I am co-director of the MSc in Health Psychology. Although I'm a clinical psychologist by training, I'm currently conducting research that spans clinical and health psychology.  Specifically, I'm interested in the biological and psychosocial mechanisms of acute stress reactivity in healthy college students, depressed students, and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We are currently examining whether relationship quality can moderate the impact of romantic partner support on acute stress reactivity (cortisol secretion and self report).  We are looking at expressed emotion (EE) and attachment style as indicators of relationship quality.

I graduated with my BA in Human Biology and MA in Psychology from Stanford University in 2000.  I received my PhD in clinical psychology from UCLA in 2008 and completed my internship and postdoctoral work at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  I worked as an assistant professor, then associate professor at Roosevelt University from 2009 through 2016.  From 2015-2016 I served as the director of the Doctor of Psychology program at Roosevelt University.  I also maintained a small private clinical psychology practice from 2009-2016.  I started as a Lecturer at the University of Manchester in the Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Center for Health Psychology in May of 2016.  I currently teach at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Editorial board: Stress and Health

Peer review: Psychoneuroendocrinology, Behaviour Research and Therapy, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Journal of Health Psychology

Professional Affiliations and Service:

American Psychological Association

Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

            Served on the 2014 and 2015 ABCT Program Committee

American Psychosomatic Society

            Abstract Reviewer for 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015

Association for Psychological Science

• The relationship of alterations in diurnal cortisol secretion and acute cortisol reactivity to risk for depression and stress sensitization.
• Factors associated with stress sensitization including early adversity, personality traits and styles, and chronic and episodic stress.  How these factors interact to confer sensitivity to stress and risk for depression.
• The Trier Social Stress Test and how various relational factors including Expressed Emotion, social support and attachment, and clinical factors such a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Major Depressive Disorder, might influence cortisol secretion across the task.
• Ethnic disparities in diurnal cortisol secretion and acute cortisol reactivity and how they relate to discrimination and racial microagression.
• Chronic and episodic stress, and stress generation and how they are related to cortisol secretion using daily diary methodologies and life stress interviews.
• Stress reduction interventions (cognitive behavioral, mindfulness/compassion) and their effect on diurnal cortisol secretion.

Experimental studies

Quantitative

Undergraduate

Advisor Year 1, Year 3

Year 1 - PSYC10311 Lifespan & Ageing

Year 2 -PSYC21701 Topics & Issues in Social Psychology

Postgraduate

Masters in Clinical and Health Psychology, Masters in Health Psychology

PSYC 69822 Mind and body in health and illness