Counseling Psychology (Ph.D.)

We seek to train counseling psychologists who are competent health service psychologists (HSPs), by using a broad focus on biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects of health and behavior. The philosophy of the program is rooted in the values and goals of a society that prioritizes the optimal health and well-being of all persons in that society. We envision a society where everyone has access to healthy environments that support healthy development and functioning. By preparing our scholars to facilitate optimal well-being at many levels, from individual to community to systems approaches, we empower them to address structural challenges and foster well-being through science and practice.

Our mission is to train skilled and ethical scientist-practitioners who use their counseling psychology professional identity to competently address the evolving needs of a multicultural society.  Learn more about the ten competencies and ten knowledge areas that underlie our program’s dual aims by examining the CP PhD Program Aims file available via our Handbooks and Forms webpage.

We use a competency-based approach to training. Our training model aligns with the prevailing standards of our field, as articulated by CCPTP’s Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity and APA’s Preparing Professional Psychologists to Serve a Diverse Public and Professional Practice Guidelines.  Our students complete clinical practica in a variety of settings in and around Lexington, including university counseling centers, community mental health agencies, private practices, assessment clinics, psychiatric hospitals, Veterans Health Administration medical centers (VA’s), correctional facilities, and specialty mental health clinics. Our students can also complete clinical practicum at our in-house community mental health clinic.

For in-depth information about all facets of the program, download the Doctoral Program Handbook and Program of Study from the Handbooks and Forms page.

Students who are looking for a program that will prepare them to be competitive for a career in academia will be delighted to learn that our program faculty are highly productive, cited, and awarded counseling psychologists.

 Meet the Faculty

Generally, students who enter the doctoral program have completed the master’s degree in psychology or counseling. We may accept strong applicants who have completed an undergraduate degree in psychology or a related discipline (e.g., sociology, pre-med), but do not have a master’s degree; these students are expected to complete our master’s level coursework and practica prior to beginning the doctoral coursework and practica. Students negotiate a specific program of study with their advisory committee. Students can often waive out of doctoral courses when they completed an equivalent course during their master’s program.

The annual PhD program application deadline is December 1.

Apply online

Dr. McCubbin and Dr. Hammer will be the only counseling psychology faculty members taking doctoral students for Fall 2025 start. GRE scores are optional. There is no minimum GRE score requirement or cut-off.

Applications for admission are evaluated by the program faculty who carefully review the applicant’s (a) GPA; (b) GRE scores, when provided; (c) letters of recommendation addressing academic, research, and counseling experiences and interpersonal skills; (d) match with faculty research interests; (e) Statement of Purpose outlining professional goals (i.e., is it commensurate with our training model and values, and does it demonstrate excellence in written communication); (f) writing sample demonstrating excellence in written communication; and (g) capacity to contribute to creating a world in which belonging and community engagement is prioritized. The program faculty holistically considers the entire application of a prospective student and makes decisions based not only on numerical criteria but also on perceived fit with program goals, needs, and values. Therefore, a low score in one area can be off-set by professional strengths in another area. Minimum GPA is >2.75 for undergraduate and >3.00 for graduate. Minimum TOEFL score is 79. It is crucial that students articulate in their Statement of Purpose how their specific research interests match the research program of one or two of the counseling psychology faculty members.

See the Apply webpage for information on what date doctoral interview day will be held via Zoom.

This interview process helps the program faculty and prospective students further assess fit with the program and intended faculty adviser. After the interview day, the program faculty meet to review, discuss, and make final decisions about admission offers.

Our students are talented, hard working, and successful counseling psychologists-in-training. They are nationally recognized for their science, practice, and advocacy.  Here’s an abbreviated list of our students’ recent accomplishments from the last two years.

Awards

• Amelia Stanley was awarded the Learning Award for Excellence in Teaching by the University of Kentucky, Transformative Learning (23)
• Brittany Cannon was awarded the UNITE Pre-doctoral Research Enhancement (22-23)
• Cece Kim received the Bethe Korfhage, PhD Endowed Fellowship in Counseling & Educational Psychology (24)
• Courtney Wright was awarded the FINRA Foundation Dissertation Completion Fellowship (24)
• Courtney Wright received the Arvle and Ellen Turner Thacker Endowment Fund (24)
• Destin Mizelle received a dissertation fellowship (24)
• Destin Mizelle was awarded the Arvle and Turner Thacker Dissertation Award (24)
• Emily Murphy received full funding to attend multiple AASP Executive Board meetings as well as both AASP annual yearly conferences (23-24)
• Hunter Savage received the Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship (24)
• Isabelle Blaber was awarded the Alumni Graduate Fellowship Fund (24)
• Isabelle Blaber was awarded the John & Gwendolyn Partington Scholarship Fund (24)
• Isabelle Blaber was awarded the Turner Thacker Award (24)
• Jasmine Jester was selected as a UNITE Predoctoral Research Enhancement Program Fellow (23-24)
• Jordan Brown received the Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship (23-24)
• Kasey Vigil was selected as a Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Conference Student Ambassador (23)
• Kasey Vigil received the APAGS Leader Travel Grant (24)
• Ming Zhang received the John Edwin Partington and Gwendolyn Gray Partington Scholarship Fund, University of Kentucky (24)
• Monyae Kerney was awarded the Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship (22-25)
• Monyae Kerney was awarded the UNITE Predoctoral Research Enhancement Program Fellowship (22-24)
• Monyae Kerney was awarded the Early Career Psychologist and Graduate Student Research Award ($500 each) by the American Psychological Association (23)
• Natalie Malone was awarded the Visiting Future Faculty Program (VITAL) Scholar, University of Buffalo, Office of Inclusive Excellence (24)
• Natalie Malone was awarded the Arvle and Ellen Turner Thacker Dissertation Award, College of Education, University of Kentucky (24)
• Rena Curvey was awarded the Women’s Club Fellowship Award by the University of Kentucky (23)
• Rayven Peterson was selected for the Disparities Researchers Equalizing Access for Minorities (DREAM) Scholars Program (23)
• Zakary Clements was awarded the LGBTQ+ Outstanding Graduate Student Award 2023 APA Division 17 Section for Advocacy of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (SASOGD) (23)
• Zakary Clements was awarded the University of Kentucky 2022 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Emerging Scholar (22-23)

