CSFS Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Julie Olson
Julie Olson, Psy.D., assistant professor at Alliant International University's California
School of Forensic Studie (CSFS) has been employed more than a decade as a correctional
and forensic psychologist. She has provided individual and group treatment for more
than 10,000 offenders in correctional agencies. She has also conducted violence risk
assessment evaluations with life-term inmates under the Forensic Assessment Division
of the Board of Parole Hearings in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
(CDCR). In addition to working with offenders, she created and implemented a Stress
Management in Corrections program for Peace Officers within CDCR at Avenal State Prison
and CSP-Corcoran for a six year period. She continues to advocate for correctional
officers and correctional mental health professionals and the effects of stress in
the correctional setting through research and education.
Dr. Olson joined Alliant International University in 2009. She currently teaches graduate courses in clinical forensic psychology and directs studies for graduate students with specialization in personality, intellectual, and forensic assessment, psychopathology, correctional psychology, risk assessment, and offender treatment. She also clinically supervises graduate students in the Alliant clinic on the Fresno campus in forensic assessment at the unique setting of the public defender’s office of Fresno County. Additionally, she has been instrumental in creating treatment and assessment opportunities with Spanish speaking clients through partnering with community agencies, creating and implementing offender diversion and court mandated services with Kings County probationers, as well as supervising brief treatment modalities at the clinic.
Dr. Olson also conducts private psychology practice with specialization including treating trauma, anxiety, and depression. Her research interests include: trauma, suicide survivors, sexual paraphilias, psychopathy, psychotic disorders and violence, criminal thinking styles, offender treatment effects, risk of violence assessment measures with offenders, effects of stress and correctional officers/law enforcement, developmental disabilities among offenders, and mentally ill offender treatment.
Current professional projects include educating professionals and students on prevention of child abuse through Child Advocacy Studies Training (CAST), research on experiences of suicide survivors, and conducting research on the traumatic effects of working with vicarious trauma in correctional and clinical psychology settings, as well as writing about efficacious treatment modalities within correctional environments.
Learn more about the Clinical Forensic Psychology program at CSFS.