Michelle H. Pigott, Psy.D. is a Training & Consultation Specialist at Rutgers Children’s Center for Resilience and Trauma Recovery (CCRTR) under the Behavioral Research and Training Institute. In her role, Dr. Pigott provides training and consultation in gatekeeper training such as Question Persuade and Refer (QPR), Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), ARC, ARC Grow as well as strategies for creating trauma informed systems. Dr. Pigott recently completed training in Skills for Psychological Recovery and ACE Interface.
Dr. Pigott earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in child and adolescent psychology from Adler University. At Adler University, she received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Systems Theory. Dr. Pigott completed her doctoral internship in health service psychology at Rutgers Biomedical & Health Services- University Behavioral Health Care in August 2020. During her internship she provided clinical services to adolescents and families through the Edison School Based Program which included individual, family, and group therapy. In her role as intern at CCRTR, she was provided with additional training in evidence informed approaches to trauma including Attachment, Self- Regulation, and Competency (ARC), ARC- Grow- A Caregiver Skill Building Intervention, as well as Youth Mental Health First Aid. Dr. Pigott also developed and presented on specialized topics impacting children and families along with writing monthly articles for the CCRTR website.
Having received a Master of Arts degree from Adelphi University’s Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hampton University, Dr. Pigott has over a decade of experience in the Health Services Field. She has worked in the non-profit sector as a program coordinator, program supervisor, and case manager. In addition to her career in the non-profit sector, Dr. Pigott was also an adjunct instructor at The College of New Rochelle teaching courses on the undergraduate level in abnormal, educational, and child psychology. Her clinical experience includes working with individuals, children, and families with a variety of pervasive behavioral and emotional needs. She has engaged with research that explores the importance of mentoring, accessing health care, racial socialization, as well as child and maternal health. Dr. Pigott is passionate about advocacy and social justice as well as the impact that psychological research has on communities of color, and in particular children, education, and the healthcare system.