Meet Dr. Goss-Power
Clinical and Health Psychologist
The Origins of Trauma Work
As a licensed psychologist, my interest in treating people with trauma-based conditions began in 2002 during my psychology internship year at Dartmouth when I had the honor of studying with one of the co-directors of the National Center for PTSD. This strengthened my understanding of many aspects of PTSD including research for evidence-based treatments. I had several years’ experience providing trauma-focused psychotherapy with children, adults, and families while working in community mental health centers in NH. These were excellent settings in which to learn.
The West Africa Connection
Soon thereafter, I traveled to post-conflict West Africa as a consultant and eventually moved to Liberia and then Sierra Leone in 2007 to work with people suffering from the effects of complex trauma following a brutal 10-year civil war. And I do mean the war had been gruesome — with child soldiers, protracted violence, and unspeakable atrocities. Upon my arrival, the peace in both countries was so fragile that UN peacekeeping forces were still in place, something I had never witnessed before.
I got a first-hand look at the effects of trauma not strictly with particular individuals (which was an education in itself) but also with an entire nation’s population. Safety could not be assured and trust had been completely decimated. People’s needs were pronounced as entire communities had been leveled, while the resources for rebuilding a nation and a people were almost nonexistent. As a trained psychologist, the chasm of need left me feeling nearly helpless at times. What made matters worse was that the lack of a working criminal justice system brought so few of the perpetrators to justice …. leaving victims resentful, often seeking revenge. As you can understand, the acts of revenge only compounded the suffering during the region’s gradual recovery.
Returning to the US with Gratitude
After an acute medical illness of my own, I returned to the US a changed person. I am ever grateful for the many wonderful people I met in West Africa, the small ways I was able to contribute, and the many lessons I learned. In addition, I found myself filled with gratitude for the privilege of having been born and raised in the US, in a community at peace, with an abundance of resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and a citizen of a 230 year old democracy that I had taken for granted. This discovery was humbling. I began to reflect on how best to give back to my country, finding a path to community service. While I had always cared for others, this feeling of gratitude seemed to seep deeply into my very bones.
Landing at the VA Medical Center
My path led me to accept a psychologist position with the VA Medical Center, Manchester, to work in a home-based program serving Veterans with complex medical and mental health conditions. Many were living with the long-term effects of combat-related PTSD, much like my own father’s haunting memories after his tour as an Air Force pilot in the Vietnam War. During my initial VA interview, our program director told me, “You’re going to be surprised by how much you’re needed here,” and she knew what she was talking about. For the next 10 years, I’d devote my work to Veterans from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and several who had served in treacherous secret missions for the CIA. Men and women who had proudly served our country in a wide range of positions. My learning curve was steep, and I’m grateful for all that I was able to give and receive.
Launching a Practice for First Responders
After leaving the VA, I began to wonder about the need for mental health services for First Responders. While the needs are not identical, I recognized similarities between Veterans and First Responders with respect to your highly developed professionalism, both like to make a difference in your communities and the world at large, and a willingness to engage in risky situations known to potentially expose you to violence and trauma in your routine daily work. As I looked closely at First Responders’ responsibilities, what struck me most was the potential for cumulative, chronic stress over the many years of one’s career. I reached out to 7 local police departments inquiring about how I might be able to be of assistance. After spending 2 generous hours with me, the Chief of the Franklin PD suggested I attend a 3-day training in Critical Incident Stress Management, so I did, and this proved to be an invaluable experience to understand more fully what life is like for First Responders.
What I have learned is that First Responders are an incredibly resilient group of well-trained professionals, that you aren’t eager to seek psychotherapy, in fact, that it takes a great deal for you to seek help, and very little to turn you off! I’ve been warned that if I make mistakes, you may not give me a second chance….though, admittedly, I am an imperfect human being, so I confess to making mistakes sometimes, and I hope that when I do, you’ll consider giving me another chance! What I’ve done as a starting place is to learn as much as I can about what you do every day, what your careers and organizations are like, and how I can best be of assistance to you.
Several First Responders I spoke with confirmed that the cumulative stress resulting from your daily responsibilities can and does take its toll on people. An experienced firefighter told me, “We tend to stuff it and stuff it and stuff it and then we explode.” Okay, that gives me a picture about how to get started together. It’s likely to take time to get acquainted enough to build the kind of trust that we will need to make your therapy experience meaningful. Let’s do that together!
Life Beyond the Office
I also need to have balance in my life, so I have several passions outside the office. First and foremost, I love spending time with my family, my adult children, and energetic young grandchildren, a source of great joy. I take full advantage of life in rural NH and enjoy walking with a friend, hiking in the White Mountains, kayaking on quiet lakes, and frequenting farmers’ markets in summer. I have an active mindfulness meditation practice which helps keep me centered, peaceful within myself, and clear in my purpose in life. I am an avid organic gardener and have a backyard chicken coop and 5 laying hens (“The Girls”) as of this writing. And finally, a couple of years ago, I rescued 2 abandoned female cats, Rosie and Sunny, from the local animal shelter – they’ve become affectionate companions.
Educational Background:
Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology), Dec. 2004, Antioch New England University, Keene, NH
Psychology Internship, Dartmouth Medical School 2002-2003, Hanover, NH
M.Ed. (Master of Education), Kent State University, Kent, OH
B.S. (Bachelor of Science), University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Psychology License:
State of New Hampshire, Board of Psychologists, License # 1168