My current research interests include examining risk factors, protective factors, and services that affect mental health outcomes for low-income children and families and the implications for prevention and intervention. In particular, much of my research has focused on children who have been exposed to trauma and their families.
As a licensed community-counseling psychologist, I feel it is important to engage in research activities that not only expand the knowledge base, but also can be translated into programmatic initiatives that have direct impact on settings that can affect child mental health outcomes. My research has practical implications for many low-income children and families as well as the service systems in which they are embedded. In the future, I hope to garner funding to continue this research and expand upon the application and implication of the results, with the aim of influencing intervention programs as well as policy. I also hope to branch out and collect new data at various youth-serving agencies in the New Haven community. As part of these future goals, I intend to offer opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate researchers to be involved in order to provide them with applied research experience.
Although this is my current research area I have conducted research in other areas as well, including career development and adolescent pregnancy. I love many different areas of psychology and engage in a variety of psychological activities. For example, my dog and I are a registered Animal-Assisted Therapy Team. In addition, I work with several different New Haven youth agencies. I am very open to working with students on research projects that examine their own research questions and ideas.
