Graduate Programs in Psychology

Scholarly Activity

RAPT - Research and Practice Team

The Research and Practice Team (RAPT) at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) is a master's student-led research-practice group which serves to provide a forum for discussion about research and related activities as they relate to clinical practice of psychology, counseling and marriage and family therapy. RAPT also seeks to provide students with information about possible research opportunities, and help students network with other students, Pepperdine faculty and outside members of the community who are currently involved in research-practice activities.

Why?
The Research and Practice Team's mission is bridging the gap. RAPT's goals include bridging the gap between research and the practice of psychotherapy, any possible gap between our students and research opportunities, and any gap between Pepperdine and outside research projects in the community.

Who?
RAPT aims to serve all Marriage and Family therapy and Clinical Psychology graduate students at any of the four Pepperdine University GSEP campuses. All are welcome to attend our meetings on the GSEP Drescher campus in Malibu. In the future, we look forward to expanding our programming to involve interested undergraduate as well as graduate students from any University.

When?
RAPT typically meets once a month from noon-1:00pm in a variety of ways at the GSEP building on the Malibu (Drescher) campus.

What?

• RAPT has discussion based meetings which allow students to discuss their research and practice interests and goals, share any information regarding research opportunities, and discuss any blocks to participating in research or integrating research with their clinical practices.
• RAPT also has panel discussions that offer members a unique experience to hear from other students, faculty or outside community members about different topics related to research and practice, while providing opportunities for students to ask questions and gain valuable feedback from the panel. For example, in the past, RAPT has had a student panel discussing practicum experiences, and a panel of students and faculty talking about doctoral programs.
• We typically have one guest speaker a semester. The guest speaker may be a Pepperdine professor, a professor from another University, or a dissertation student. Guest speakers provide the group with information about how they are incorporating research into their professional lives, and ideally also have openings for students to participate in their research. Other types of meetings have included an experiential lab visit.

Upcoming RAPT Meetings and Events for Spring 2012:

Rasha Salib, Roby Shamas and Joelle Broffman, the leaders of RAPT for the 2012-2013 term.

All RAPT Meetings will be held at Pepperdine’s GSEP Drescher Graduate Campus in Malibu.

   

Meeting #1               Meeting #2               Meeting #3

Meeting #3(b)

• RAPT Meeting – Thursday, February 9, 2012
  
  
  • Introduction of the New Leaders/Discussing the new direction of RAPT with the group
• RAPT Meeting – Tuesday, February 28, 2012/Wednesday, February 29, 2012
  
  
  • Planning our journey together as a team/Discussing a hot topic/Evaluating therapeutic effectiveness in counselling and psychotherapy
• RAPT Meeting – Wednesday, March 14, 2012
  
  
  • Students will discuss their experiences with research (presentations, publications, and posters)
• RAPT Meeting – Thursday, March 22, 2012
  
  
  • Guest speaker Moushumi Ghose, MFT: Sex Therapy is For Everyone: How We Can Use Sex Therapy as a Psycho-Somatic Tool In Treatment
• RAPT Meeting - Wednesday, March 28, 2012
  
  
  • TBD
• RAPT Meeting – Thursday, March 29, 2012
  
  
  • Student discussion about Moushumi Ghose's presentation
• RAPT Meeting – Thursday, April 19, 2012
  
  
  • Potluck

Although RAPT meetings do not involve the conduct of research, some RAPT members work together to engage in faculty-supervised research projects outside of RAPT and discuss their work during RAPT meetings. For example, a group of students have collaborated with the Boone Center for the Family to develop a research project that aims to investigate multiple aspects of online relationships.

Finally, the RAPT leadership team engages in a continual process of assessment and research about RAPT to determine whether it is meeting its goals and to inform and improve its functioning. For example, Meghan Owenz (student founder of RAPT) and Dr. Hall (RAPT faculty advisor) presented their work about RAPT in a journal article.

• Owenz, M., & Hall, S. R. (2011). Bridging the research-practice gap in psychotherapy training: Qualitative analysis of master's students' experiences in a student-led research and practice team, North American Journal of Psychology, 13(1), 21-34.

and at two conferences:

• Owenz, M., & Hall, S. R. (2008, March). I didn’t go to graduate school for research! Assessing and bridging the research and practice gap through a student-led team. Poster presentation at the American Counseling Association Annual Conference, Honolulu, HI.
• Owenz, M., & Hall, S. R. (2007, October). Advancing research integration in professional psychology programs through a student-led research team: Results from a pilot study. Poster presentation at the Los Angeles County Psychological Association Convention, Culver City, CA.

Dr. Hall and Meghan Owenz presenting a poster of their research about RAPT at the American Counseling Association 2008 conference.

Need more info?
The 2011-2012 student leaders of RAPT are Christopher James and Roxanne Rafiepour. They can be contacted with questions about the group at Jibroffman@gmail.com, Rasha.Salib@pepperdine.edu and Robyshamas@gmail.com. The faculty founder and sponsor of RAPT is Dr. Susan Hall. The student founder of RAPT was Meghan Owenz, who currently is getting her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Miami. The 2008-09 student leader was Linda Meier, the 2009-10 student leader was Margaret Rogers, the 2010-11 student leaders were Hengameh Mahgerefteh and Jaqulyn Spezze, and the 2011-12 student leaders were Roxanne Rafiepour and Christopher James.

Useful Links and Resources:
Looking for research or other professional development opportunities?

Pepperdine University’s PepPro: https://gsep-pepperdine-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php?cck=1&au=&ck=

• Career Services: http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/career-services/
• Research and Training Opportunities at GSEP: http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/psychology/research-training/
• Pepperdine Urban Initiative: https://gsep.pepperdine.edu/urban-initiative/

Looking for ways to network, advance your research-practice knowledge and otherwise further your professional development?

Consider attending and/or presenting at future conventions or conferences of the following professional organizations:

American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org/
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
www.aamft.org
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
www.camft.org
Western Psychological Association
www.westernpsych.org
California Psychological Association
www.cpapsych.org
American Psychological Association of Graduate Students
www.apa.org/apags/
Association for Psychological Science
www.psychologicalscience.org
American Counseling Association
http://www.counseling.org/Convention/
Los Angeles County Psychological Association
http://www.lapsych.org/index.cfm