Jim Helling, LICSW

Senior Clinical Social Worker & Instructor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Jim Helling is a psychotherapist, performance consultant, researcher and instructor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst who directed the Athletic Counseling Office (ACO) for 12 years. Jim maintains a private psychotherapy and consultation practice specializing in psychological trauma, dissociative disorders, and performance optimization. He has a background in public health approaches to psychological and behavioral health promotion and has focused on developing more inclusive and culturally-attuned approaches to college mental health. He is a co-investigator with a multidisciplinary childhood adversity and resilience research team.  His national and international publications and presentations focus on topics related to the neurobiology of psychotherapeutic change, embodied psychotherapy, mental health disparities, treatment of dissociative disorders, ACE, equity in college athlete mental health, and trauma-informed care. Jim was formerly an award-winning broadcast photojournalist, documentary cinematographer, producer and director who covered US politics, international & military affairs, investigations, and social issues.