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Are mindful people better at regulating their emotions?

Emotions such as fear, sadness, anger, and so on often need to be "regulated" for us to behave in healthy, adaptive ways. How can people better regulate their emotions when stressed? read more...

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Can we help children with ADHD succeed in school?

Adolescents with ADHD often experience significant problems in school, such as failing grades and low achievement test scores. Can we predict these problems before they occur? read more...

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Why do African American youth trade cigarettes for cigars?

Many youth perceive cigars to pose fewer health risks than cigarettes. But, is this true? read more...

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Are cultural issues important in rehabilitation medicine?

Many health problems and disabilities disproportionately affect ethnic minority communities. But what can rehabilitation specialists do to change that? read more...

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Is religious counseling effective?

Many religious people say they want religious counseling. But is it effective? And, if it is not available, is secular counseling less effective for religious people than religious counseling? read more...

Alumni Spotlights

Shanice Coleman, BS

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Shanice Coleman earned her undergraduate degree in psychology in 2011.

Research comes naturally to Shanice Coleman because she is at heart a questioner. “Why are things the way they are?”  “What are the data to support those conclusions?” As soon as she became a psychology major, Shanice knew she wanted to pursue a Research Internship (PSYC 494) experience. She started working with Dr. Natalie Shook on Dr. Shook’s longitudinal study researching freshmens' relationships with their interracial roommates. Since VCU is such a diverse community, Shanice knew there would be a wide range of responses. Encouraged by Shanice’s keen interest in this experiment, Dr. Shook recommended that Shanice apply for a summer fellowship from VCU’s Office of Student Research, allowing Shanice to continue to work with the study’s results. Awarded this reputable fellowship, Shanice presented her work on this project with Dr. Shook at the Office of Research’s symposium in May.  

During her time in Dr. Shook's lab, she learned what to expect from graduate school. The experience also allowed her to begin thinking about the areas she wanted to study further – the health and well-being of communities. Shanice graduated with honors in May, 2011, with her BS in Psychology. Starting in Fall 2011, she will be attending Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where she will be pursuing a Masters of Public Health. Shanice chose the Behavioral and Health Education concentration with a focus on maternal and child health. She aspires to work at the CDC as a research assistant and one day as a Public Health specialist.

Dristi Basnet, BS

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Dristi Basnet earned her undergraduate degree in psychology in 2008.

Dristi Basnet has been on an incredible journey since she was 6 years old. Expelled from her Bhutan school on the grounds of her race, religion and ethnicity, Dristi fled with her family to Nepal where they lived as refugees. At age 15, she traveled to the United States with her mother and siblings. When it was time for Dristi to begin college, she instantly knew that VCU was the right fit because she "never felt out of place in the diverse campus atmosphere."

Equally at home in the psychology department, Dristi took advantage of the opportunity to conduct research alongside a faculty member. As a senior psychology major, she registered for a section of PSYC 494, the research internship course, with Jeffrey Green, Ph.D. and became part of his research team. Through this internship, Dristi gained valuable information and skills that have proven essential to her role as a research coordinator. For example, it was through this internship that she achieved competency in the regulatory aspects of human subjects research such as Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions and the procedures for proper administration of informed consent with research participants. Since graduation, Dristi has worked in the Department of Pediatrics at the VCU Medical Center, first as a clinical research assistant and now as a clinical research coordinator for a cystic fibrosis research team. Passionate about her work, Dristi says that working in a hospital environment is great experience and gives me the experience in working both with patients as well as in conducting research. Most of all, it is exciting to me to see that the research she is part of could potentially lead to drugs that will combat and cure cystic fibrosis disease.

Dristi values her undergraduate education at VCU and credits her research internship opportunity with opening a door into her current career. Dristi plans to apply for a graduate program in physical therapy where she will be able to combine her passion for research and people.

Karen Carr, PhD

carrI earned my PhD from VCU's Clinical Psychology program in 1989, and I currently am serving as Clinical Director of the Mobile Member Care Team (MMCT) in Accra, Ghana.

I received my undergraduate and graduate education at VCU, attending from 1979 to 1989. Before starting my training in Clinical Psychology, I traveled to Guatemala for a short term missions trip. It was there that I saw the emotional/psychological needs of missionaries serving overseas and began to have a vision for using my psychology training to help people who were far from home and experiencing trauma. In the Clinical Psychology program at VCU I was mentored and trained by Dr. James McCullough and Dr. Don Kiesler through a specialized track called the Process Track. With their patient and excellent supervision and training, I learned cognitive behavioral and interpersonal theory and practice. My practicum experience at the Center for Psychological Services and Development (CPSD) and Henrico Mental Health gave me hands on experience to apply these principles with a wide variety of clients. My internship was at Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC. There I received training in psychodynamic theory and was immersed in a cross cultural setting that was rich and challenging.

After completing my training at VCU, I did a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia in Forensic Psychology. This was followed by an 8 year career at Henrico Mental Health, first as Clinical Supervisor in the Jail and then as Program Manager of Emergency Services. I had excellent supervision there and the support of colleagues who believed in the vision I had to eventually work overseas with missionaries. In 1998 I left my full time work and raised funding so that I could begin working overseas with a multidisciplinary team providing training, crisis response and counseling for missionaries. I have lived and worked in West Africa since 2000 with a great team of trainers and health care professionals. In our 10 years there we've experienced some of our own trauma including civil war, evacuation, robbery, and serious illness. But, our vision to help those who are making tremendous sacrifices in order to care for others remains strong. I would not be able to live this dream of living and working in Africa as a missionary psychologist if not for the excellent training I received at VCU.