James Curran, Ph.D

Dr. James Curran was born and raised in Woonsocket, RI. He graduated from Mt. St. Charles Academy, and later received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. After graduating from college, he attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, and received both his Master’s degree and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. After graduation, Dr. Curran became an assistant and then an associate professor of psychology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. At Purdue University, Dr. Curran taught both undergraduate and graduate students, trained young psychologists, conducted research and published his research in professional journals. His research while he was at Purdue centered on anxiety disorders, as well as the treatment of obesity and techniques in the reduction of smoking behavior.  

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Like many Rhode Islanders, Dr. Curran yearned to return to his home state and did so when he accepted a position at Brown University Medical School. The position at Brown came with an appointment to the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Providence, Rhode Island. At first, Dr. Curran was the director of the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, and later developed and became Chief of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Program treating combat veterans. While at Brown, Dr. Curran continued to teach both undergraduates and graduate students, managed both the outpatient clinic and later, the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Program, trained young psychologists in the internship program, and continued to do research and publish his findings. While at Brown University, Dr. Curran’s earlier research focus was on the treatment of chronic psychiatric patients and later on the psychosocial treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with combat veterans. In total, Dr. Curran’s publications number more than 50 articles in professional journals, approximately 20 book chapters, and one book.

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In 1984, while still at Brown University and the Providence Veterans Administration Medical Center, Dr. Curran began a clinical practice in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. About 8 years ago, with the help of his partner, Dr. John Murphy, he developed Plaza Psychology & Psychiatry, to continue to treat individuals from northern Rhode Island and south central Massachusetts. Although Dr. Curran treats a wide variety of psychological patients, his specialty remains Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He works with many public safety personnel, including firefighters, police, and EMT’s, as well as other trauma victims, including victims of motor vehicle accidents, gas explosions, physical and sexual abuse, etc. Dr. Curran has been a Board member of the Rhode Island Psychological Association for more than 20 years, is a current member of the Board of Examiners in Psychology, and is one of the founders of the Coalition of Mental Health Professionals of Rhode Island.