Community Conversations: 9/11 Family Members on Telling Your Story

About the Moderator

Dr. Ryan Sliwak is a Postdoctoral Fellow and Staff Psychologist (Pre-Licensure) at Home Base, where he provides direct patient care within the 2-week Intensive Clinical Program. In this role, he conducts comprehensive psychological evaluations and delivers evidence-based treatments for PTSD, co-occurring conditions, and a range of mood- and stressor-related disorders. His clinical work integrates empirically supported approaches, including Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and the Unified Protocol.

In addition to his work in the Intensive Clinical Program, Dr. Sliwak is a member of the Comprehensive Brain Health and Trauma Program. He conducts psychological evaluations for Veterans and active-duty Service Members within the Special Operations community, working collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide comprehensive, integrated care.

Dr. Sliwak earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Seton Hall University. His research focused on children who lost a parent on 9/11, examining how individuals navigate the intersection of collective trauma and personal grief. His work explored meaning-making processes, continuing bonds with the deceased, and the ways in which individuals maintain enduring psychological relationships with the parents they lost on 9/11.