Kendall Pfeffer, MEd, MA

Kendall Pfeffer, MEd, MA, is a second-year clinical psychology PhD student at The New School. She received a master’s in mental health counseling at the University of Houston and master’s in psychology at the New School. Before joining the New School, Kendall worked as a counseling intern at the Houston Fire Department where she received training in several trauma-focused therapies for individuals diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and collaborated on the development and implementation of disaster mental health responses following Hurricane Harvey and the Santa Fe High School shooting. During this time, she provided training to peer-to-peer mental health support teams, and worked on a suicide prevention taskforce, several PTSD research studies, and a study examining the relationship between paramedics’ interpersonal skills and job satisfaction, retention, and resistance to burnout. Subsequently she completed a fellowship with the International Rescue Committee’s Airbel Impact Lab where she conducted field research in Jordan focused on improving mental health and psychosocial support service delivery to refugees. Kendall is currently conducting a single-arm trial of Problem Management Plus for COVID-impacted New Yorkers. In response to the pandemic, she has also been co-designing and co-leading PM+ helper training and the supervision of staff at local community-based organizations.