Leah Peck
PhD Student, Graduate Teaching Assistant
Contact
leah.peck@mail.wvu.eduCategorized As
Community Engagement,Trauma and Resilience,Social Justice Equity and Policy
Leah Peck, MSW, LGSW, is a doctoral student in the West Virginia University School of Social Work, where she also earned her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees. Her path to social work has been shaped by both professional and lived experience. As a West Virginia native, mother, and former foster and kinship caregiver, Leah believes that who she is outside of academia is an important part of the social worker, educator, and researcher she is becoming. Her experiences working with children and families have strengthened her commitment to understanding trauma, resilience, and the ways social workers can better support individuals and families.
Leah’s current research interests center on childhood trauma across the life course. She is particularly interested in identifying ways to prevent adverse and traumatic experiences during childhood, as well as understanding how adults can heal from the lasting effects of childhood trauma. Through her doctoral studies, she hopes to explore how research can inform more effective prevention, intervention, and clinical practice, with particular attention to translating what is known about trauma into meaningful support for individuals, families, and communities.
Leah’s long-term goal is to build a career that combines clinical practice and higher education. She hopes to practice as a therapist while also teaching and mentoring future social workers as a professor. Ultimately, she hopes her work will contribute to a social work profession that not only helps people heal from trauma but also works to prevent it whenever possible.
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