevention. Through grant funding provided by the Alabama Department of Public Health, Dr. Miller and her team have been able to develop a comprehensive Suicide Awareness and Prevention program on campus. Dr. Miller has been instrumental in training students and campus personal to respond effectively to Suicide and Crisis, making referrals to those students and campus personal that are in crisis, and continuing to offer and build gatekeeper resources here on the Athens State University campus.
The research component of this work focuses on identification of risk and protective factors related to suicide among undergraduate college students. This research assesses attitudes, behaviors and beliefs about suicide awareness and prevention on the Athens State University campus by using an educational approach. The goal of this research aims to decrease the risk of suicide in the population of students at Athens State University using an educational approach. The educational approach provides information regarding myths, facts, campus and community resources regarding suicide.
Dr. Miller is certified to teach QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), which is a gatekeeper training for suicide designed to teach lay and professional "gatekeepers" the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. Dr. Miller is trained in the administration of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) for both academic research and clinical application. Dr. Miller is a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Mental Health First Aid is a national, evidenced based program that teaches participants the risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction. This course teaches participants strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations and where to turn to for help.
Dr. Miller is one of the founding members of the Suicide Prevention Network of North Alabama (SPNA). SPNA’s goal is to increase communication amongst members in order to better coordinate suicide prevention activities around the state.
Another area of expertise that Dr. Miller brings to the team is in the area of development and facilitation of therapeutic and educational programing for incarcerated individuals. Dr. Miller has spent several years developing and leading educational programming in the areas of Mindfulness, Shame and Guilt, and Contemplative Psychology at Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama. The effectiveness of therapeutic and educational programming for inmates on their overall well-being and its use as a tool to address anger, anxiety and other mental health issues is at the core of this work. Therapeutic educational programs pertain to psychological health and well-being. The importance of therapeutic and educational programming for inmates cannot adequately be expressed. For some, this may be the first opportunity to address a lifetime of maladaptive behaviors. The changes in inmate behavior as a result of continued exposure to therapeutic and educational programming include a significant decrease in disciplinary behavior as well as an intangible shift in attitudes and values.
Dr. Miller serves as the community outreach coordinator for the Limestone Correctional Facility Community Advisory Board. The outreach coordinator is responsible for communications with stakeholders inside and outside of the facility; coordinating with the facility any services, resources, donations, events, and activities between the Advisory Committee, the facility, and the community.
Dr. Miller has been an invited speaker at the Alabama Council on Crime and Delinquency (ACCD) Annual Conference, where she was asked to speak and teach about inmate behavior and reintegration as it relates to the programs she leads at Limestone County Correctional Facility on Mindfulness, Shame/Guilt, and Mental Health. The Inmate Behavior and Reintegration Workshop discussed inmate behavior and reintegration for both parole eligible inmates and those inmates ending their sentence. This workshop focused largely on the importance of programs for incarcerated individuals - from academic, psychological, and behavioral viewpoints. This workshop examined the effectiveness of Mindfulness for inmates on their overall well-being, as well as its use as a tool to address anger, anxiety and other mental health issues. Shame, Guilt, and Accountability and the role they play in inmate reintegration were points for discussion.
Dr. Miller is a trained instructor in The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program facilitates dialogue and education across profound social differences. Inside-Out courses bring traditional college students and incarcerated students together in jails and prisons for semester-long learning. These courses ignite enthusiasm for learning, help students find their voice, and challenge students to consider what good citizenship requires.
Dr. Miller also served as a co-facilitator in the ‘IF Project’ class at Limestone Correctional Facility. The ‘IF Project is a collaboration of law enforcement, currently and previously incarcerated adults and community partners focused on intervention, prevention and reduction in incarceration and recidivism. The IF Project work is built upon–and inspired by–people sharing their personal experiences surrounding the issues of incarceration. This project is based on the question: If there was something someone could have said or done that would have changed the path that led you here, what would it have been? The If Project provides: Programs for youth; Trainings for adults who work with youth; A Reentry and Mentoring Program for incarcerated women; Workshops and trainings for incarcerated men and women.
Through her background in Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, Dr. Miller’s past research examined various aspects of the laterality of emotional language in people with and without traumatic brain injury. Dr. Miller has extensive experience working with clinical populations, conducting cognitive, neuropsychological, and therapeutic tests and assessments. She has worked closely with children, adolescents, and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other co-morbid disorders, like Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Major Depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Dr. Miller is excited for the opportunity to be part of this wonderful team. She is looking forward to collaborations, team work and making a difference in the lives of victims, families, and society.
