Distinguished Lecture Series: Dr. Jamie Aten

As part of the Margaret J. Weber Distinguished Lecture Series, the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology welcomed disaster psychologist Jamie Aten, PhD, to the West Los Angeles campus for a day of training, reflection, and insight.

Dr. Aten is the founder and co-director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Blanchard Chair of Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership at Wheaton College. Dr. Aten has spent 20 years responding to and researching disasters and mass traumas around the globe.

Dr. Aten served as the keynote for two events, Addressing Disasters with Clinical Care–a training for mental health professionals, and Navigating Disasters with Faith and Fortitude–a public lecture focusing on the intersection of faith, resilience, and disaster response. More than 100 clinicians and trainees were informed of best practices when addressing the needs of clients following a catastrophic disaster, such as the recent fires in Southern California. In his public lecture, Dr. Aten spoke from his personal experience of surviving Hurricane Katrina and battling stage IV cancer, as well as sharing his decades-long research on spiritual fortitude and resilience—emphasizing endurance in the face of long-term suffering.

Stemming from Dr. Aten’s personal experience and research, he co-founded Spiritual First Aid, an evidence-informed, peer-to-peer, disaster spiritual and emotional care intervention. Attendees were afforded complimentary access to Spiritual First Aid resources, enabling continued learning and support efforts.