About Us
What is SWIRL?
The Social Work Interdisciplinary Research Lab (SWIRL) at the University of South Florida School of Social Work is dedicated to preventing and mitigating the biopsychosocial consequences of violence exposure and trauma. Founded in 2019, SWIRL’s mission is to collaborate with key stakeholders to increase awareness of violence and trauma and to develop, evaluate, and strengthen interventions tailored to the experiences, strengths, and needs of affected populations.
Working collaboratively with key stakeholders, we engage in the development and adaptation of evidence-informed interventions, program evaluation, and capacity building. Our approach recognizes the importance of interpersonal relationships, social connection, and meaningful roles within families, communities, and other social environments. Ultimately, SWIRL seeks to promote recovery, restore functioning and quality of life following trauma, and maximize well-being within the United States and globally.
areas of focus
- Women, adolescents, children, and others affected by violence, adversity, trauma, and social stigma
- Veterans, National Guard personnel, first responders, and others in high-risk professional roles
- Strengths- and nature-based approaches to psychological well-being, social connectedness, reintegration, and suicide prevention
- Intersection between violence exposure and substance use, PTSD, depression, anxiety, suicidality, interpersonal and family functioning, sleep disturbance, and quality of life
- Experiential learning, including use of simulations
If you are interested in joining our team or you wish to get in contact with our lab about collaboration or services, please contact Dr. Manisha Joshi.