The Center for Research and Treatment

Race Camp

Our flagship program is Race Camp. Completers of Race Camp become part of our community and may serve as mentors to fellow race-camp participants. At Race Camp, veterans, first-responders, and active-duty military personnel learn the four major components of psychological skills training, including goal setting, self-talk, imagery, and arousal regulation, with the assistance of biofeedback. Participants learn how to apply these skills (e.g., controlling breathing and managing heart rate) in both stress-free environments and performance-based scenarios. Specifically, the simulated-race environment will serve as a stress-inoculation technique (phasing from Easy to Difficult), with the primary aim of enhancing self-awareness and self-regulatory skills, thereby improving performance applicable in the field or at home.

We offer several variants of race camp, each designed for the population it serves.

Veterans

Enduro Series (ES) – ES is a 3-day experience specifically designed for veterans suffering from symptoms of PTSD. It allows them to use the simulated-race environment to strengthen psychological skills and improve specific clinical outcomes, such as quality of life, well-being, and self-regulation.

Enduro Series+ (ES+) - ES+ is a full 1-day experience with multiple telehealth meetings. It is also designed for veterans suffering from symptoms of PTSD who cannot devote three in-person visits to the lab. ES enables them to use the simulated race environment to strengthen psychological skills and improve specific clinical outcomes, such as quality of life, well-being, and self-regulation.

First Responders

 Super Series (SS) – SS is a one-day certificate program designed for public safety professionals (law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs) to learn and apply advanced psychological skills in a simulated racecar environment. SS is certified through the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), and participants will earn up to 8 CEUs upon successful completion.

Active Duty and ROTC Cadets

 Tactical Series (TS) – TC is an 8-week 3-credit course offered through the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. This course, titled Mental and Tactical Readiness, is designed specifically for first- and second-year students interested in entering the ARMY ROTC Military Science program. The psychological readiness program is a form of durability training that focuses on developing foundational knowledge in performance-based psychology and in overall physical and mental health. As part of the course, students will work on these skills in the race simulators at the CRT’s Race Café.

We are actively working on additional offerings, including:

• Diet and Nutrition
• Supplementation
• Biofeedback for Pain Management
• Neurofeedback for Focus
• CBT-I and CBT-N for sleep issues
• Forensic Evaluations

Students who work in the practicum will gain experience in assessment, biofeedback, neurofeedback, and research.

 

Clinical and Research Personnel

• Tom D. Kennedy, Ph.D., BCB – Director of Clinical Operations. Dr. Kennedy is an Associate Professor and the Director of Academic Affairs for the College of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University (NSU). He serves as a representative for the NSU IRB and is a forensic practicum supervisor. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Miami. He is a licensed psychologist and board-certified fellow in Biofeedback. His research interests include two convergent tracks, one focused on forensic psychology and one on therapeutic interventions with Veterans and active-duty military. He has procured grant funding and served as lead evaluator for multiple organizations, including Catholic Charities, Miami Dade-Schools Police, and national Bullying programs. He has published books, book chapters, and articles on juvenile crime, psychopathy, IPV, psychological assessment, military psychology, psychophysiology, and research design.
• W. Alex Edmonds, Ph.D., BCB – Director of Research. Dr. Edmonds is a full professor of research at the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. He is a board certified biofeedback practitioner and recognized as a senior fellow through the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance. He graduated from Florida State University and received his doctoral degree in Educational Psychology with a minor in Statistics and Measurement. He has published extensively in a variety of areas such as psychophysiology, educational psychology and has worked as a practitioner across a variety of domains.

Operations and Community Liaison

• Alli Morgan – Executive Director of The Veterans Trust. Allison Morgan served for 13 years as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army. She completed five combat tours.
• Steven Kantarze - Operations Manager. Steve is a seven-year U.S. Army Veteran. He completed one combat tour in Iraq and one tour in South Korea and finished his service in “The Old Guard.” He currently is the Program Director for The Veterans Trust.

Administrative Personnel

• Matthew Chenworth, M.Ed. - Matt is the Director of Advancement and Business Development at Nova Southeastern University. He provides resource services, community outreach, and recruitment opportunities.

