Katherine Porterfield
Katherine Porterfield, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, where she provides clinical care to individuals and families who have survived torture and refugee trauma. Dr. Porterfield is often called on to evaluate young people involved in activities linked to extremist thought and she frequently consults on human rights cases involving torture and war trauma. Dr. Porterfield has evaluated several detainees in Guantanamo Bay, including child soldiers, in preparation for their cases in the Military Commissions. She has trained medical and legal professionals in the consequences of war trauma and torture. She chaired the APA’s Task Force on the Psychosocial Effects of War on Children and Families Who Are Refugees from Armed Conflict Residing in the United States.
Recent Posts by Katherine Porterfield
Working with a Traumatized Child: Creating a Frame and Minimizing Harm
November 19, 2019 by Katherine PorterfieldWhen conducting an interview with someone who has experienced trauma – especially a child – remember that you have the power, and they have the hurt. How do you give a child a sense of power and control? How do you help them tell their story?
Trauma-Informed Interviewing: Techniques from a Clinician’s Toolkit
November 12, 2019 by Katherine PorterfieldFull video "Trauma-Informed Interviewing: Techniques from a Clinician’s Toolkit" from the Dart Center's reporting institute, "Reporting on Refugees and Migration Through the Eyes of Young Children"; September 20, 2019.
- View All Posts By Katherine Porterfield