Clinical Faculty
Dr. Kevin Chapman, Ph.D., University of Louisville
Research Interests: Mental health and wellness in historically under-served families (ethnic and cultural minorities; the poor); Anxiety and related disorders in historically under-served families; Violence exposure and resiliency in under-served families. I am also a Faculty in Residence at the Muhammad Ali Institute of Peace and Justice.
Richard Lewine, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania; Not accepting new students
Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating of the severe and persistent psychiatric disorders. It profoundly alters the way in which an individual perceives and interacts with the world. It is associated with loss of friends, loss of work, and loss of life. One of the primary causes of death in schizophrenia is suicide, estimated to be attempted by about 50% of all schizophrenia patients at least once in their lives. My current interests in the study of this disorder address some of the many factors that may contribute to the risk for suicide: failure to take medicine, demoralization resulting from failed expectations, and sex-related differences in biological, psychological, and social functioning.
Benjamin Mast, Ph.D., Wayne State University; not accepting students for 2013-2104
My research concerns the intersection of clinical geropsychology, rehabilitation psychology, and neuropsychological assessment. More specifically my research is focused upon (1) methodological innovation in clinical research (i.e., application of structural equation model techniques to clinical questions), (2) assessment and detection of late life syndromes (e.g., vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease), (3) examination of specific hypotheses concerning the prevalence, expression, and clinical correlates of late life cognitive and mood disorders including post-stroke depression and vascular depression, and (4) development of interventions tailored to match the needs of the specific sub-groups within the geriatric patient population.
Suzanne Meeks, Ph.D., Catholic University
My current and future research interests focus in two broad areas in clinical geropsychology: (1) life span change and adjustment in severe mental illness; and (2) phenomenology, identification, and treatment of depression and anxiety in late life. Students in my research group have recently presented work on communication between caregivers and elders in long-term care, on expression of depressive symptoms among different elderly groups, on psychometric properties of anxiety instruments in an elderly sample, and on life events and depressive symptoms in late-life severe mental illness. I am particularly interested in working with graduate students who are interested in clinical questions related to depression and anxiety in late life, especially in the context of long-term care.
Tamara Newton, Ph.D., Rutgers University
My research concerns the psychophysiology of stress and emotion, particularly within the broader context of mental and physical health functioning and women's health issues. Current areas of investigation include gender differences in neuroendocrine and emotional functioning in response to social stressors, and the physiological and health consequences of interpersonal victimization and psychological trauma. I also have interests in the integration of mental health assessment and treatment in medical settings, especially primary care and women's health settings.
Paul Rosen, Ph.D., University of Kentucky; not accepting students for 2013-2014
E-Mail
My research focuses primarily on emotion regulation and dysregulation among children with and without ADHD. Specific areas of research include 1) Assessment of patterns of emotion regulation and dysregulation among children with ADHD, children with Bipolar Disorder, and typically functioning children; 2) Use of portable data assessment technology (i.e., personal data assistants, smartphones) in the assessment of mood and behavior, and 3) Development of interventions for the treatment of emotion dysregulation among children with ADHD. I am particularly interested in working with graduate students who are interested in clinical research related to emotions and emotional difficulties among children with ADHD.
Paul Salmon, Ph.D., DePaul University
My research interests involve studying how physical activity and relaxation / meditation practices -- reflecting a continuum of activation levels -- may help people manage stress, work with negative emotional states, and enhance psychological well-being. These interests reflect my clinical background in stress management and, more recently, exercise physiology. Currently, we are studying the effects of brief, single sessions of exercise and a mindfulness meditation technique on positive and negative affect states, using both psychometric and psychophysiological measures. The overall goal of our research program is to develop exercise- and meditation-based interventions sensitive to individual differences for use in medical and wellness settings. Collaborative resources include UofL's Exercise Physiology Laboratory, the J. Graham Brown Cancer Center, and Baptist East Milestone Wellness Center.
Sandra Sephton, Ph.D., Brigham Young University
My research explores psychoneuro-endocrine and-immune pathways in cancer and chronic illness. My work has shown that diurnal cortisol rhythm disruption is prognostic for early mortality in breast cancer has spawned human, animal, and genetic studies of circadian effects on tumor progression. Currently, I am working to expand this research by testing biobehavioral and circadian effects in breast cancer, gynecologic cancer, and lung cancer including studies of breast tumor response to chemotherapy and tumor progression. Based on experience documenting biobehavioral mechanisms, I am developing a program of investigation to test effects of psychosocial interventions on endocrine, immune, and circadian function, with the goal of providing benefits in the lives of people with chronic illness.
