Access to Health Services

Healing the Healers Through a Pandemic

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:14:07 +0000

Healing the Healers Through a Pandemic John Brandon C… Tue, 04/06/2021 - 10:14

Parriski’s time at Mason allowed her to gain the needed experience to be a successful health educator and establish a mental health program at New Jersey Hope and Healing.

Topics

Counseling

Workplace Wellbeing

Community Health

Access to Health Services

Student Spotlight

CHHS News

Alumni Spotlight

Mason alumna provides mental health support to health care workers and achieves the highest score on the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam in fall 2020.

Parriski (right), standing beside Professor McDonald, leads a team of counselors to provide wellbeing strategies and support to health care departments in Central New Jersey.

To combat the growing mental health challenges affecting health care workers, Mason CHHS alumna Irene Parriski leads a team of crisis counselors dedicated to providing wellbeing strategies and self-care resources for local health departments.

After graduating in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Community Health, Parriski applied her skills and experience to help others. “I currently serve as Team Lead and Crisis Counselor for New Jersey Hope and Healing,” Parriski said. “This program is designed to offer emotional support for those impacted by a disaster and to provide referrals to specific programs or a crisis counselor. Specifically, my team supports health care workers in the Central Jersey region.”

To further educate others on managing health concerns, Parriski became a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) in Fall 2020. After taking the exam, she soon found out that she earned the highest CHES score out of the nation.

“I have been passionate about public health since I started at Mason but entering into my career amidst the pandemic added unforeseen challenges,” Parriski said. “Learning I achieved the high score on the CHES exam was very validating for me, and I felt reassured that my passion and work in the field was worthwhile.”

When asked how she prepared for the exam, Parriski spoke of the support she gained from Mason faculty and the experience acquired from her program’s coursework. “I especially want to thank Professor McDonald who I had for GCH 350 (Health Education and Promotion) and GCH 411 (Program Planning and Evaluation),” Parriski said. “Not only were these classes the most relevant to the CHES exam, but Professor McDonald has [also] been a great mentor as I studied for the exam and entered into the public health field.”

“Irene’s stellar performance on the CHES exam is a testament to her hard work," Mason Professor Kayla McDonald said. “I applaud Irene’s ongoing dedication to educating health care workers on the importance of well-being and mental health.”

Parriski’s time at Mason allowed her to gain the needed experience to be a successful health educator and establish a mental health program at New Jersey Hope and Healing. “The wide-ranging classes I took within the community health program primed me to navigate all of the stages of programming,” Parriski said. “I am grateful to the faculty at Mason for preparing me to be successful in my current role.”

In addition, Parriski praised Mason for providing a dynamic atmosphere to learn in, which helped her gain the needed skills to provide care to others. “While at Mason, I encountered such diversity in thoughts, ideas, and experiences,” Parriski said. “This has made me more understanding and empathetic of others’ circumstances so that now I can better meet them where they are in life.”

Parriski’s team supports health care workers by promoting activities and resources that aid in wellbeing, such as hosting mindfulness breaks, running workshops on effective coping skills, and holding support spaces to help health departments process their experiences working through a pandemic.

Speaking on what it is like to support health care workers experiencing mental health concerns, Parriski said that it has been one of the most rewarding experiences in her life thus far. “It is a great feeling to see my team growing as counselors, helping others, and working with passion,” Parriski said.

Dedicated to service, Irene recently completed training to be a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer as well as a Disaster Response Crisis Counselor (DRCC) volunteer.

Tracy Davidson

admin_alpha — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 23:24:01 +0000

Tracy Davidson admin_alpha Tue, 10/20/2015 - 19:24

Accelerated BSN Program Coordinator
Associate Professor, Nursing

Contact Information

Email: tdavids3@gmu.edu

Phone: 703-993-1924
Building: Peterson Hall
Room 3020

CV

Download Tracy Davidson curriculum vitae (CV) here.

Biography

Dr. Davidson is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing with over 20 years of experience in an array of healthcare settings. She has a robust education that encompasses both clinical nursing practices and community public health. Dr. Davidson has true passion and dedication to applying her clinical training and education to serving vulnerable populations. She supported both Project Hope and the Peace Corps in an effort to bring much needed support to populations in need, and has collaborated with local health departments, community agencies and the Mason and Partner’s Clinics to create bi-directional learning opportunities and objectives for students and agencies. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Davidson has taken an active role in her local community with a focus on equity and at risk communities. She partnered with the Prince William County Health Department, Prince William County Social Service, George Mason University and Mason and Partner’s Clinic to expand access to medical services.

Professional Affiliations

American Nurses Association
Virginia Nurses Association
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

Degrees

Doctor Nursing Practice, George Mason University
Master Public Health, The George Washington University
Bachelor of Science, Nursing, George Mason University

Victoria Garrison, MD, BC

admin_alpha — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 23:24:01 +0000

Victoria Garrison, MD, BC admin_alpha Tue, 10/20/2015 - 19:24

Physician and Associate Professor, Nursing

Contact Information

Email: vgarriso@gmu.edu

Phone: 703-993-2831
Building: Student Union I
Room 2300
Mail Stop: 3C4

CV

Download Victoria Garrison curriculum vitae (CV) here.

Biography

Victoria Garrison, MD, BC, completed her family practice residency training at Underwood Memorial Hospital at Thomas Jefferson University.

Community Service

Healing Hands Free Clinic, New Port Richey, FL. Administered routine patient physical exams and history gathering with ailment assessment and reporting to attending physicians, 2004.
Salyabia Mission Project Free Clinic, Dominica, WI. Assisted with minor surgical procedures including collaboration with attending physician on diagnoses, prognoses, and treatment plans while also providing physical exams and histories, 2002–2003.
Ross Christian Medical Fellowship, Dominica, WI. Led home care and visitation efforts involving patient wellness monitoring and nutritional education and training, 2002–2003.
Judeo Christian Clinic, Tampa, FL. Assisted with initial patient assessment and follow-up care efforts, 2000–2002

Research

Research Interests

Bio-cognitive augmentation in embodied aid design
Diabetes management in adults/elderly
Telemedicine
New access to primary care

Affiliations

Member

American Academy of Family Physicians
Member

American Medical Association
Member

Maryland Medical Association
Member

Christian Medical Dental Association

Degrees

MD, Medicine, Ross University
BA, Chemistry-Specialization in Biochemstry, University of South Florida
BA, Political Science, University of South Florida