Select Publications

• Clements, Z. A., Riggle, E. D. B., & Rostosky, S. S. (2023). Evaluating the effectiveness of a brief online positive identity intervention for transgender people. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000520
• Curvey, R. M. G., White, S. C., Hargons, C. N., Englis, M. T., Jensen, K. C., Bosco, M. K., Thompson, M. E., Leavens, S., & Murphy, E. A. (2023). "Can you work with athletes as a female?": Career experiences of female sport psychology practitioners. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal. Ahead of print. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2022-0046
• Hammer, J. H., Verty, V. P. A., Hauber, A., & Kim, N. (2024). What attributes of integrated health care for mental health are the most important to potential consumers? A relative ranking study. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 51(3), 451–461. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-024-09883-6
• Hammer, J. H., Vogel, D. L., Grzanka, P. R., Kim, N., Keum, B. T., Adams, C., & Wilson, S. A. (2024). The integrated behavioral model of mental health help seeking (IBM-HS): A health services utilization theory of planned behavior for accessing care. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 10.1037/cou0000754. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000754
• Hargons, C. N., Wright, C. J., Thorpe, S., Mizell, D. L., Vigil, K., Savage, H. A., Annett, J., Malone, N., & Peterson, R. L. (2023). "It’s what boys do": Valence, source, and content of Black men’s masturbation messages. Psychology of Men & Masculinities. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000456
• Jester, J. K., & Brooks, J. E. (2023). Gendered racial socialization and interracial dating attitudes among Black women. Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships, 9(3), 149-170.
• Kerney, M. A., Malone, N., Jackman, K. B., & Hargons, C. N. (2023). Dance movement therapy for Black womxn: A content analysis. Arts in Psychotherapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2023.102058
• Kerney, M. A., Singh, A., Vigil, K., Hargons, C. N., & Malone, N. (2024). Pronouns and experiences of misgendering among nonbinary Black womxn. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000735
• Malone, N., Cannon, B., Wright, C. J., Peterson, R. L., Verty, V. P. A., Brown, J. K. D., Mizelle, D. L., Maxwell, K., Higgins-Hord, L., Burnett, C., Stevens-Watkins, D., & Hargons, C. N. (2024). Mental health first aid for Black populations: Recommendations from the neighborhood healers project. The Counseling Psychologist, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00110000241252418
• Mizelle, D. L., Montique, C. S., Jester, J. K., & Hargons, C. N. (2023). "Meet me at the altar": Heterosexual Black men and marriage: A content analysis. Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men, 10(2), 99-112. https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/903153
• Redmayne, K., Reese, R. J., Zetzer, H. A., Conoley, C. W., & Owens, J. (2023). Do client feedback outcome measures tell the same story? Evaluating outcome trajectories and clinical significance. Psychotherapy Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2023.2181113
• Thorpe, S., Dogan-Dixon, J., Malone, N., & Palomino, K. A. (2023). "Just be strong and keep going": The influence of superwoman schema on Black women’s perceived expectations of coping with sexual pain. Culture, Health, & Sexuality.
• Thorpe, S., Malone, N., Peterson, R., Iyiewuare, P., Kerney, M., & Hargons, C. N. (2023). Black queer women’s pleasure: A review. Current Sexual Health Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-023-00357-y
• Vigil, K. E., Hargons, C. N., Savage, H., Peterson, R. L., Blaber, I. P., & Foster, L. (2023). Analyzing (pluri)sexual satisfaction and pleasure: A 38-year content analysis. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advance online publication. 10.1037/sgd0000657
• Wright, C. J., Wilson, S. A., Hammer, J. H., Hargis, L. E., Miller, M. E., & Usher, E. L. (2023). Mental health in undergraduate engineering students: Identifying facilitators and barriers to seeking help. Journal of Engineering Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20551

Select First-Author Presentations

• Brown, J.K.D., Collazo, I., Wright, D.N. (2024, August). "Be Considerate and Honest": What Black People Want Mental Health Professionals to Know. Poster presented at the American Psychological Association National Conference. Seattle, Washington.
• Brown, J.K.D., Collazo, I., Wright, D.N. (2024, April). What Black People Want Mental Health Professionals to Know: A Lexington, KY Case Study. Poster presented at the Kentucky Psychological Association Student Conference. Frankfort, Kentucky.
• Brown, J.K.D., Collazo, I., Wright, D.N. (2024, February). What Black People Want Mental Health Professionals to Know: A Neighborhood Healers Project Study. Poster presented at the Spring Research Conference Jointly-Sponsored by the University of Cincinnati, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Louisville. Louisville, Kentucky.
• Clements, Z. A., Dotson, C. P., & Rostosky, S. S. (2024, August). The contexts in which trans, nonbinary, and/or gender expansive individuals experience authenticity. In L. Lindley (Chair), Trans Authenticity: Challenging Media Narratives and Anti-Trans Discourses. Symposium to be presented on the Feature Stage at the Annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Seattle, WA.
• Jester, J., Cannon, B., Stevens-Watkins, D. (2023). "God did for me what I couldn't do for myself": Understanding Black Americans Who Use Opioids Views on Religion, Spirituality, and Locus of Control. American Psychological Association 2023 Conference. Washington D.C.
• Jester, J.K., Verty, V., Thorpe, S., Stevens-Watkins, D. (2024). "God did for me what I couldn't do for myself": Understanding Black Kentuckians Who Use Opioids Views on Religion, Spirituality, and Locus of Control. UNITE Research Showcase. Lexington, KY.
• Kim, N., Schwender, J., Vigil, K., Weng, W., & Hammer, J. H. (2024, August 8-10). 'My sisters are my shelter': Understanding influences on mental health help-seeking in queer Asian communities. Conference presentation at APA 2024 Conference, Seattle, WA, United States.
• Kim, N., Schwender, J., Vigil, K., Weng, W., & Hammer, J. H. (2024, February 24). What encourages or deters queer Asians from seeking mental health help? A scoping review. Conference presentation at Spring 2024 Research Conference, Louisville, KY, United States.
• Malone, N. (2023). Differences in sexual desire among Black adults in the US: Findings from a #hotgirlscience sex study. Presentation at Society for Sex Therapy and Research Conference, Tampa, FL.
• Malone, N. (2023). Rediscovering the benefits of sexual mindfulness and erotic yoga for Black women's sexual wellness. Presentation at American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, San Franscisco, CA.
• Malone, N. (2023). Yoga and meditation for sexual embodiment. Presentation at North Carolina Sexual Health Conference, Cary, NC.
• Malone, N., Peterson, R., & Wright, C.J. (2023). Engaging with communities of color through MHFA. [Symposium] Mental Health First Aid Summit, Los Angeles, CA.
• Malone, N., Pitcher, G., & Stevens-Watkins, D. (2023). Perceptions of racisms impact on drug use among African Americans using opioids. Poster presentation at The College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Denver, CO.
• Malone, N., Wright, C., & Peterson, R. (2023). MHFA in communities of color. Presentation at The Mental Health First Aid Summit, Los Angeles, CA.
• Peterson, R.L. & Kerney, M. (2024). "The state of your psyche": Black mental health, coping and cultural mistrust. Research talk and Session for the National Multicultural Conference and Summit.
• Peterson, R.L. & Wright, C. The Neighborhood Healers Project: Successes and Challenges of Black Mental Health First Aid. Research talk and Session for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE).
• Peterson, R.L., “Good girls don't do things like that" A Reflection of Black Women's Masturbation Messages. Webinar research presentation for The Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH).
• Vigil, K.E. & Yang, Y. (2024, August). Recognizing and Challenging Elitism in the Communication of Psychological Research. [Critical Conversation]. Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Seattle, Washington.
• Vigil, K.E., Hargons, C.N., & Hammer, J. (2023, November). Comparing Preliminary Psychometric Models of Sexual Pleasure, Sexual Satisfaction, and Orgasm Among Women [Poster presentation]. 66th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Vigil, K.E., Hargons, C.N., Thorpe, S., Savage, H., Doyle, C., Foster, L., & Collazo, I. (2024, April). Replicating the Sexual Desire Questionnaire Factor Structure in a Sample of Black Adults. [Poster presentation]. Annual Meeting of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, Toronto, Ontario.
• Wheeler, P.B. (August, 2023). Culturally Responsive Treatment for Substance Use among Black Americans. Summit on Substance Use, Recovery, and Diverse Populations. Lexington, KY.
• Wheeler, P.B., Roche, D., Bennett, M. (2023). An Examination of Racial Differences in the Relationship between Religiosity, Sleep, and Alcohol Use Severity. Poster Presentation at the Research Society on Alcohol Conference, Bellevue, WA.
• Wright, C.J. (2024, May). Pathways to financial wellness: Using critical theories to understand Black women's financial socialization. [Poster Presentation]. Financial Therapy Association Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.
• Wright, C.J., Peterson, R. (2024, May). The neighborhood healers project: Successes and challenges of Black mental health first aid. [Symposium] National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education, Honolulu, HI.

