James “Dimitri” Topitzes, Ph.D.

James “Dimitri” Topitzes, Ph.D., LCSW, is a professor and chair in the Social Work Department at the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dr. Topitzes has designed, implemented and tested programs aimed at preventing or treating early psychological trauma, including the trauma screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (T-SBIRT) interview protocol. He created and directed the Trauma-Informed Care Graduate Certificate at UW-Milwaukee and developed a number of program courses, including Mindfulness and Community Building. In addition, he recently helped co-found the Institute for Child and Family Well-Being, a partnership between UW-Milwaukee and Children’s Wisconsin, and currently serves as the Institute’s director of clinical services.