Faculty

Judith L. Alpert

Professor of Applied Psychology and Co-Director of Trauma and Violence Transdisciplinary Studies Program

Judith L. Alpert

Phone: (212) 998 5365
Email:

How is it possible for memories of trauma that have been forgotten for a long time to be remembered decades after the trauma occurred? Why do children try hard to forget trauma while adults try hard to remember trauma? I study trauma, such as war, terrorism, school violence, child sexual abuse and child abuse. I am interested in such questions as how trauma impacts the victim and the victim's family, why the perpetrator initiates trauma, why witnesses are slow to identify it, and how memory for trauma changes over time. I focus on these questions in my clinical and research work from a psychoanalytic as well as a social systems perspective and with a view toward treatment as well as prevention.

How can feminist psychology and psychoanalysis co-exist?  What would psychoanalysis be like if Freud had been a woman?  How can you change the practice of a profession?  Questions such as these also  interest me  as  I am interested in Psychoanalysis and  Psychology of Gender as well as  trauma.


Recent Honors

Invited speaker at the American Psychological Association's Summit on Violence and Abuse in Relationships. (2008).

Recent Editorial Board Service

  • Editorial Board, Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 2007
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Psychological Trauma, 2007
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Trauma Practice, 2002-present.
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 2002-2006.

Research Interests

  • Trauma
  • Psychoanalytic Theory
  • Gender Issues

Awards

  • 2007 : Award for Service, Division of Trauma Psychology, American Psychological Association.
  • 2009 : Recipient of the 2009 Herbert A. Raskin Child Welfare Article (Pro Humanitate Literary Award, Center for Child Welfare Policy of the North American Resource Center for Child Welfare.)
  • 2008 : Recipient of the 2008 Margaret Floy Washburn Award, Division of Women's Issues, New York State Psychological Association.
  • 2008 : Recipient of Award for Pioneering Work In Establishing Division 56 (Trauma Psychology, American Psychological Association.
  • 2007 : Recipient of Service Award, Division 56 (Trauma Psychology), American Psychological Association.
  • 2005 : Recipient of Scholarship Award, Division 39 (Psychoanalysis), American Psychological Association.
  • Fellow of APA, Divisions of Trauma Psychology, Psychoanalysis; Psychology of Women; School; and Community.

Degrees Held

  • Certificate in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis 1984
    Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis
  • Ph.D. Columbia University 1973
    School Psychology
  • B.A. Tufts University 1966
    Child Study; Psychology

Publications

  • Alpert, J. L. ( Ed.) (1995). Sexual Abuse Recalled: Treating Trauma in the Era of the Recovered Memory Debate. N.J: Analytic Press.
  • Alpert, J. L. (Ed.) (1986). Psychoanalysis and Women: Contemporary Reappraisals. N.J.: Erlbaum Publications. (Translated to German: Publisher-Springer-Verlag, 1992; Reprinted in paperback, Analytic Press, 1994).
  • Alpert, J. L. (2006). Childhoods Driven Wrong. In E. Toronto (Ed.), Into the Void: Agenda-Free Case in Light of Current Psychoanalytic Theory. Brunner Routledge.
  • Alpert, J. L., Brown, L., and Courtois, C. (2004). Adult Recollections of Childhood Abuse. In M. Mason (Ed.), Taking Sides: Cognitive Science. (Reprinted from Psychology, Public Policy and Law).
  • Alpert, J. L. (2003). Beastly Memories Live in Beastly Memory Land. In B. Ulanov, A. Roland, C. Barbre (Eds.). Creative Dissent: Psychoanalysis in Evolution. CT: Praeger/Greenwood.
  • Alpert, J. L. (1997). Story-truth and Happening-Truth. In R. B. Gartner (Ed.), Memories of Sexual Betrayal: A Psychoanalytic Discourse on Truth, Fantasy, Repression, and Dissociation. N.J.: Jason Aronson.
  • Alpert, J. L. (2009). Witnessing and Passing: The Paradox of Memory. American Journal of Psychoanalysis. 291-298.
  • Alpert, J. L. (2001) No Escape When the Past is Endless. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 18 (4).
  • Alpert, J. L., Brown, L., & Courtois, C. (1998) Adult Recollections of Childhood Abuse. Journal of Psychology, Law, and Social Policy, 4 (4). Reprinted from J. L. Alpert et al. Report of the APA Working Group on the Evaluation of Memories of Childhood Abuse.
  • Alpert, J. L. (1997). Unsubstantiated claims of False Memory and Essential Responsibilities. American Psychologist, 52 (9), 987
  • Alpert, J. L. (1995). Trauma, Dissociation, and Clinical Study as a Responsible Beginning. Cognition and Consciousness, 4.