Violence Prevention Project: A Behavioral and Cognitive Viewpoint

Monthly

NYC-DR Roundtable Breakfast

VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROJECT:

A BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE VIEWPOINT

FELICITAS KORT

VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  PROJECT:

A BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE 

POINT OF VIEW

The World Health Organization (WHO) affirmed the importance of developing violence prevention programs in the mental health area in its World Report on Violence. In 2003 WHO began a global campaign for the prevention of violence, stating that violence is a public health problem as perilous as any physical disease.

      The Violence Prevention Project provides a framework for the prevention of violence. Speaker Felicitas Kort will describe the Project, which uses behavioral and cognitive strategies and social learning approaches in large group settings. As the Project's principle investigator, she will discuss a survey study, which measured mood and behavior showing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and depression and she will share information about some of the strategies (Progressive Muscular Relaxation; Assertion Training; Anger Management and Self-Efficacy) developed for the Project. She will also show segments from interviews and a number of television and radio spots used to educate consumers about the Project. The Violence Project not only demonstrates the need for dissemination of empirical evidence-based strategies, but also stimulates the delivery of appropriate psychological interventions.

FELICITAS KORT is a Clinical psychologist, author and professor of Behavior and Cognitive Therapy at the Postgraduate Training in Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology at the Caracas, Venezuela, Central University. She is an experienced clinician in the field of behavioral and cognitive therapy in the areas of post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and mood disorders. She has written several books and articles for professional journals, and is both Chairman of the Board of the Venezuelan Association of Psychotherapy and President of the Venezuelan Association of Behavior Therapy. Since 2001, she has prepared Depression Awareness Week and Anxiety Disorders Campaigns, sponsored by the Global Alliance for the Mentally Ill Advocacy Networks, located in New York.