7:30-9:00 p.m., Weinstein Auditorium (Wright Hall)
William P. Nash, M.D. Captain, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy (Retired)
The long-term biological, psychological, social, and spiritual consequences of exposure to the stress of war, either on the battlefield or at home, may differ depending on whether the most stressful experiences were threats to life and safety, losses of cherished people or things, or perceived betrayals of core values and beliefs. Pathways for healing and recovery from each of these forms of injury to the self may also differ significantly. In this lecture, the evolution of conceptions of psychological trauma will be traced, from Janet and Freud to the current ascendency of the fear-conditioning model reflected in DSM-5. Data and arguments will be reviewed that challenge the long-held ideas that psychological trauma involves merely figurative rather than literal injuries, and that fear conditioning is the central mechanism in the etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder. Early results from the Marine Resiliency Study, a prospective, longitudinal study of risk and protective factors for combat-related PTSD in infantry Marines deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, will be included. The likely symptomatology, trajectories, and effects on neurobiology, identity, and relationships of three overlapping yet distinct clinical conditions - fear conditioning, loss, and moral injury - will be compared. Implications for differential treatment will also be discussed, covering its spectrum from preclinical care in families and communities to mental health treatment in clinical settings.
William Nash is a psychiatric researcher, educator, and consultant in posttraumatic stress disorder prevention and treatment for DoD and the VA, and he currently serves as the Medical Director of the Semper Fi Odyssey wounded warrior program. While on active duty in the Navy, CAPT Nash provided far-forward psychological health services to the 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Fallujah, for which he was later awarded a Bronze Star, and he led the development of the current Navy and Marine Corps Combat and Operational Stress Control doctrine. Dr. Nash has written numerous journal articles and book chapters, and co-edited the recent book, Combat Stress Injury: Theory, Research, and Management. He holds academic appointments at Boston University, University of California, San Diego, and Virginia Commonwealth University, and he serves as a member of the Institute of Medicine's Committee for Assessment of the Effectiveness of PTSD Treatment in DoD and the VA.