Isabelle (Izzy) Blaber (she/they) is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology. They graduated from Rhodes College in 2019 with their B.A. in Psychology and a minor in English. Izzy is a member of Dr. Rostosky’s PRISM team: her main research interest is gender- and sexually-diverse (GSD) folks’ well-being, with specific focus on eating and body image distress. They serve as a Teaching Assistant for the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) for their assistantship. In her free time, Izzy enjoys reading, keeping her sourdough starter alive, hiking, and watercolor painting. Email: isabelle.blaber@uky.edu

Ashna Day (she/her) is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program. She holds dual master's degrees in clinical psychology from Fergusson College, India, and Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ashna is a Licensed Professional Counselor (WI) with seven years of experience providing evidence-based therapy to individuals with mood, anxiety, and related disorders. Her research focuses on the social and cultural factors that influence professional mental health help-seeking among Asian Indian immigrants. In her free time, she enjoys Latin dancing and spending time outdoors. Email: ashna.sangar@uky.edu

Jasmine Jester is a fifth-year counseling psychology doctoral student from Columbus, Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in Africana Studies, and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Tennessee State University. Jasmine’s research interests focus on cultural protective factors against drug use, health disparities within the Black community, and social justice issues. Her overarching research agenda aims to leverage the inherent strengths of the Black community to promote health equity and to develop culturally relevant interventions for drug and mental health treatment. Jasmine is advised by Dr. Danelle Stevens-Watkins and will be completing her practicum at The Clinic of Emotional Health. Email: jkje225@uky.edu

Nayeon (Cece) Kim (she/her) is a second-year, pre-master’s doctoral student advised by Dr. Hammer. She graduated from New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) in 2021 with a B.A. in Literature and Creative Writing and a minor in Psychology. She worked as a Project Coordinator for Dr. PJ Henry’s Global Identity in an Uncertain World before finding her research home in Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky. Her primary research interests include eating and body image concerns amongst Asian/Asian American populations and culturally sensitive therapeutic measures for effectively addressing these issues. In her free time, Cece enjoys walking in nature, doing yoga, making playlists, talking to friends for hours, listening to a hodgepodge of podcasts, and writing personal essays. Email: cece.kim@uky.edu

Jordan Brown, B.A. (she/her) is a second-year, pre-master’s Counseling Psychology doctoral student from Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with dual B.A. degrees in Psychology and Sociology alongside a minor in Political Science. As an undergraduate, Jordan served as the University’s Student Body President and a research assistant for Dr. Patrick Grzanka’s Social Action Research Team (SART). As a graduate student at UK, she is a Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship recipient and advised by Dr. Candice Hargons. Jordan’s research interests are focused on the psychological well-being of Black women, aiming to examine the relationship between intergenerational trauma, sociopolitical development, social policy, and community healing. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, playing video games, trying out new restaurants, and listening to music. Email: jordankbrown@uky.edu

Natalie Malone, MS, is a counseling psychology doctoral candidate advised by Dr. Candice Hargons. She received her BA and MS in psychology disciplines from the University of Kentucky. Her research focuses on Black women’s sexual/reproductive health and holistic wellness. Additionally, Natalie is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher who integrates complementary health approaches and embodiment practices into her research, clinical services, and consultation. Pronouns: she/her/hers. Email: njma232@g.uky.edu 

Melanie Miller, M.S. (she/her/hers) is a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Human Development, with a minor in Philosophy, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2015. Melanie went on to complete her Master’s in Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky in 2020. She is a member of the Help-Seeking and Multicultural Measurement Evaluation Research (HAMMER) Lab. She is currently working on her dissertation, which is focused on how primary care providers perceived cultural competency impacts help-seeking for sexual orientation minorities. She currently holds a graduate assistantship working to support the Master’s program in counseling psychology.  Melanie spends most of her free time catering to her pets, cooking for friends, and playing in the creative world of dungeons and dragons. Email: melmiller931@uky.edu

Destin Mizelle is a fifth-year Counseling Psychology doctoral candidate from College Park, GA. He earned his B.S in Psychology and Minored in African American Studies at the University of Georgia and his M.S. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky. Destin’s research interest broadly includes racial socialization, social justice, mental health disparities in the Black communities, and Black American cultural appreciation. Specifically, Destin is interested in celebrating African American naming patterns and examining the psychological effects of bearing Black Sounding Names. Destin’s primary goal is to improve Black Americans’ spiritual, physical, and mental well-being while appreciating their traditions, culture, and history through the lens of Liberation Psychology, and interdisciplinary collaboration. In addition, Destin enjoys exercising, painting, traveling, creative writing, and hanging with friends. Email: Dmizelle@uky.edu

Emily Murphy (she/her) is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology. She received a B.S. in Psychology at Indiana University and a M.S. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky. During the 2022-2023 academic year, Emily will complete her practicum rotation at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center within the Substance Use Disorders Treatment Program to supplement the generalist training she received at the Lexington VA Health Care System Outpatient Clinic. She has also worked within Transylvania University Athletics and continues to work for Dr. Alison Arnold — a leading sport psychology consultant for USA Gymnastics. 

