My research is grounded in praxis—the connection between critical reflection and action—and examines how teaching and teacher education can contribute to more equitable and responsive schools and communities. My scholarship focuses on culturally responsive
pedagogy, critical and equity literacy, teacher identity and reflection, community-engaged learning, and belonging in educational spaces.
I am particularly interested in how identity, culture, language, history, bias, and systems shape educational experiences and educators' decisions. My research also explores children’s literature as a site for examining representation, historical narratives, antisemitism, and other forms of bias and exclusion. Across these areas, I am interested in how educators move from awareness and critical reflection toward meaningful changes in practice.
My research interests include occupational Therapy needs of adults with IDD, and the use of technology to support adults with IDD.
My scholarship has been concentrated in the areas of pediatric and school psychology, with a focus on the clinical applications of research and the formulation of practice guidelines for health care and school professionals. Student dissertations under my mentorship have explored child and family adjustment to cancer and other major pediatric medical issues.
Recent publications have included chapters providing guidelines to medical care providers on meeting the psychological needs of children and families with severe illness, guidelines to school teams on meeting the needs of traumatized or maltreated students, and a formulation of the role of gender in cognitive assessment.
My research broadly focuses on behavioral health assessment, suicide risk identification and prevention, and mental health equity. Currently, my research endeavors revolve around the critical task of evaluating and enhancing existing mental health assessment tools for diverse populations of youth. My aim is to refine these tools to enable more precise differentiation of diagnoses and to enhance our ability to predict future suicide risk. Importantly, this research extends its reach across diverse demographic groups, including cultural communities, students who receive special education services, and youths who identify as LGBTQIA+.
I currently have three primary areas of ongoing research for publication and scholarship. These include: (1) sexual minority professional identity and development; (2) social work and human sexuality pedagogies; and (3) social work and human sexuality textbook efficacy.
As an offshoot from my dissertation, the professional development of sexual minorities in the field of social work continues to interest me greatly. My dissertation raised numerous questions about the role of oppression, social identity, and organizational culture as well as how these factors, among others, influence sexual minorities pursuing graduate level education and beyond. As a result, I continue to explore identity management within the context of applications to therapists and educators.
In light of my approach to pedagogy as an experiential educator, my respective fields of social work and human sexuality, and the institutional support of experiential learning in Widener University’s Strategic Plan. I am also passionate about studying the art and science of teaching.
Finally, I have recently co-authored a textbook book on sexuality and social work to be employed within the context of both social work and human sexuality classrooms. Analyzing the efficacy of the text will be a focus for some years ahead.
Broadly speaking, I am interested in researching the topics of psychodynamic psychotherapy, culture, and relationships. For the last few years my work has focused primarily on the study of an applied psychology of religion and spirituality. I am interested in the integration of religion and spirituality into psychoanalytic theory, psychotherapy, and professional training. I also enjoy partnering with students to better understand the psychological experiences of marginalized groups, such as gay black men, individuals diagnosed with stigmatizing mental illness, and transgender clients seeking gender confirmation surgery.
My research interests include organizational context issues, trauma, field supervision, and issues of deviance and stigma in mental health.
My research interests focus on decolonial and indigenous knowledges and practices, and sexualities through languages.
My research interests include practice evaluation, integrated care and the treatment of trauma, and social work and chronic health care.
My research focuses on sexual health behavior and the social, developmental, contextual, and psychological factors that influence sexual decision-making, particularly in substance-involved contexts. My overarching professional goals are to produce theoretically grounded research that informs understandings of sexual health behavior, thus providing specific targets on which to intervene to improve sexual health outcomes.
To address these research aims, I conduct research wherein I employ a variety of methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods designs. In the pursuit of these goals, I apply social psychological perspectives to investigate two overarching questions that guide my research agenda: (1) What are the social influences on sexual health behaviors and for whom and how are those factors influential? and (2) What are the psychosocial factors involved in sexual decisions and relationships and what are the mechanisms of action and interaction among these factors?.
My areas of expertise include organizational leadership, collaborative inquiry communities, and developing mentor practices. My current research focuses on how to develop and support productive learning communities within schools and classrooms, including how to support faculty and graduate student success. In addition, I focus on the development of these ideas through the use of instructional technology in online spaces, such as through online and hybrid courses, and faculty and school-based professional development.
My research interests include violence prevention and reentry; clinical social work practice; treatment of serious mental illness; children and adolescents; critical incident stress management with emergency service workers; trauma; crisis intervention; collaborative work with criminal justice; social and emotional competence; interagency collaboration; and organizational management.
My research investigates the impact of cognitive deficits, specifically attention and memory, on communication in individuals with traumatic brain injury.