James L. Spira, PhD, MPH, ABPP
Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry
817 Mola Vista Way; Solana Beach, CA 92075
Phone #: 619 807 4953
FAX #: 858 792 2343
E-mail: JimSpira@aol.com

 

 

 

 

 

Biography
Licensed Psychologist, State of California
Board Certified in Clinical Health Psychology (American Board of Professional Psychology)
Clinical Privileges; Naval Medical Center San Diego; La Jolla VAMC

EDUCATION:
BA: 1976 - University of Wisconsin, Madison
MA: 1978 – University of California, San Diego
MPH: 1986 – University of California, Berkeley
PhD: 1991 – University of California, Berkeley
Post-doctoral Fellow: 1991-3; Stanford University

POSITIONS:
Assistant Professor, 1993-6 - Duke University
Visiting Associate Professor, 1994-5 – UNC Chapel Hill
Head, Div of Health Psychology – 1997-2005; Naval Medical Center San Diego
Clinical Director 2005-6; Casa Palmera Residential Treatment Facility
Senior Manager, Psychology, 2007 – present; RTI International
Adjunct Faculty, Graduate Education & Training, 2007 – present; Naval Medical Center San Diego

Professional Responsibilities, past five years:
Chair, Department of Defense CDMRP PTSD Scientific Review Panel
Chair, Department of Defense CDMRP mTBI Scientific Review Panel
President, American Academy of Clinical Health Psychology
Member, Department of Defense CDMRP Breast Cancer Scientific Review Panel
Department of Defense (SOAR) Advisory Panel: Developing Resilience to Combat PTSD
Member, National Institutes of Health, Scientific Review Panel
Member, Editorial Board, Annuls of Behavioral Medicine; Am Journal of Health Behavior
Member, Institutional Review Board; Navy Medical Center San Diego

Research Focus
1) Determining psychophysiological biomarkers psychological problems; including Heart Rate Variability (spectral analysis), EEG (spectral analysis) in different clinical populations.

2) Innovative Treatments for PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other military operational problems, including cognitive and experiential interventions.

3) Experiential Therapies: Meditation, Hypnosis, Relaxation for various clinical populations

Clinical Focus
Experiential Practices applied to psychotherapy:
Dr. Spira has trained in:
- Zen Meditation since 1970, including 4 years in a Zen Monastery.
- Chi Kung Meditation since 1980
- Martial Arts since 1976, including Tai Chi and Tae Kwon Do (2nd degree black belt)
- Movement Therapy since 1980 (past-president of the International Movement Therapy Association)
- Hypnotherapy since 1982

Clinical Psychology Skills:
- Individual CBT, Interpersonal Psychotherapy
- Group Psychotherapy
- Experiential Therapies: Meditation, Hypnosis, Relaxation, Tai Chi

Clinical Populations:
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Traumatic Brain Injury
Pain Disorders
Cancer
Neuro-Hypersensitivity Spectrum Disorders (Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Unexplained Pelvic Pain; Primary Insomnia)
Attentional Disorders (ADHD, TBI, Frontal Lobe Syndrome, etc)

Selected Publications:

• Spira, J.(in preparation) Attentional Retraining: Approaches to Controlling Psychopathology and Developing Optimal Psychological Functioning; Commissioned by American Psychological Association Press.
• Spira, J. (2005). Treatment Manual for Virtual Reality Assisted, Biofeedback-Guided Graded Exposure for Recent Combat-Related PTSD. Mental Health Services, Naval Medical Center San Diego.
• Spira, J, & Reed, G (2003) Group Therapy For Women With Breast Cancer. Washington DC: American Psychological Association Press.
• Spira, J. (1997) Group Therapy For The Medically Ill. Guilford Press, NY.
• Spira, J. (1996) Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder (MPD). Josey-Bass: San Francisco; Selected as Behavioral Science Book Club Alternate Selection, March, 1996.