Emily is a member of the Help-Seeking and Multicultural Measurement Evaluation Research (HAMMER) Lab and the University of Kentucky Sport and Counseling Psychology Research Lab. Her research primarily focuses on the integration of sport psychology and psychotherapy and athlete activism. Additionally, Emily serves as a Student Representative within the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and is happy to answer any questions via email. Email: e.murphy@uky.edu.

Kaylee Palomino, MS (she/her/hers) is a first-year PhD student. She graduated with her B.A. in sociology from the University of Georgia and her M.S. in sport and exercise psychology from the University of Kentucky. Her primary research interests are Black women’s maternal health, sexual well-being, and experiences in academia. She is advised by Dr. Danelle Stevens-Watkins and is a member of her REFOCUS lab. Kaylee has led a project with Dr. Sherry Rostosky on sense of belonging for queer college students and is involved in Dr. Shemeka Thorpe’s research lab in UK’s Kinesiology and Health Promotion department. Kaylee enjoys exercising, meditating, playing board games, and watching sitcoms in her free time. Her email address is kapa231@uky.edu

Rayven L. Peterson (she/her) is a fourth-year Ph.D. Counseling Psychology student from Dayton, Ohio. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Spelman College in spring 2021 with a B.A. in Psychology. She is advised by Dr. Candice Hargons. Rayven’s research interest broadly includes social justice issues, and mental health disparities impacting service accessibility and utilization. Rayven emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and honoring individual unique identities, including her own, to foster both individual and communal healing. She is the Assistant Program Director of the Neighborhood Healers Project. Email: Rayven.Peterson@uky.edu

Amelia Stanley is a Doctoral Candidate in Counseling Psychology and currently a Psychology Intern at the Lexington VAMC. She graduated from Transylvania University in 2017 with a B.A. in Psychology, and from the University of Kentucky in 2020 with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology. As a member of the HAMMER Lab, her research interests include help-seeking attitudes and behavior, particularly amongst survivors of sexual assault and power-based personal violence. Her clinical interests include SUD treatment and psychological assessment. In her spare time, Amelia enjoys reading (as a recent Kindle convert), trying new recipes, telling her dogs how good they are, and showing off their pictures to random strangers. Email: amelia.stanley@uky.edu

Kasey Vigil (she/they) is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology. She completed her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Women’s Studies at Converse College in 2019 and her M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Western Carolina University in 2021. They are advised by Dr. Candice Hargons (Emory University) and Dr. Joseph Hammer (University of Kentucky). Kasey’s research focuses on the role of heteronormativity in plurisexual women’s sexual expectations and experiences of sexual pleasure. They are particularly interested in utilizing quantitative analyses informed by critical research paradigms. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her cat, pole dancing, and going to coffee shops in Lexington. Email: Kasey.Morey@uky.edu

Wenqi Weng (he/him/his) is a third-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program. He graduated from Zhejiang University with a B.A. in Psychology and received his master’s degrees in Counseling Psychology from University of Toronto and Zhejiang University. He worked as a CBT therapist at Chinese universities for one year after graduation. Wenqi is a member of the Help-Seeking And Multicultural Measurement Evaluation Research (HAMMER) Lab and currently holds a teaching assistantship for the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. His research interests focus on help-seeking intentions and behaviors. In his spare time, Wenqi enjoys exercising, playing music, hiking and playing dota2. Email: Wenqi.weng@uky.edu

Courtney J. Wright is a fifth year Counseling Psychology Ph.D. candidate at the University of Kentucky. She is a first-generation college student, originally from New Jersey, who earned her BA in Applied Psychology and Human Development with a minor in Philosophy and MA in Mental Health Counseling at Boston College. She is advised by Dr. Candice Hargons and a member of the RISE^2 research team. Courtney is a 2024-2025 FINRA Foundation Dissertation Fellow, and her research investigates how race, gender, and intersectional oppression influence Black women’s financial lives and mental health. In her spare time, Courtney enjoys spending time with her puppy, traveling, exercising, listening to podcasts, and trying new restaurants. Email: cjwr225@uky.edu

Ming “Mindy” Zhang (she/her) is a fourth-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology. She graduated from Bucknell University in 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in statistics and music. She earned her M.S.Ed in Counseling and Mental Health Services and M.Phil.Ed in Professional Counseling from University of Pennsylvania in 2020 and 2021 respectively, during which she provided clinical practices as an eating disorders CBT therapist and counselors for middle and high school students. Mindy is a member of the Help-Seeking And Multicultural Measurement Evaluation Research (HAMMER) Lab. Her research interests broadly focus on mental health service utilization and help-seeking behaviors among international students. In her spare time, Mindy enjoys cooking, singing, music arranging, and doing jigsaw puzzles. Email: mzh240@uky.edu

Hunter Savage (she/her) is a second-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology. She is a first-generation college student and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2018 with a B.A. in Psychology and Gender Studies. She earned her M.S. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2023. Her research is primarily focused on Reproductive Justice, with an emphasis on sexual education, motherhood identity development, and birth experiences. She is mentored by both Dr. Candice Hargons (Emory University) and Dr. Lali McCubbin (UK). In her free time she enjoys reality television, horror movies, and hanging out with her 3-year-old pup Vinny.

Email: hasa228@uky.edu

Chloe Benningfield (she/her) is a second-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology. She is from Campbellsville, Kentucky and graduated with her B.S. from Western Kentucky University with majors in Psychological Science and English. She earned her M.S. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2023. Chloe is a teaching assistant for the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology and is completing a practicum at EKU’s Counseling Center. She is mentored by Dr. Sherry Rostosky and is a member of the PRISM research team. Her research focuses on gender and sexually-diverse (GSD) individuals, specifically emerging adults who do not use sexual identity labels. Her hobbies include reading, baking, going to the movies, watching television, and listening to music. 