Student Collaborators

• Leah Lancellotta - Lab Clinician/Tech – Leah is a PhD student in the clinical psychology program with a concentration in forensics. Her interests involve trauma, forensics, military psychology, and child psychology. Her research involves trauma-based interventions for veteran populations as well as forensic assessments within diverse communities.
• Michael Garcia - Lab Clinician/Tech—Michael is a PsyD student studying clinical psychology. He is currently on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Komini Pardalos - Komini is a PsyD student in the clinical psychology program. His research and clinical interests include forensics, first responders, and military psychology.
• Brenna Divoky – Brenna is a PsyD student in the clinical psychology program. Her research interests are in military psychology and first responders. She currently works as a first responder with Ft Lauderdale Ocean Rescue.
• Roshan Patel - Roshan is a PhD student in the clinical psychology program. His interests include military and veteran psychology, forensic psychology, and personality disorders. 
• Kamea Peterman- Kamea is a PsyD student in the clinical psychology program. Her research interests include trauma, cross-cultural perspectives, and military psychology. 

Community Partners

The Veterans Trust (TVT) - TVT is in Ft Lauderdale at 718 NW 8th Ave, and is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization #46-4677773. The TVT works with Full Send Sims, LLC, to provide race-car simulators that include remote services, support, and maintenance, and to provide the CRT with support and veteran participants.

Full Send Sims (FSS) – FSS is owned and operated by Cort Schmidt, a racing simulation company that offers turnkey and custom simulators, as well as trackside rental opportunities.

Neurohealth Treatment Centers – Neurohealth specializes in cutting-edge, FDA-approved treatments like TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) therapy, SPRAVATO® (Esketamine), and expert psychiatric care.

The Concours Club – The Club sets a new global standard for automotive country clubs. The private resort blends high-performance driving with impeccable service and world-class amenities, offering experiences that transcend the traditional motorsport environment.

International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) - IADLEST is a National Certification Program (NCP) to establish law enforcement training standards and "best practices" relating to improved professionalism and skill sets for our nation’s first responders. NCP courses are recognized nationally and designed to count towards officers' mandatory in-service training requirements.

QRFup - QRFup is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to ending the suicide epidemic afflicting our U.S. military service men and women, veterans, first responders, and their families through an emergency response application.

We are currently seeking sponsorship opportunities

• Edmonds, W. A., Kennedy, T. D., Lancellotta, L., Garcia, M., & Mills, S. (in press). Integrating Psychological Skills Training with Simulated Racing to Improve Clinical Outcomes in a Veteran with PTSD: A Single-Case Design. Case Studies in Sport and Performance Psychology.
• Edmonds, W. A., Kennedy, T. D., Pardalos, K., Divoky, B., Lancellotta, L., & Garcia, M. (submitted). Examining the Effects of a Psychological Skills Training Program with Simulated Racing to Improve Clinical Outcomes in Veterans with PTSD: A Multiple Case-Study Design. Journal of Military and Veterans’ Health.
• Edmonds, W. A., Kennedy, T. D., Visconti, D., & Patel, R. (in progress). Examination of the Effectiveness of a One-Day Simulated Race-based Psychological Resiliency Training Program for First Responders.
• Edmonds, W. A., Kennedy, T. D., Lancellotta, L., Garcia, M. (in progress). A case report of HRV-BFB and psychoeducational assistance as an adjunct to SPRAVATO® Esketamine therapy in a veteran with severe PTSD: The Anchor Protocol.
• Lancellotta, L., Kennedy, T. D., Edmonds, W. A., & Garcia, M. (in progress). Integrating Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy alongside a Psychoeducation and Heart-Rate Variability Biofeedback Protocol to Intramuscular Ketamine Treatment in a Veteran with PTSD

We are grateful for all the support in the form of donations, grants, and sponsorship.

The WAWA Foundation

The Cecelia Lipton Farris & Victor W. Farris Foundation

Quality of Life (2024). An Experimental examination of a racecar-simulation psychoeducational intervention and the effects on health and performance-based outcomes of veterans diagnosed with PTSD

Quality of Life (2026). Examination of the Effectiveness of a One-Day Simulated Race-based Psychological Resiliency Training Program for First Responders