Daniel J. Houlihan

Daniel J. Houlihan serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Regis College, bringing over twenty years of clinical experience including service as a U.S. Navy Medical Service Corps Officer where he deployed to Afghanistan and directed military OT programs.

His educational credentials include:

• Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) from Tufts University
• Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MS-OT) from Russell Sage College
• Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from State University of New York - Buffalo

Research centers on veteran reintegration through scuba diving therapy, evidenced by his doctoral work and leadership of the Divers Archaeological Reconnaissance Cooperative (DivARC). He investigates PTSD-physical injury relationships and specializes in upper extremity rehabilitation and combat-related concussion management, bridging clinical practice with innovative veteran support strategies.

His publications reveal consistent focus on military healthcare applications, with the 2023 citizen science chapter demonstrating archaeological engagement for veteran reintegration and the 2015 neurotrauma study advancing balance assessment protocols in combat zones.

Houlihan actively leads the DivARC initiative which utilizes scuba diving and maritime archaeology projects to support combat veteran transition, collaborating with citizen science networks for heritage preservation and therapeutic programming.