Nora Baladerian
Project Director, Disability, Abuse & Personal Rights Project
Dr. Nora Baladerian holds licenses in California as a Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist. Her primary focus is working with crime victims with developmental disabilities and physical disabilities (pre-existing or resulting from the crime). Dr. Baladerian works with individuals and their families who have experienced trauma, including sexual assault, child sexual abuse, homicide, and attempted homicide. In April 2008, she received the US Attorney General’s award for excellence in service to victims, and the National Crime Victim Services Award through the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC). She provides training to law enforcement officers locally and nationally on working with crime victims with cognitive and/or communication disabilities. Dr. Baladerian is the Executive Producer of the OVC training DVDs, Victims with Disabilities: The Forensic Interview, as well as Victims with Disabilities: The First Response, published in 2008. She is a national trainer for forensic interviewers, focusing on adapting basic interviewing skills for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She works with attorneys who represent children and adults with developmental disabilities, to assess damages in their cases. She is a Certified Trauma and Crisis Provider. Dr. Baladerian has worked closely with local Victim Assistance programs providing Advanced Training programs through the Crime Victim Services Training Institute (CVSTI), the training agency for Victim Compensation programs. She is the 2018 recipient of the American Psychological Association’s Division 56, Rehabilitation and Disability for Distinguished Contributions to the field. She is the author several books about abuse including, How to Reduce the Risk of Abuse for Those with Developmental Disabilities, a guide that has been successful in reducing both the incidence and impact of sexual assault. Dr. Baladerian offers a 2-day training program for therapists on providing trauma therapy to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also maintains a private practice in West Los Angeles, California.