Research & Scholarship

Dr. Rivka Edery, Psy.D., LCSW


Creator of the U-Model™ | IFS Institute Program Assistant |

Abstract Reviewer, NASW 2026 National Conference


My scholarly work integrates clinical innovation, implementation science, and trauma-responsive interventions to advance public health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Drawing from over 16 years of direct practice with complex trauma survivors - including combat veterans with moral injury, adult children of alcoholics (ACOA), survivors of sexual abuse and narcissistic parenting, and youth in foster care - I develop and evaluate practical frameworks that bridge intra-psychic healing (e.g., Internal Family Systems/IFS) with behavioral and values-based processes (e.g., Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/ACT).



Research Interests

Implementation Science & Clinical Innovation: Evaluating the efficacy of the U-Model™ - a visual, process-based integration of IFS and ACT - in reducing symptoms of complex PTSD, dissociation, moral injury, and secondary traumatic stress. The U-Model™ maps the therapeutic arc from trauma-driven reactivity (descent into parts-led survival) to Self-led psychological flexibility and values-driven action (ascent), offering clinicians a session-by-session roadmap with built-in safeguards for therapist resilience.



Public Health & Prevention: Developing scalable, trauma-informed curricula and training programs to prevent burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress among healthcare and human services professionals. This includes accredited CE courses (e.g., "Building Flexibility with ACT") and agency- and university-sponsored workshops that promote clinician self-leadership and sustainable practice.



Systems of Care & Vulnerable Populations: Examining trauma-responsive interventions within public health and child welfare systems, with a focus on intergenerational recovery for adult children of alcoholics, survivors of sexual abuse and dysfunctional family dynamics, and youth in foster care. Emphasis on fostering post-traumatic growth, attachment repair, and resilience through integrated, evidence-informed approaches.



Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

My work appears in journals focused on trauma, attachment, behavioral health, and clinical psychology.


Key publications include:

  • Edery, R. (2023). Disorganized Attachment Style and The Moderating Effect of the Inner Loving Parent on Closeness Terror: An Internal Family Systems (IFS) Approach. Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, 1–5. (Cited by 2)
  • Edery, R. (2019). The Traumatic Effects of Narcissistic Parenting on a Sensitive Child: A Case Analysis. Health Science Journal, 13(1), 1–3. (Cited by 9)
  • Edery, R. (2016). Childhood Bullying, Loneliness and Resiliency - A Critical Review of the Literature. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science, 6(2), 81–84. (Cited by 15)
  • Edery, R. A. (2017). The Influence of Organizational Respect on Job Satisfaction in the Human Services: Findings from a New York State Multi-Site Job Satisfaction Cross-Sectional Survey - A Short Commentary. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience, 19(3).
  • Edery, R. A. (2019). Borderline Personality Disorder: A Brief Contemporary Review. EC Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 351–356. (Cited by 3)
  • Edery, R. (2019). Detecting Deception as a Probable Healing Tool for Clients: A Review of Dr. Paul Ekman. EC Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 212–217. (Cited by 3)
  • Edery, R. A. (2017). Recovery from Narcissistic Abuse through a Spiritual Lens: Who is in Charge? Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Disorders, 1(5), 244–251. (Cited by 3)


Full texts and citation details are available on Google Scholar and ResearchGate.

Peer-reviewed articles have been cited over 46 times (Google Scholar, as of 2026), with growing impact in trauma recovery, attachment theory, and clinical psychology (40 citations since 2020).

Additionally, publications have garnered over 12,000 reads on ResearchGate, demonstrating real-world practitioner engagement.


Books & Practice-Oriented Scholarship

Explore my full publications, media, and creative works → Publications and Media


Edery, R. (forthcoming, August 2026). The Alcoholics Anonymous Workbook: A Twelve-Step Recovery Program for Healing. Dover Publications / Ixia Press.


This practical workbook provides clear summaries of the Twelve Steps, guided exercises, journaling prompts, and trauma-informed strategies for addiction recovery and lasting sobriety. Building on Trauma and Transformation, it empowers readers to navigate healing with compassion.

Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/Alcoholics-Workbook-Twelve-Step-Recovery-Program/dp/0486855465 (ISBN: 9780486855465)



Edery, R. (2025). Between Self and Parts: A 30-Day Journey of Self-Discovery with The U-Model™: ACT & IFS. Edery House Press.

(Workbook integrating IFS parts work with ACT processes for daily self-application; available wherever books are sold.)


Edery, R. (2013). Trauma and Transformation: A 12-Step Guide. (Early synthesis of trauma recovery and spiritual/12-Step principles.)



Professional Service & Scholarly Recognition


  • 2025 Recognition of Excellence, Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) - for contributions to ACT in social work and development of the U-Model™.


  • 2025 Outstanding Service Award, A Home Within - for high-quality, trauma-responsive CE curricula for volunteer therapists.


  • Grant Reviewer, ACBS Foundation (2024–Present) - Evaluating research proposals at the intersection of Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS) and real-world clinical application, supporting innovative funding for trauma-informed and process-based therapies.


  • Peer Reviewer, Journal of Mental Health and Well-Being - Providing expert manuscript reviews focused on mental health, well-being, trauma recovery, and clinical interventions.


  • Abstract Reviewer (Selected), 2026 NASW National Conference: "Beyond the Breaking Point: Connection Through Purpose and Power."


  • IFS Institute Program Assistant - Providing mentorship for Level 1 trainees.


  • Trained 780+ licensed clinicians through NASW-NC Conference, A Home Within, and accredited courses.



Ongoing Research & Future Directions

The U-Model™ is not static; it is an actively evolving framework grounded in process-based therapy (e.g., Hayes et al., 2020) and implementation science principles.


Current and planned efforts include:


Pilot evaluations of the U-Model™ in clinical settings with ACOA, foster youth, and sexual abuse survivors to measure outcomes in PTSD symptoms, psychological flexibility, and post-traumatic growth.


Development of scalable prevention tools for clinician burnout in public health systems.

Exploration of the model's applicability in group, supervision, and agency contexts to enhance systems-level trauma care.


I welcome collaborations with researchers, universities, and organizations interested in trauma integration, implementation science, or public health prevention. For inquiries, contact me via the site or explore training resources.


Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=KPi6jBoAAAAJ

Publications, citations ~46+, h-index, and research focus on attachment theory, clinical psychology, spirituality, etc.


ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rivka-Edery


Researcher profile with full-text uploads, stats, and connections in clinical/applied psychology.

Academia.edu: https://scuhs.academia.edu/DrRivkaEderyPsyDLCSWMSWMRASIFSLevelI


Home: https://www.rivkaedery.com


U-Model™ Resources and Framework: https://www.rivkaedery.com/the_u_model_framework_innovations

U-Model™ framework page with empirical foundations, innovations in IFS + ACT integration, training details, and related content.


Dr. Rivka Edery, Psy.D, LCSW, MSW, M-RAS, IFS Level I

Program Assistant, IFS Institute.

Tel: +1 361 704 4051
Email: redery@rivkaedery.com

Website: www.rivkaedery.com

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