FORT DRUM, N.Y. (April 30, 2015) -- Capt. Stacy A. Krauss, behavioral health officer and clinical psychologist with 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, recently became one of three military psychologists on Fort Drum to obtain certification through the American Board of Professional Psychology.
"It has been a wonderful and overwhelming experience," Krauss said. "I have been working toward it for 11 years at this point, and it is hard to believe that it is over. I have a tremendous sense of accomplishment."
While board certification is not required for most psychologists, military psychologists are strongly encouraged to become certified. Board certification has become an increasingly sought-after advanced professional credential for psychologists, providing a means to assess competency and communicate high professional standards to the public.
Although Krauss didn't know what the future held for her when she received her bachelor's degree, she decided to seek mentoring from a military psychologist, who took the time to explain their job to her and put her on a personal track for success.
"I have a deep sense of obligation to the Army," she said. "I could have never been able to go to college without the Army; they invested so much time, money, resources and mentoring for me to achieve this, and I just don't think I would have done so well without their assistance."
Krauss' board certification specialty is clinical psychology, which consists of several components. Two of the components are assessment and diagnosis, in which she is trained to do formal assessments with the use of specialized instruments to help determine whether different mental health conditions are present, how severe they are in a patient, and what can she do to help guide a more specific treatment plan for a patient.
"I can say this is one of the most exciting jobs in the U.S. Army; no two days are ever the same," she said. "We get to be part of so many things within the Army community, we provide daily therapy services to people, and we have a huge part in prevention of mental health issues, behavioral health issues, while playing an active role helping to bolster community wellness around the active-duty Army."
One of her professional colleagues, Dr. Todd L. Benham, chief of the U.S. Army MEDDAC Behavioral Health Department at Fort Drum, has known Krauss for more than four years. He has been with her since she began the certification process.
"Board certification shows that you have achieved a certain degree of specialization and competence. It is a secondary accrediting body that verifies beyond your initial licensure," Benham said.
The mission of the American Board of Professional Psychology is to boost consumer protection through the examination and certification of psychologists who demonstrate competence in approved specialty areas in professional psychology. Board certification through ABPP provides peer and public recognition of demonstrated competence in one of its 14 affiliated specialty areas.
Additionally, board certification provides the professional with increased opportunities for career growth, including employability, mobility and financial compensation.
"Many people don't pursue the certification, because most jobs don't require it, and it is just a lot of work to go through," Benham said.
According to Krauss, the certification process took only about a year once she had met all of the criteria.
"I think as psychologists continue to pursue making the profession more respected, seeking board certification is an important part of that process," Benham said. "I'm doing it to continue to challenge myself and know that I am continuing to stay on track as a professional."
Krauss credits her husband, Capt. Jeff Krauss, a physician's assistant with 6th Squadron, 6th Calvary Regiment, 10th CAB, for his support during the certification process.
"My husband was amazing throughout this whole process," she said. "He has been very supportive, and he helped me to stay motivated and to stay with it because it is such a lengthy process and so easy to get off track. He was very patient."
There are many reasons a military psychologist might pursue board certification, to include obtaining the highest recognized professional credential in the field, obtaining a credential that is easily transferable to post-military work, and earning a means for easy licensure mobility.
These could be reasons that initially made Krauss seek board certification; however, these days her sense of gratitude is what pushes her to excel at her career.
"I feel really committed to making sure that I am going to provide the Army community a quality service in exchange for Army giving me this opportunity and trusting me. It is my responsibility to make good on the investment that they put in me and do everything I can to uplift the field of military psychology," she said.
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