Erika Felix

Erika Felix presenting on January 18 at the New Vic Theatre

UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz Graduate School of Education Assistant Professor Erika Felix will present “Promoting Recovery and Resilience in the Wake of Disasters” at Burtness Auditorium on February 14th from noon to 1:30pm as part of The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Services monthly Psychiatric Grand Rounds series. This presentation will explain how to promote resilience after tragedy, a topic that is especially relevant here and now in Santa Barbara county following the Thomas Fire and the tragic mudslides. Topics will include:

  • Describing the different trajectories of adaptation following a disaster
  • Factors in the recovery environment that affect risk and resilience post-disaster
  • Exploring the skills needed to promote resilience in patients after tragedy

Dr. Erika Felix is a licensed and practicing Psychologist serving children and families, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at UCSB. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Community Psychology from DePaul University in 2002, and continued her specialized research with the help of the Research and Education in Disaster Mental Health Fellowship from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIH). Felix’s research has received additional funding from the NIH as she has undertaken studies of post 9/11 victims, families impacted by Hurricane Georges in Puerto Rico, residents in Santa Barbara County following the Tea and Jesusita Fires, as well as victims of fires in Colorado, floods in Texas, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and more. Felix’s research examines traumatic events in order to provide the best and most necessary aid for present and future calamities.

Felix recently took part in a public forum entitled “Promoting Resilience in the Wake of Local Disasters” on January 18 at the New Vic Theatre. A video of that talk can be seen online.

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Healthcare invites the healthcare community to attend its monthly presentations. Psychiatric Grand Rounds are held at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. No RSVP or advance registration is required. Please note that due to changes in the requirements to qualify for continuing education units, Psychiatric Grand Rounds is no longer able to offer CME’s.