Jennifer Wilson

Dr. Wilson has served individuals, families and communities affected by trauma and issues of social justice for over 20 years. Her early work began in a grassroots organization in California serving homeless families followed by many years in child welfare, foster care, and clinical outpatient services treating sexual abuse, interpersonal violence, and a range of mental health conditions. Dr. Wilson has clinical expertise in sexual trauma, adult and juvenile sex offending. Dr. Wilson approaches social work practice from a holistic perspective, with an emphasis on therapeutic trust and relationship building, trauma informed care, as well as practitioner self care and well being. She facilitates trainings and support groups for helping professionals, students, interns and volunteers in the field. Dr. Wilson has written several successful grants to fund HIV/AIDS prevention and outreach, homeless services, and programs for former foster youth; funded by agencies such as Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and local Homeless Coalitions, city and county governments. She has several publications and has presented her work at national conferences. Dr. Wilson has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in academic settings, both on ground and online for 10 years. In that time, she has also supervised students placed in internship placements and in training as child welfare professionals. As an educator, Dr. Wilson aims to foster a student-centered approach to learning, while integrating social work values, ethics, empathy and compassion. She encourages students to engage in self reflection, self care, stress management and mindfulness-based practices as part of professional and personal development on their paths to working as agents for social change.

Education

PhD, Florida International University

MSW, Florida International University

BSW, San Francisco State University

Awards / Honors

Summer Research Institute Participant, National Da, , 2006

Melissa Institute Dissertation Research Award, Melissa Institute of Miami, FL, 2007

Publications

Wilson, J. L., Thomlison, B. (2017). Assessment and treatment of child sexual abuse: A forensic social work perspective..