Barbara Stetson, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
My research interests are in clinical health psychology and focus on risk prevention and health behavior and coping with chronic illness in adults. My research programs are grounded in cognitive-behavioral science and are multidisciplinary in nature. The program teams span the U of L Belknap and Health Sciences campuses, integrating health psychology, geriatrics, endocrinology, cardiology, and exercise science. One focus of my work is in the area of behavioral diabetes care. Much of this work is done in close collaboration with the Joslin Center for Diabetes at Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany, IN. Current and recent studies include prospective examination of the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease risk in type 2 diabetes and evaluation of lifestyle change interventions on self-management and risk reduction in diabetes. Another major focus of my research is the study of the process of health behavior change related to physical activity in persons at risk for development or worsening of chronic disease. This includes older adults, women and minority and low income persons. Projects include evaluation of activity barriers and functional status in frail, older adults and longitudinal evaluation of the process of exercise maintenance and drop out. The long term goal of these projects is to develop psychosocial and bio-behavioral interventions to promote optimal health care behaviors in order to reduce health risks and promote quality of life throughout the midlife and older adult years.
Bernadette Walter, Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychological Services Center Director
I am responsible for the daily operation of the Psychological Services Center (PSC), the training clinic for all clinical psychology doctoral students. These responsibilities include: supervision of Clinic Graduate Teaching Assistants and PSC support staff, clinical supervision of psychotherapy intakes and some child assessments, monitoring of client flow and recruitment, acting as a liaison to various community agencies, overseeing client data bases and client charts to insure confidentiality and integrity of records, and monitoring PSC revenues and budget. I also oversee continuing education programs and colloquia offered through the PSC, and am responsible for the implementation in the PSC of training policies set by the clinical faculty. I serve on several regional and community planning committees. My past research focused on child behavior problems, cross-cultural comparison of child behavior problems, and violent and assaultive youth.
NOT ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS
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Monnica Williams, Ph.D., University of Virginia
My research interests are: Obsessive-compulsive disorder and other anxiety disorders; African American mental health and health disparities; cultural differences in assessment of psychopathology; gender and sexual psychopathology.
Janet Woodruff-Borden, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 
My research focuses on: (1) familial transmission of anxiety, including psychosocial factors, such as parenting, and their intersection with biological markers to test models linking parent and child anxiety; (2) phenomenology of anxiety - differing backgrounds, experiences, and conditions alter what is described as “anxiety”; and (3) anxiety and genotype-phenotype relations in the Williams syndrome region.
Additional Faculty Information
Clinical faculty members maintain a high level of teaching, research, and scholarship.
Faculty members serve/have served on the editorial boards of the following journals:
Behavior Therapy (Dr. Woodruff-Borden)
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice (Dr. Stetson; Dr. Woodruff-Borden)
Journal of Anxiety Disorders (Dr. Woodruff-Borden)
Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences (Dr. Murrell)
Journal of Clinical Geropsychology (Dr. Meeks)
Journal of Family Violence (Dr. Woodruff-Borden)
Journal of Traumatic Stress (Dr. Newton)
Medical Problems for Performing Artists (Dr. Salmon)
Among those who have received grants are:
Dr. Lewine (NIH)
Dr. Meeks (NIMH)
Dr. Newton (NIH, Department of Defense, & HRSA)
Dr. Salmon (U.S. Department of Education, Bristol-Myers Squib & Merck Pharmaceutical Companies)
Dr. Woodruff-Borden (NASA, NIH, and HRSA)
In addition, Drs. Meeks and Newton have served on NIH review panels.
Faculty Awards:
Dr. Meeks was recognized with an Outstanding Scholarship award by the College of Arts and Sciences. Drs. Mast, Meeks, and Woodruff-Borden were recognized as Outstanding Young Investigators by the University. Dr. Mast received a New Investigator Award from the American Geriatrics Society. Both Drs. Mast and Woodruff-Borden have received the Outstanding Mentor Award (Graduate Division) from the Kentucky Psychological Association.