The research component of this work focuses on identification of risk and protective factors related to suicide among undergraduate college students. This research assesses attitudes, behaviors and beliefs about suicide awareness and prevention on the Athens State University campus by using an educational approach. The goal of this research aims to decrease the risk of suicide in the population of students at Athens State University using an educational approach. The educational approach provides information regarding myths, facts, campus and community resources regarding suicide.
Dr. Miller is certified to teach QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), which is a gatekeeper training for suicide designed to teach lay and professional "gatekeepers" the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. Dr. Miller is trained in the administration of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) for both academic research and clinical application. Dr. Miller is a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Mental Health First Aid is a national, evidenced based program that teaches participants the risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction. This course teaches participants strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations and where to turn to for help.
Dr. Miller is one of the founding members of the Suicide Prevention Network of North Alabama (SPNA). SPNA’s goal is to increase communication amongst members in order to better coordinate suicide prevention activities around the state.
Another area of expertise that Dr. Miller brings to the team is in the area of development and facilitation of therapeutic and educational programing for incarcerated individuals. Dr. Miller has spent several years developing and leading educational programming in the areas of Mindfulness, Shame and Guilt, and Contemplative Psychology at Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama. The effectiveness of therapeutic and educational programming for inmates on their overall well-being and its use as a tool to address anger, anxiety and other mental health issues is at the core of this work. Therapeutic educational programs pertain to psychological health and well-being. The importance of therapeutic and educational programming for inmates cannot adequately be expressed. For some, this may be the first opportunity to address a lifetime of maladaptive behaviors. The changes in inmate behavior as a result of continued exposure to therapeutic and educational programming include a significant decrease in disciplinary behavior as well as an intangible shift in attitudes and values.
Dr. Miller serves as the community outreach coordinator for the Limestone Correctional Facility Community Advisory Board. The outreach coordinator is responsible for communications with stakeholders inside and outside of the facility; coordinating with the facility any services, resources, donations, events, and activities between the Advisory Committee, the facility, and the community.
Dr. Miller has been an invited speaker at the Alabama Council on Crime and Delinquency (ACCD) Annual Conference, where she was asked to speak and teach about inmate behavior and reintegration as it relates to the programs she leads at Limestone County Correctional Facility on Mindfulness, Shame/Guilt, and Mental Health. The Inmate Behavior and Reintegration Workshop discussed inmate behavior and reintegration for both parole eligible inmates and those inmates ending their sentence. This workshop focused largely on the importance of programs for incarcerated individuals - from academic, psychological, and behavioral viewpoints. This workshop examined the effectiveness of Mindfulness for inmates on their overall well-being, as well as its use as a tool to address anger, anxiety and other mental health issues. Shame, Guilt, and Accountability and the role they play in inmate reintegration were points for discussion.
Dr. Miller is a trained instructor in The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program facilitates dialogue and education across profound social differences. Inside-Out courses bring traditional college students and incarcerated students together in jails and prisons for semester-long learning. These courses ignite enthusiasm for learning, help students find their voice, and challenge students to consider what good citizenship requires.
Dr. Miller also served as a co-facilitator in the ‘IF Project’ class at Limestone Correctional Facility. The ‘IF Project is a collaboration of law enforcement, currently and previously incarcerated adults and community partners focused on intervention, prevention and reduction in incarceration and recidivism. The IF Project work is built upon–and inspired by–people sharing their personal experiences surrounding the issues of incarceration. This project is based on the question: If there was something someone could have said or done that would have changed the path that led you here, what would it have been? The If Project provides: Programs for youth; Trainings for adults who work with youth; A Reentry and Mentoring Program for incarcerated women; Workshops and trainings for incarcerated men and women.
Through her background in Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, Dr. Miller’s past research examined various aspects of the laterality of emotional language in people with and without traumatic brain injury. Dr. Miller has extensive experience working with clinical populations, conducting cognitive, neuropsychological, and therapeutic tests and assessments. She has worked closely with children, adolescents, and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other co-morbid disorders, like Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Major Depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Dr. Miller is excited for the opportunity to be part of this wonderful team. She is looking forward to collaborations, team work and making a difference in the lives of victims, families, and society.