Alex Riera


VA Lab Coordinator

VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans

About me

I was given the privilege of growing-up in countries overseas while my father served in the United States Army. This exposure to other cultures led to a deep gratitude and appreciation for diversity of thought, language, and experience. Following my father’s footsteps, I currently serve as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. Both my childhood experience and my service in the Army Reserve have given me a deep-seated appreciation for Veterans and their families. Furthermore, my faith has been an integral component of my life. I am interested in what the effects of positive psychology and spiritually-oriented treatments, such as the use of moral elevation and uplifting spiritual principles, possibly in-conjunction with VA chaplain integration, have on the reduction of PTSD symptoms, substance abuse, and suicidality among the veteran population.


Education

MS in Psychology, 2023
The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX


Publications

Adapting a web-based moral elevation intervention for veterans with PTSD using stakeholder perspectives


Adam P. McGuire, Alexander Riera, Xrystyan Lascano

PsyArXiv Preprints, 2024