HJNO Mar/Apr 2024

Q&A 20 MAR / APR 2024 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Erika Rajo, PsyD Trauma Psychologist Director, Trauma Recovery Center UniversityMedical Center NewOrleans Erika Rajo, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist in Louisiana, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at LSU Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC), director of the Trauma Recovery Center at University Medical Center New Orleans (UMCNO), and co-director of the Spirit of Charity TraumaCenter Psychiatry ResearchUnit. She earned aMaster of Science in clinical psychology fromLoyolaUniversityMaryland then assistedwithNIH-funded projects in the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Unit at Johns Hopkins University before earning a doctorate in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University in Southern California. She returned to her hometown of New Orleans, where she completed both a predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship training at LSU Health Sciences Center. Rajo has been working with children and adults impacted by trauma for more than 10 years and specializes in PTSD screening/assessment and treatment for survivors of traumatic injury as well as their loved ones. Rajo is on the training faculty for LSUHSC’s clinical psychology internship and fellowship programs. She recently received Gambit’s “40 Under 40 (2022)” award and New Orleans City Business’ “2021 Healthcare Heroes” award for her work in the areas of trauma recovery and violence prevention as well as her efforts to support the emotional well-being of frontline workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Rajo’s professional and research interests include trauma recovery for underserved populations, trauma-informed care in integrated care settings, and clinical supervision in health service psychology.