Nancy Rich

Nancy Rich, M.A., is an affiliate professor in the Department of Human Services in Counseling at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her areas of expertise include psychology and counseling for first responders, trauma, crisis intervention, emotional ramifications of terrorism, first responder stress and emergency mental health. She teaches Advanced Behavioral Analysis, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma Informed Care, Trauma Resilience to Terrorism, Disaster and War, Psychopathology and the Mental Health Clinician, among others.

Rich has been teaching at the college level for 30 years. Prior to joining MSU Denver, she worked as an instructor at Red Rocks Community College, Saint Anthony’s Hospital Paramedic School, and Denver Sheriff’s Department Academy teaching a variety of subjects in criminal justice and emergency response. Rich also has years of experience in the mental health field working as a program manager and clinical supervisor for trainees. She has earned the Outstanding Contributions in the Field award from both the American Critical Incident Stress Foundation and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. She also received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Internation Critical Incident Stress Foundation.

Her areas of research include mental health issues within emergency response personnel, crisis intervention, and disaster response. Rich is the author of “Critical Incident Stress: An Occupational Hazard” published in Colorado Trooper. She is the co-author of “Summer Therapeutic Program – STEP: A Hospital Alternative for Children” published in Behavior Modification Approaches To Parenting. Rich has given nearly a dozen presentations and appearances to speak on topics like The Columbine Shooting and Hurricane Katrina.

Rich earned her Master’s degree in psychology from University of Northern Colorado in 1980. She earned two Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Kansas – one in human development and the other in sociology – in 1971 and 1968, respectively. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor and a certified trauma specialist.