Email: mailto:cjbe240@uky.edu

Dr. Roberto Abreu (pronouns he/him/his/él) is an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Florida (UF) and the director of the Collective Healing and Empowering VoicEs through Research and Engagement (¡Chévere!) Lab. Dr. Abreu received his B.S. in Science Education and M.S. in Counselor Education, Mental Health Track, from Florida International (FIU). At the University of Kentucky, Dr. Abreu received his Ed.S. in 2015 and his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2018. Dr. Abreu completed his doctoral internship at the Federal Medical Center, Lexington (FMC-LEX)/Federal Bureau of Prison, with a major rotation in Dual Diagnosis Residential Drug Abuse Program (DD-RDAP). Dr. Abreu’s research, mentorship approach, teaching, and advocacy is guided by social justice principles that aim to serve and liberate oppressed communities. The central focus of his research is the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, people of Color and Indigenous people (POCI), and those who self-identify at the intersection of LGBTQ and POCI identities. Dr. Abreu has conducted extensive research that explores how Latinx family and community members use Latinx cultural values and beliefs to navigate relations with their LGBTQ members. Other areas of research include experiences of acculturative stress and vicarious post-traumatic growth.

Dr. Angela Aaron, a 2016 graduate of the UK Counseling Psychology program, completed her Pre-Doctoral Internship at the Lexington Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, then continued as a Post-Doctoral Fellow position at a more rural VA Outpatient Clinic in Somerset, KY. At both facilities, she specialized in the treatment of PTSD and substance abuse and served on the LGBTQQI Care Coordination Committee at Lexington VAMC.  Along with a VA colleague, Dr. Aaron helped create the first ever rural-focused LGBTQQI intern track at a VA after Dr. Aaron created and facilitated a robust rural LGBTQQI Veteran support at the Somerset Outpatient Clinic. Following graduation, Angela and her mentor from UK, Dr. Sharon Rostosky, co-authored an article based on findings from her dissertation on the social support experiences of transgender individuals in Central Appalachia.  

Following the VA, Dr. Aaron went to Eastern Kentucky University and worked in the Counseling Center as a full time therapist and helped train and supervise doctoral students enrolled in the PSYD program. In 2019, she became a contractor for the DoD and worked at a Behavioral Health Clinic on an ARMY post in Grafenwoehr Germany for two years. After returning stateside in 2021, Dr. Aaron and her wife, who was pregnant with triplets, decided to return to her rural roots and to be closer to family, in her hometown of Russell County in South Central Kentucky. She returned to private practice and opened The PAX Collective, that seeks to provide niche services and hopefully training opportunities for students desiring experience working in a private practice setting. Dr. Aaron continues to specialize in the treatment of anxiety, PTSD, trauma, and LGBTQQI issues. As such, Dr. Aaron strives to utilize the skills, principles, and knowledge she gained in the Counseling Psychology program which continues to inspire and inform the social justice work she loves so much.

Dr. Maria Almario is an outpatient clinician and faculty member of the Multicultural Psychology Program of Massachusetts at Behavioral Health Network. Originally from Colombia South America, she obtained a PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in the year 2015. Dr. Almario has a long history of involvement in social justice advocacy consulting for several national and international organizations on topics of interpersonal violence, sexual abuse and human trafficking as well as the impact of trauma on mental health. She is the author of the Inclusive Human Trafficking Checklist, an instrument used to screen for the presence of human trafficking in a person’s psychosocial history. She currently consults on the application of this instrument for organizations such as the United Nations Association, the Office of the Federal Public Defender in the United States, Casa de Igualdad in Colombia and the European Youth Council, among others. Her interests also include post migration distress and coping, identity intersectionality, multiculturalism, linguistic pluralism, freedom of consciousness, trauma and attachment theory.

Dr. Gary Bennett graduated from the UK Counseling Psychology in 1995 after completing his internship at the University of Cincinnati.  He obtained a faculty position in August, 1995, as a staff psychologist in the VT campus counseling center, now known as the Cook Counseling Center.   In 2000, he began a partnership with the Athletics Department where he started seeing student-athletes for mental health concerns.  He took some additional coursework and eventually earned his certification in sport psychology from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.  The demand for services steadily increased and in 2007, he transitioned to a fulltime position in Athletics, working as a member of the Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance team.  He is now an Assistant Director in the Athletics Department while continuing his affiliation with the Cook Counseling Center.  He works with individual student-athletes presenting with personal, clinical, and performance-related concerns as well as teams focusing on performance issues.  He is also involved in a number of other projects within the department including The Leadership Institute and a new project called One Team which is a program he helped develop that offers a unique approach to educating student-athletes on ways to prevent sexual assault.

Dr. Carrie Brown (she/her/hers) received her Counseling Psych Masters degree in 2006, her Educational Specialist degree in 2008, and her Doctorate in 2012. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Penn State’s counseling center. Prior to graduation, she accepted a job offer for a staff psychologist position at Syracuse University’s Counseling Center and began there in August of 2012. In 2015, she received her New York State Licensure.  Her roles at the Counseling Center include: group program coordinator, the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response team, the social justice committee, as well as the liaison for the LGBTQ Resource Center.  In addition to her roles at the Counseling Center, she also teaches practicum to Masters Counseling students. She finds college mental health extremely rewarding because of the variability in the position and the university environment.  She believes UK’s program prepared her extremely well for her career and future advancement.   Outside of my professional life, she has taken up running and has participated in several 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, 10-mile races, and half-marathons.

Dr. Holly Brown (she/her) earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from UK in 2019, and completed her APA accredited predoctoral internship in the Lexington VA Healthcare System. She currently works as a Licensed Psychologist and the Director of LGBTQ+ Services at Compass Counseling and Psychology Services in Louisville, KY. At Compass, Holly provides telehealth-based psychotherapy to a range of adult and adolescent clients, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ affirming care and addressing interpersonal trauma. When she’s not working, Holly enjoys baking, listening to audiobooks, various crafts, spending time with friends, and staying in with her partner and cat.

Dr. Robert Cardom (he/him) earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology from UK in 2017 and completed his APA accredited doctoral internship at the University at Buffalo Counseling Services. He is a former staff psychologist and Training Director at the University at Albany Counseling and Psychological Services. He is currently the Director of the Counseling Center at Skidmore College, where he leads a center providing care to a small campus of 2500 students. He believes his doctoral training at UK provided a fantastic foundation for clinical practice, as well as social justice-informed, antiracist leadership.

Dr. Katherine Cascio earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the UK in 2017. She completed her doctoral internship and post-doctoral residency at the University of Oregon Counseling Center. Dr. Cascio has been a staff psychologist at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Counseling and Psychological Services in Fort Myers, FL since Fall 2018. As a staff psychologist, she continues to use her social justice training from UK in providing therapy, advocacy, outreach, training, and psychological testing. She is a generalist clinician working with students with a wide variety of presenting concerns and has special interests in serving trauma survivors (particularly those who have experienced interpersonal violence), individuals with substance use issues, students dealing with depression and other mood concerns, and clients from low-income backgrounds. Dr. Cascio also provides WPATH assessments for transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive students who are seeking gender confirmation medical services. She has created and chairs the Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response team at FGCU, which focuses on changing center and university cultures that work to prevent interpersonal violence and harassment as well as responding to interpersonal violence using trauma-informed care and provide survivors with the resources, empowerment, and supports necessary to heal.

