Dr. Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in August of 2005 from Northern Illinois University. She is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College and a licensed clinical psychologist. Her dissertation investigated the role of dissociation on physiological reactivity to reminders of rape experiences. Her current research focuses on the effectiveness of bystander intervention to reduce sexual violence and peer mistreatment, as well as the relationship among interpersonal trauma, coping style, and mental health outcomes. Her teaching interests include abnormal psychology, clinical psychology, trauma and resiliency, career counseling, crisis intervention, and ethics, and research methods.

 Her current research focus is on trauma and coping styles, specifically the relationship between avoidant and unhealthy coping styles after sexual trauma. Her teaching interests include introductory psychology, personality and adjustment, abnormal psychology, clinical psychology, career counseling, trauma and crisis, and ethics and multiculturalism. I also supervise students therapy; provide consultation; and provide individual, group and family therapy.