Biography

Dr. Edwards is a clinical social worker.  She received her MSW degree from Howard University School of Social Work and her PhD from the National Catholic School of Social Work, Catholic University.  Dr. Edwards serves as an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Howard University since academic years 2011-12 to the present. She is the principal investigator of a Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) million dollar plus grant training Social Work students in Behavioral Health and OUD/SUD disorders in medically underserved communities. Dr. Edwards maintains a private practice where she provides clinical social work psychodynamic and psychoanalytic oriented treatment.  Dr. Edwards’ range of experiences extends from providing clinical services to inpatient psychiatrically hospitalized children, adolescents and adults to outpatient psychotherapy to individuals, couples and families.  Prior to entering Academia, she was the Clinical Director of the Emergency Psychiatric Response Team at the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a period of ten years.  In her position she was responsible for the assessment, intervention and treatment of crisis cases where she provided trauma treatment in a wide range of clinical scenarios.  Previous governmental involvement was in her position as a policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Office of the Assistant Director for Policy Evaluation.   She currently serves on the Board of the Washington School of Psychiatry in Washington, D.C., and the American Association of Psychoanalytic Clinical Social Work.  She has previously served on the Board of the Montgomery County Mental Health Association.  Dr. Edwards has served as a clinical consultant to numerous agencies in Washington, D.C.  She has extensive experience in clinical social work practice and has numerous publications in the areas clinical social work practice and social work education.  She is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers, The Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, the Clinical Social Work Association, and the American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work.