Dr. Norah Chapman has been an academic and practicing psychologist since earning her PhD in from University of Kentucky in 2013. In 2013, Dr. Chapman joined the faculty in the School of Professional Psychology at Spalding University. She is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the School of Professional Psychology at Spalding University, directing the PsyD program in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Chapman’s research is focused two fold: one is on the routine outcome monitoring in individual and group therapy as well as in training environments. Dr. Chapman co-founded the ROWEN Specialty Clinic for Women with her friend and colleague to support psychological assessment and treatment interventions for women experiencing infertility, grief and loss related to pregnancy, and other perinatal mental health concerns. Dr. Chapman is also the co-chair and one of the founding executive board members for Postpartum Support International Kentucky Chapter (PSI-KY). Through both Rowen and PSI-KY, Dr. Chapman presents frequently on broad perinatal mental health concerns, vulnerable populations for prenatal and postpartum issues, and postpartum mental health complications. 

Dr. Nicholas Denton was a first-generation college student who graduated in 2006 with his BS in psychology from Centre College in Danville, KY.  He went on to complete a PhD in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on health perspectives on gender and sexuality in 2014 under the direction of Dr. Sharon Rostosky.  He completed a predoctoral internship at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans, LA.  He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship with an emphasis in Interprofessional LGBT Health Care at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX.  He is currently a licensed psychologist at VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Murfreesboro, TN.

Dr. Jardin Dogan-Dixon (she/her) is a licensed psychologist in Mississippi. She earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology in 2022 under the joint mentorship of Dr. Candice Hargons and Dr. Danelle Stevens-Watkins. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington, a federal prison specializing in medical and mental care of federal offenders. During internship, she gained experience from two clinical rotations: Serious Mental Illness (SMI) with male offenders and Trauma-Focused Care (RESOLVE) with female offenders. She enjoyed working with criminal justice-involved populations so much that she decided to stay employed with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Currently, Dr. Dogan-Dixon is the BRAVE (Bureau Rehabilitation and Values Enhancement) program coordinator at Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Yazoo City, working with young men with mental health and substance use issues who are entering federal prison for the first time. This work aligns with her research focused on health disparities among Black Americans housed in prison. During her graduate program, her research and training was funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (T32) to explore mental health, substance use, and sexual risk and protective factors among Black Americans, especially among those who are incarcerated. Dr. Dogan-Dixon continues to conduct research, most recently as the postdoctoral scholar with the Institute of the Study of Race and Culture (ISRC) at Boston College with Dr. Alex Pieterse. Additionally, she remains academic-adjacent as an adjunct faculty member at Jackson State University (JSU) teaching cognitive assessment and Southern Mississippi University (USM) teaching multicultural counseling. Aside from work, Dr. Dogan-Dixon enjoys spending time with her loved ones, exercising, doing arts and crafts, and playing the piano. Feel free to contact her via email: drjardindogan@gmail.com and/or check out her website at jardindogan.com.

Dr. Krystal S. Frieson is a clinical psychologist in the Substance Abuse Treatment Program at the Atlanta Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, GA.  Dr. Frieson received her BS in Psychology from the University of Georgia and received her MS, EdS, and PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky (UK).  Dr. Frieson completed her predoctoral internship at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in August 2014.  She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine within the Department of Pediatrics at the Grady Infectious Disease Program.  She also received a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from UK. Her pursuits in attaining dual degrees was a way amalgamate her training in counseling psychology with public health science to address the overall health and wellbeing of individuals, groups, communities, and entire populations.  Dr. Frieson’s specialty focus is in the psychological, physical, sexual, and behavioral health issues with an emphasis in the provision of evidence-based treatment, health behavior modification interventions, and prevention research.  Her clinical and research interests focus on the biopsychosocial health issues of oppressed, marginalized, and underserved populations along with an emphasis in health behavior, substance use, and HIV/AIDS/STD treatment, education, and prevention.  She would specifically like to focus her efforts towards marginalized groups and aid in exploring and addressing the inequities of health disparities that surround these groups.  She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association of Black Psychologist, the Society of Counseling Psychology, the Society of Health Psychology, and the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers (APAHC).  She also serves on the APAHC Health Disparities and Diversity Task Force.

Dr. Kirsten A. Gonzalez (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor in the Counseling Psychology program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). Dr. Gonzalez is the director of the Research on Social Intersections at Tennessee (ReSIsT) Lab at UTK. Dr. Gonzalez also serves as affiliate faculty in the interdisciplinary programs in Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies at UTK. She received her B.A. from Elon University in 2009, her M.A. from Towson University in 2011, and her Ed.S from the University of Kentucky (UK) in 2013 before earning her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from UK in 2016.  Dr. Gonzalez completed her doctoral internship at Towson University Counseling Center and her clinical Postdoctoral Fellowship at Loyola University Maryland Counseling Center.  Her research broadly focuses on the psychological well-being of individuals with marginalized identities including racial/ethnic minorities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people.  She uses intersectional theory to explore the experiences of marginalized communities across race/ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.  She is equally passionate about social justice ally work.  In this avenue, Dr. Gonzalez develops and studies the efficacy of interventions designed to reduce prejudice and build social justice allies in privileged communities. Dr. Gonzalez is a licensed psychologist in the state of Tennessee.

Dr. Kimberly Gorman (she/her) completed her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 1999 and is currently the Associate Vice Chancellor for Health & Wellness in Student Affairs at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. She has spent the majority of her career in the higher education setting, including previous roles as a psychologist and Training Director at Ball State University in Muncie, IN and then as Director at Western Carolina University. She has provided service to the profession in multiple ways including as a site visitor for the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, a member of the APA’s Board of Educational Affairs Standing Appeal Panel Pool, as Annual Survey Coordinator for the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors, and as an item writer for the EPPP-2 (current). Her research interest and publications focus on mental illness stigma in the university setting. Living and working in Western North Carolina allows her to enjoy mountain life including long hikes and lazing in her hammock while reading but she remains close to family and friends in Lexington.

Dr. Alyssa B. Grossl received her Counseling Psychology Masters degree in 2010, her Education Specialist degree in 2011, and her Doctorate degree in in 2016.  Her dissertation focused on evaluating the effectiveness of a continuous client feedback with parolees who had been referred to attend substance abuse treatment.  Dr. Grossl completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, KY.  She is currently living in Memphis, TN, and working as a Staff Psychologist at the Federal Correctional Complex in Forrest City, Arkansas.

