Jonathan Wolff is a doctoral candidate at Boston College and is the Clinical Research Coordinator for the Ressler Lab and the Dissociative Disorders and Trauma Research Program. He has conducted research on subtypes of PTSD and dissociative disorders, policies and practices of domestic violence shelters, and sexual trauma experiences among racial-minority men. He has worked in community mental health, psychiatric inpatient, and college counseling settings primarily with individuals that have suffered violence. His research aims to center peoples’ voices and experiences, reduce stigma, and improve care. Prior to his clinical research roles, he worked as a Mental Health Specialist (counselor) on the inpatient Dissociative Disorders and Trauma Unit at McLean Hospital where he maintains a per-diem position. The clinical research studies he works on examine the phenomenology, neurobiology, physiology, and genetics of individuals with histories of trauma. Jonathan received his B.S. in Clinical Psychology from Tufts University. I am currently a PhD candidate in counseling psychology at Boston College. My academic research has been focused on the psychology of trauma, the ways individuals’ context and social location (e.g., class, culture, disability) influence their experiences of psychological trauma, and psychoanalytic practice. With respect to practice, I am passionate about community mental health work and dehumanization reduction efforts.
I was introduced to Sherman by Amit Paz in my first week as an undergraduate at Tufts. I immediately felt that Sherman greatly cared about me and my academic pursuits. He served as a model of academic passion for me, and he introduced me to the brilliant Justine Hardy who I was very fortunate to work with in Kashmir through an IGL scholarship. Sherman and Justine’s generous care and wisdom will always remain with me.
I had the privilege of having Jonathan as a member of the Institute. One of the most thoughtful, intelligent, sensitive and modest students I have had in decades, he worked with Convisero mentor Justine Hardy in her Healing Kashmir program in Srinagar. He was a Synaptic Scholar in 2014 who presented on “Bits: the Statue of Liberty and the Statue of Responsibility."