FSPA’s New Continuing Education Manager

By: Robert Avsec, FSPA Operations Chief

It give us great pleasure to announce that FSPA Member, Dr. Catherine Harris, Psy.D, has agreed to take on the role of FSPA’s Continuing Education Manager.

Dr. Catherine Harris is a licensed psychologist with over twenty years of experience focused on the prevention, identification, treatment, and assessment of suicidality. Her career began with an interest in post-survival experiences following near-death events, influenced by her own surgical trauma in 2003.

Since that time, she has worked with individuals who have survived suicide attempts, disasters, violence, and other significant life events. With experience as a veteran, Dr. Harris has provided services to populations such as military personnel, incarcerated individuals, law enforcement, and fire service professionals in both clinical settings and community environments.

Dr. Harris emphasizes efforts to reduce the long-term emotional and psychological impacts associated with suicidality, considering these efforts as important as addressing acute risks. She addresses chronic suicidal ideation and its effects on quality of life and workplace dynamics.

In addition to her clinical roles within CDCR and volunteer work with the Red Cross, she has contributed to staff training on suicide prevention protocols, supervised clinicians, and developed psychedelic-informed approaches for suicide risk assessment and safety planning. Her current practice, ABO Psychological Corporation, provides care for individuals and professionals experiencing suicidality.

Her background includes professional and personal exposure to suicide-related issues, including supporting peers through crisis situations and experiencing personal loss.

Through workshops such as Portals & Passages: Exploring Death and Dying Through Conversation, she seeks to facilitate open discussions about difficult topics. Dr. Harris supports the idea that self-acceptance plays a role in suicide prevention.