I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in forensic psychology from Seattle Pacific University. I completed my internship at Utah State Hospital as the Forensic Psychology Intern. My forensic experience has included conducting adult and adolescent competency to stand trial evaluations and mental state evaluations for Washington and Utah courts. Additionally, I have clinical experience treating serious and persistent mental illness with incarcerated adolescents as well as adult inpatient hospital populations. More specifically, I am trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder.
I started at University of Washington Tacoma as a Full-Time lecturer in the Fall of 2012. I currently teach for the psychology major in the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Human Sciences. Previously, I taught for the psychology department at Eastern Washington University at Bellevue College for three years.
My research has primarily been in the treatment of adolescent substance use outcomes. I developed a manualized-based urge surfing treatment as aftercare for an evidence-based school intervention. I am especially interested in the effects of mindfulness. I have also done research in a human psychophysiology lab for the identification of ADHD symptoms in adults.
My research is dedicated to the treatment and sustainability of adolescent substance use outcomes. Project READY was created by David G. Stewart and is sponsored by Seattle Pacific University. READY was originally grant funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Prevention Services Branch, to test the effectiveness of an in-school intervention for youth who are using and abusing substances. Project READY utilizes Motivational Interviewing, Personalized Feedback, and Relapse Prevention. I expanded the manualized based treatment to include urge surfing which has found to be efficacious in managing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use cravings. Since 2006, I have served in various roles for Project READY including principal investigator, project coordinator, and interventionist. Project READY is currently serving high schools in the Bellevue and Tacoma Public School Districts.