Dr. Russel Hall received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2010, also collecting his M.S. (2003) and Ed.S. (2005) along the way.  During his time in the program, his research interest focused on adolescent social relationships, which culminated in his dissertation exploring risk and resilience among ostracized passive adolescents.  His pre-doctoral internship was completed with APA accredited Jefferson County Internship Consortium (Louisville, Kentucky) in 2010 and then he worked for Seven Counties Services (Shelbyville, Kentucky) the following year providing therapeutic and testing services to adults and children.  During that time, he also received his psychology license and Health Service Provider designation to practice in Kentucky.  At the end of 2011 he began work as Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Counseling and Pastoral Care at Asbury Theological Seminary, and he continues in that role administrating field placement trainings and teaching.  He is particularly fond of teaching Group Counseling and Child/Adolescent Counseling.  He is currently engaged in research exploring mindfulness based meditation in a religious context.  He also maintains a private practice where he specializes in treatment of trauma, internalizing behaviors, and child/adolescent issues.  His main theoretical focus is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.  He lives in Wilmore, Kentucky, with his wife and family.

Dr. W.E. (Bill) Harris, Jr. is a 2010 graduate of Counseling Psychology Doctoral program. Originally from Versailles, KY; Dr. Harris lives in Lexington with his wife Tamara and their two daughters Kaylynn & Brynna. Currently, Dr. Harris is a psychologist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Manchester, KY. He also serves as adjunct faculty in the Counseling and Human Development program at Lindsey Wilson College and Psychology Doctoral program at The University of the Cumberlands.  Dr. Harris also provides lectures on the topics of rape prevention, college relationships, and self care.  In his spare time, Dr. Harris enjoys spending time with his family, listening to all types of music, and watching his beloved Chicago Cubs. GO CUBS GO!!

Dr. Andrea Blount Hunter is a senior consultant and principal of Mind Matters Jury Consulting (www.mmjury.com) in Seattle, WA. Not long after receiving her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2001, Andrea began to connect the art and science of psychological insight to the litigation arena. Her background gives her a unique perspective into juror decision-making and effective communication strategies. She is skilled at identifying the emotional and personal connections of a case and translating that knowledge into juror-sensitive trial strategy. Andrea has consulted with attorneys across the country conducting pre-trial jury research, jury selection, witness preparation, post-trial juror interviews, and trial observations. She has worked on a range of litigation matters including medical malpractice defense, personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, corporate espionage, employment issues, intellectual property, commercial litigation and family law. She has also served several leadership positions within the American Society of Trial Consultants.

Dr. Stephanie R. Hyberger completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Federal Medical Center/Federal Bureau of Prisons in Lexington, KY in 2005, with a major rotation in the Substance Abuse Treatment Program. She then went to work for the Kentucky Department of Corrections providing individual and group therapy to inmates with dual diagnoses in effort to improve recidivism. She left the prison system in 2009 and worked for one year in the community mental health sector, where she performed jail triages, Mental Inquest Warrants, and provided therapy to children at a rural elementary school. She then accepted a position at the Lexington VA Medical Center in 2010, where her duties were to perform disability evaluations as a part of serving our Nation’s Disabled Veterans. She has a strong passion for teaching and learning, so she created a minor rotation for interns and practicum students in the specialty area of VA Forensic Disability Assessment. In 2014, she was selected as the Supervisory Psychologist to oversee the Mental Health disability program, and she continues to work in this capacity. In January 2016, she was invited to Washington DC to serve as the Project Lead on an initiative to improve the Veteran Experience, specific to the disability claims process. She then traveled to other VA Hospitals across the country to pilot Veteran Satisfaction Surveys and provided the results at a National VA Conference in Norman, Oklahoma in April of 2016. Her participation in a VA leadership role is founded on a strong commitment to employee development and excellent customer service as we strive to best serve the Veteran.

Dr. Christina Jordan (she/her) completed the Counseling Psychology doctoral program in 2017 after an APA-accredited internship at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, KY. Upon graduation, she worked with students at the UK Counseling Center and continued in outreach related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Later she transitioned to work at the Lexington VA Medical Center doing individual and group therapy for Veterans with trauma and substance abuse-related disorders. Dr. Jordan spent some time establishing relationships with the families of Veterans with cancer and providing support to Veterans during this very vulnerable time in their lives. Additionally, she trained individuals across the facility on the prevention and management of disruptive behaviors, co-developed and led training on racial allyship for the facility, and spent some time serving as the LGBT Veterans Care Coordinator. Intermittently, she taught adjunct undergraduate and graduate-level psychology courses. After deciding to take time away from the field to address burnout, she is currently working in technology. She enjoys working out, live music, food, nature, and spending time with family. She continues to encourage others to maintain good work-life balance, self-care, and healthy boundaries. 

Dr. Joi-Sheree’ Knighton is a 2017 graduate of the UK Counseling PhD program. She completed an APA-accredited internship at a Federal Correctional Complex in North Carolina, where she received nationally recognized training in substance use treatment and inpatient forensic assessment and intervention. She recently returned to her hometown Detroit, Michigan, after accepting a postdoctoral to faculty transition fellowship, at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Her graduate research and training was sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (T32) and broadly focused on mental health, drug use, and HIV risk behaviors among criminal justice-involved populations. Dr. Knighton’s postdoctoral research focuses on investigating biopsychosocial correlates and predictors of nonmedical prescription opioid use and HIV risk behaviors among community-based African Americans. Dr. Knighton is currently submitting manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals using chapters from her multiple-manuscript dissertation. She also plans to apply for NIH funding in the near future, with hopes of eventually becoming an independent addiction scientist. Dr. Knighton’s clinical interests and experiences revolve around multicultural counseling, cultural humility, forensic assessment, and substance use treatment. She is also passionate about mentoring underrepresented scholars interested in the STEM fields and spending time with her family. email: jpkn225@g.uky.edu

Dr. Jonathan Kodet (pronouns he/him/his) received his Ed.S. (2014), and Ph.D. (2016) in Counseling Psychology from UK. He completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship at University of San Diego and then did a post-doc fellowship at San Diego Center for Children. His dissertation investigated the effectiveness of a client empowerment initiative with youth at a public behavior health agency. He has since returned to his home state of MN, worked for several years in the largest rural healthcare system before founding Centering Your Life Psychology PLLC in 2021 providing telehealth psychotherapy throughout Minnesota and Florida. Dr. Kodet is now certified in Emotionally-Focused Therapy (couples & individual) and Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy. Contact: www.centeringyourlife.com

Dr. Laura Lamminen received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2008, as well as her Ed.S. in Counseling Psychology, M.S. in Educational Psychology, and graduate certificate in Developmental Disabilities in 2006. She completed her internship with the Appalachian Regional Consortium in eastern Kentucky. Laura is currently the Lead Psychologist for the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence at Children’s Health System of Texas. Her center provides trauma informed integrated primary care (medical and behavioral health) along with empirically supported and trauma informed services (psychological and developmental testing and therapy) to children in foster care. Laura is certified in Trauma Focused – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse (CPT-SA). She has diverse mental health experience having served in both psychiatric inpatient and outpatient settings in a variety of clinical and administrative roles, including Psychology Chief at Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah, GA.  She has a special interest in ethics in psychology and serves as a co-chair on the Georgia Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee. Laura is a licensed psychologist in Michigan, Georgia, and Texas.

