James S. McGraw, Ph.D.

Dr. James McGraw (he/him) joined the UCCS Psychology Department in 2026. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Bowling Green State University and completed an APA-accredited internship at the VA Finger Lakes Health Care System. Before joining UCCS, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center with the Suicide and Trauma Reduction Initiative (STRIVE).

Dr. McGraw’s research program focuses on individualized, person-centered approaches to suicide prevention. He is particularly interested in:

• Understanding the dynamic processes that contribute to suicidal crises
• Testing the effectiveness of suicide-prevention interventions
• Validating collaborative risk assessment approaches
• Implementing suicide prevention best practices into clinical care and training

As a clinician–scientist, Dr. McGraw is dedicated to reducing the impact of trauma and suicide through high-quality, evidence-based care and research. He is trained in evidence-based interventions for PTSD (CPT, PE, WET) and suicide risk (BCBT and CRP), and he enjoys helping students build competence and confidence in delivering these treatments. Dr. McGraw also values a team-science approach to scholarship and encourages the use of diverse methods and analytic approaches. He aims for his research to have clear implications for clinical practice and is committed to addressing trauma- and suicide-related disparities among veterans/active-duty service members and marginalized communities.

Exploring, mapping, and navigating a person’s unique suicide risk terrain.

ATLAS is a suicide prevention research lab, established by Dr. McGraw. The mission of ATLAS is to reduce suffering and help people build lives worth living by advancing the science and practice of suicide prevention. Members of ATLAS partner alongside individuals to explore and map their unique risk for suicide, equipping them with the skills to safely navigate future periods of acute crisis.

Suicide Prevention Interventions, Fluid Vulnerability Theory, Dynamical Systems, Therapy Processes, Risk Assessment, Suicide Prevention Best Practices

• PhD, Clinical Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
• MA, Clinical Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
• BS, Behavioral Science, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT

• PSY 6160 Biopsychosocial Aspects of Trauma
• PSY 6850 Personality Assessment and Clinical Interviewing
• PSY 6860 Cognitive Assessment
• PSY 6890 Clinical Trauma Assessment