Featured Trainee - Katrina Speed, MS

Katrina Speed

Ms Speed has a Masters of Science degree in Clinical Psychology and am currently serving as a Graduate Clinician and Assistant with the Mississippi State University Student Counseling Services. 

How did you get interested in BSM?

As a graduate student, I honestly struggled to maintain a lifestyle of meeting all of my academic and home life demands without losing copious amounts of sleep. One of my mentors was doing sleep research and therapy and invited me to learn more about it, and it seemed like a good idea as I might pick up a couple tips for myself!

Who are your BSM mentors?

Dr. Michael Nadorff has been my mentor for approximately four years now and has mentored me in both clinical and research work that I conduct.

What are your career goals?

My career goals are to work with military service members (active duty or Veteran) with a specialized focus in sleep, trauma, and suicide interventions. I hope to be able to conduct an internship and future job with the Veterans Administration to serve this population who has such high need. I am also currently involved in research regarding sleep interventions that I would like to work to develop into a military-specific model that could be used in theatre (i.e, deployment combat zones) and during the transitional periods coming back home or reintegrating into civilian life.

What is your dream job?

Running a private or group practice on a ranch conducting individual and group-level therapeutic interventions for service members, with special emphasis in sleep, trauma, and suicide.

Where would you like to see the field of BSM in 10 years?

I have been actively providing sleep therapeutic interventions for a little over a year now, and am always surprised by the number of professionals that have never heard of BSM. I would love for this field to branch out and place an emphasis on training more interdisciplinary professional and/or connecting various professionals so that appropriate referrals are made and clients/patients have increased awareness of treatment options.

What are your favorite things to do away from the office?

I love to read non-academic books, spend time with my children and partner, look at pictures of dogs online, and plan parties for people. I also enjoy engaging in various volunteering efforts as able.

What is your next vacation or dream vacation destination?

I love anywhere that has a beautiful, quiet beach. I would love to visit Bali or St. Lucia for a week or two!

Do you have any special hobbies or talents?

 I am fairly good at portrait photography and at planning/coordinating any type of event. I am also a decent omelet cook.

What experiences have helped shape your training in BSM?

I have been able to provide in-services or presentations at multiple settings, including inpatient and outpatient units, academic classes, conferences, and counseling centers. Teaching others allows me to learn the material better and explore other possible ways of conceptualizing BSM cases. I also have been blessed to be able to implement assessment and therapy interventions in various outpatient settings that have allowed me many opportunities to practice as I seek supervision and consultation, and have allowed me to grow in my case conceptualization.

What resources have helped to advance your training?

My mentor has been able to provide me with many written and web-based assessment and intervention materials that have allowed me to increase knowledge. Also, my thesis and dissertation work has granted me time and increased knowledge as I searched through BSM-focused literature.