Nicholas Barr received his bachelor of arts degree in comparative religion from Columbia University, where he studied Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. As a Princeton in Asia fellow, he worked in education and development in Laos before earning his MSW with a concentration in adult mental health at the University of California, Los Angeles. He then worked as a clinical social worker for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health for two years before completing his doctorate degree at the University of Southern California School of Social Work. Before joining the faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was a Cohen Veteran’s Network funded postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families.

Dr. Barr’s research focuses on enhancing understanding of risk and protective factors for populations with an elevated likelihood of traumatic experiences, like homeless young adults and military service members. His work includes intervention development and implementation leveraging principles of mindfulness to enhance resilience and improve mental and behavioral health outcomes in these populations. He holds certifications in a number of evidence based practices including Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Behavior Therapy.