PTSD: National Center for PTSD

Margret Bell, PhD

VA National Deputy Director, Military Sexual Trauma and Psychologist

Women's Health Sciences Division

See staff directory for contact information.

Academic Appointment

• Boston University School of Medicine, Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Education

• Boston Consortium in Clinical Psychology, VA Boston Healthcare System, Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2006
• Boston College, Counseling Psychology, PhD, 2005
• University of Maryland, College Park, Clinical/Counseling Psychology, MA, 2000
• Yale University, Psychology, BA, 1998

Expertise and Interests

• Systemic, community, and institutional responses to trauma survivors
• Trauma survivors' experiences in interacting with systems
• Non-mental health providers' knowledge and work with trauma survivors
• Recovery from military sexual trauma and other forms of interpersonal trauma

Membership in Professional Societies

• International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
• American Psychological Association

Awards and Honors

• Award for Psychological Research on Women and Gender, The Association for Women in Psychology and Division 35, American Psychological Association
• Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year Award, The Council for Counseling Psychology Training Programs
• Student Research Award, Division 12, American Psychological Association
• Grants-in-Aid Award, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues and Division 9, American Psychological Association
• Hyde Graduate Student Research Grant, Division 35, American Psychological Association

Selected Publications

Street, A. E., Shin, M. H., Marchany, K. E., McCaughey, V. K., Bell, M. E. & Hamilton, A. B. (2021). Veterans' perspectives on military sexual trauma-related communication with VHA providers. Psychological Services, 18(2), 249-259. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000395

Skidmore, W. C. & Bell, M. E. (2020). Providing medical care to survivors of sexual assault and harassment in the military. In V. Ades (Ed.), Sexual and gender-based violence: A complete clinical guide. Springer.

Bell, M. E., Street, A. E., & Stafford, J. (2014). Victims' psychosocial well-being after reporting sexual harassment in the military. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 15(2), 133-152. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2014.867563

Bell, M. E., Turchik, J. A., & Karpenko, J. (2014). The impact of gender on reactions to military sexual assault and harassment. Health & Social Work, 39(1), 25-33. https://doi.org/10.1093/hsw/hiu004.

Bell, M. E. & Reardon, A. (2011). Experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military among OEF/OIF Veterans: Implications for healthcare providers. Social Work in Healthcare, 50(1), 34-50. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2010.513917.

Members of the press interested in scheduling an interview please see the contact for the media page.