Date: August 1, 2006
Contacts:
Helen Mitternight
202-336-6134
Luana Bossolo
202-336-5899

NEW ORLEANS REPORTERS INVITED TO BREAKFAST AND BRIEFING SEMINAR: “PSYCHOLOGICAL TIPS FOR COVERING THE ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE KATRINA”

WHO:

The American Psychological Association (APA) and the Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma are sponsoring a media breakfast, “Psychological Tips To Help You Cover the Hurricane Katrina Anniversary.”

The media breakfast is one of several pre-conference events scheduled to coincide with APA’s 2006 Annual Conference that will take place August 10 – 13 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

WHAT:

Special Expert Panel to include:
Russ Newman, PhD, JD, Executive Director for Professional Practice, American Psychological Association
Joy Osofsky, PhD, Professor, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, LSU Health Sciences Center, and Co-Director, Louisiana Rural Trauma Services Center
Howard Osofsky, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at LSU Health Sciences Center, and Co-Director, Louisiana Rural Trauma Services Center
Elana Newman, PhD, Research Advisor, Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma, and Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Tulsa
Bruce Shapiro, Executive Director, Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma

WHEN:

Monday, August 7, 2006
8:00 – 9:30 AM

WHERE:

Mother’s Restaurant
401 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA

WHY:

If you’re not already doing so, you probably soon will be doing stories on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  Although you may be very familiar with your beat, it may be easier to write about the emotions that a disaster’s aftermath and anniversary stir up within your community with the help of the behavioral expertise psychologists bring.

The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.

The Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma is a global network of journalists, journalism educators and health professionals dedicated to improving media coverage of trauma, conflict and tragedy. The Center also addresses the consequences of such coverage for those working in journalism.