Briana M Carr

Briana Carr, MSW, LCSW, EMDR-C serves as full-time faculty in the Department of Social Work at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). In addition to her academic role, she is a fully licensed psychotherapist providing services throughout southeastern North Carolina. Ms. Carr is also the founder and owner of Serenity Healing Solutions, PLLC, a private practice dedicated to trauma-informed care and holistic healing.

Her clinical experience spans various community-based and outpatient settings, including in-home care, group homes, and community outreach. These early experiences laid the foundation for her transition into private practice, where she now specializes in helping individuals navigate trauma, anxiety, and depression. Ms. Carr is a certified trauma specialist in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and is currently advancing her credentials as an EMDR Consultant-in-Training. Her professional interests focus on trauma-informed care, particularly the treatment of transgenerational trauma through EMDR. She integrates trauma-informed practices into all areas of her work, including therapy, clinical supervision, consultation, and higher education. Ms. Carr is also a frequent participant in professional development focused on trauma and transgenerational healing, further enhancing her expertise in these critical areas of mental health.

Ms. Carr is committed to integrating real-time direct practice into the classroom, helping students bridge the gap between theory and application to create a holistic learning experience, while also deepening their understanding of the power of systems in influencing human development and behavior.

Education

Ms. Carr graduated Magna Cum Laude from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a double minor in Early Childhood Development and Spanish. She went on to complete her Master of Social Work at UNCW.

Specialization in Teaching

Explores the intergenerational transmission of trauma and pathways toward collective and culturally rooted healing.

Research Interests

Research interests include investigatating the impact of trauma on both the brain and body, with particular attention to how traumatic experiences alter neurobiological pathways and physiological regulation. Exploring the role of the autonomic nervous system in trauma response, focusing on how dysregulation contributes to long-term emotional and physical health outcomes.
Seeking to expand understanding dissociation as a complex psychophysiological response to trauma, examining its function as both a coping mechanism and a potential obstacle to psychological integration.
Examining culturally grounded definitions of mental health within the Black community, particularly how historical and structural trauma shape unique expressions of distress and resilience.

Professional Service

Teach and develop professional training programs designed to help clinicians effectively incorporate trauma-informed care principles into their clinical practice.

Honors & Awards

WILMA Recipient