Page 26 - 2019 Annual Report

DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE & BIOBEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Dr. Mustafa al’Absi Helps People Struggling with Trauma and Addiction
What is it about the intersection of stress, trauma, and early life adversity that primes many people for health and mental health struggles? This question drives the work of Mustafa al’Absi, PhD, a psychologist and professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health on the Medical School’s Duluth campus.
“We’re trying to discover or develop new approaches that could help enhance the resilience of people who are vulnerable and people who have been exposed to hard situations in their lives—be it traumatic or just ongoing adversity, especially during childhood,” Dr. al’Absi says.
He finds inspiration and motivation from working with people who have endured significant trauma and stress. He believes there is a lot to learn from their experiences.
“I’m inspired by human resilience,” Dr. al’Absi says.
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