Psychological Sciences Faculty and Staff

My research interests fall under the broad category of adolescent and young adult self-harm and risk-taking behaviors. Specifically, I study risk and protective factors for suicide, as well as non-suicidal self-injury. I am especially interested in the role of the body in self-harm, and how factors such as body image, body protection, and body attitudes are related to an individual’s propensity to inflict harm on oneself. Other research has investigated the overlap between self-injury and risk-taking behaviors such as substance use, unhealthy eating and exercise habits, and self-asphyxial behaviors (known commonly among adolescents as “the choking game”). As a clinical psychologist, I am also interested in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of suicide, non-suicidal self-injury, and eating disorders.

Undergraduate

• PSYS 100 Introduction to Psychology
• PSYS 440 Abnormal Psychology
• PSYS 430 Psychology of Women

Graduate

• PSYS 641 Theories of Psychotherapy
• PSYS 520 Individual Differences

• M.S. in Psychology (Psychological Science Concentration)