Dr. Valerie S. Leake earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2006. She completed her internship at the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center and joined the faculty at Radford in 2007 after spending a year as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the University of Kentucky’s Counseling Psychology program. In 2014, she left RU to work at the Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center with the Posttraumatic Stress Disorders Clinical Team and as Evidence-Based Psychotherapies Coordinator. She returned to Radford University as Director of the Psy.D. program in 2016. Her research interests include military veteran reintegration, particularly for rural veterans, posttraumatic stress disorder, evidence-based treatments, and adolescent belonging. She is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Virginia and enjoys working with veterans, couples, and families.

Dr. Miao Li received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in August 2016. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of California, Irvine Counseling Center and then her multicultural postdoctoral residency at San Jose State University Counseling and Psychological Services. Her dissertation research focused on the role of adult attachment in international students’ acculturation process. Prior to pursuing her doctoral degree, she received her B.A. in International Liberal Studies at Waseda University in Japan and her M.A. in Mental Health Counseling at Boston College. Dr. Li is currently a licensed psychologist in the state of California. She is working as a senior staff psychologist at the Claremont Colleges. Dr. Li is passionate about working with students from diverse backgrounds to support their adjustment and promote their psychological well-being through psychotherapy, outreach and consultation services. She is a generalist but has specialized training in serving the international student community on campus. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, cooking and reading.

Dr. Larson Maggard received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2011. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, KY, with a major rotation in behavioral medicine. Her dissertation research focused on adolescent substance abuse. Prior to entering the doctoral program at UK, she attended Auburn University and earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Community Agency Counseling. Dr. Maggard is currently employed at the Lexington VA Medical Center. There, she is the Program Manager for the acute inpatient psychiatric unit and the residential rehabilitation treatment program for PTSD and substance use disorders. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Dr. Dia Anjali Mason earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2017 after completing her internship at University of Illinois Chicago Counseling Center (UIC). She worked at UIC as a staff psychologist after completing her Post Doctoral fellowship there as well and in 2021 co-founded the Center for Psychological Well-Being and Empowerment PLLC in Chicago. In private practice for the last few years she provides trauma informed care and specializes in treatment of anxiety, depression, interpersonal issues and trauma and primarily serves South Asians and women of color. Dia also enjoys providing supervision, particularly supporting trainees in identifying how they want to own their various identities as clinicians. In her free time Dia soaks in the joys of motherhood.

Dr. Masami Matsuyuki earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on counseling women/feminist therapy in December 2011. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Ohio State University Counseling and Consultation Services and her dissertation investigating the relationship among forgiveness, self-compassion, and psychological well-being among Buddhists. She worked as a mental health counselor at Morehead State University Counseling and Health Services for 5 years and became a licensed psychologist with health service provider designation in Kentucky in September 2014. She accepted a position as a staff psychologist/training coordinator at Western Kentucky University Counseling and Testing Center in August 2017. She provides students with individual counseling for various psychological issues and mental disorders and collaborates with staff and faculty to outreach socio-cultural minority students and to prevent/intervene crises on campus. She also provides graduate student interns with clinical supervision and teaches mindfulness to spread its health benefits to the campus community. She finds her work as a psychologist most rewarding when she can support an individual’s healing, self-empowerment, and identity development, and promote cultural diversity and social justice through education.

Dr. Michael J. McClellan completed his pre-doctoral internship at Appalachian Regional Healthcare Psychiatric Center in Hazard, KY and earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the UK in 2014. He is a licensed psychologist and tenured associate professor in the Psychology Department at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). Dr. McClellan serves as the Director of Clinical Training for EKU’s Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology and he teaches courses in psychopathology, personality assessment, and internship at EKU. Clinically, Dr. McClellan founded a private practice in 2017 called McClellan Psychological through which he provides criminal forensic psychological services including competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, and sentence mitigation evaluations throughout Kentucky. Contact: m.mcclellan@eku.edu and www.m2phd.com.

Dr. Carolyn Meiller (she/her) earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2021. She completed her doctoral internship at the University of Oregon Counseling Services. She remained at the University of Oregon as a staff psychologist following her internship and served as a primary supervisor for doctoral interns, worked with LGBTQ+ students and organizations on campus, and engaged in focused training and practice on decreasing suicidality in college students. Although she loved Oregon, she ultimately decided she wanted to move home to Kentucky. Dr. Meiller moved back to Lexington in 2024 and opened a private practice following licensure in the state. She specializes in working with adults with concerns around relationship issues, past trauma, anxiety, and identity development. Email: carolyn@carolynmeillerphd.com Website: www.carolynmeillerphd.com 

Dr. Alexandra (Allie) Minieri (she/her) received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in August 2014. She completed her doctoral internship at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Counseling Center and her clinical fellowship at The Ohio State University Counseling and Consultation Service. Her dissertation research focused on ally development among male college students who work to end men’s violence against women on university campuses.  Dr. Minieri is a licensed psychologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia and employed at George Mason University Counseling and Psychological Service (CAPS). She is currently serving as the Associate Director, Training Services. In this capacity, she oversees the APA-accredited doctoral internship program and supports all of the training programs at the center.

Dr. Kristin Miserocchi, CGP (she/her/hers) received her Counseling Psychology Masters degree in 2009, her Ph.D. in 2014, and is a certified group psychotherapist (CGP; March 2024). She completed her APA accredited predoctoral internship at the University of Missouri’s Counseling Center. She is currently a Staff Psychologist and the Groups Coordinator at the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CCPS) at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Though trained as a generalist, she also specializes in group therapy, trauma, family of origin issues, relationship issues, and identity exploration. She has co-authored a book chapter about working with international students in group therapy (in press) and is currently the Program Chair for APA Division 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy). As a U.S.-born, cisgender, heterosexual, White woman, Kristin very intentionally adopts a multicultural orientation in all her work with clients, aspiring to engage with openness and humility. She is guided in her work by this Viktor Frankl quote: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Kristin lives in St. Louis where she and her partner spend most of their free time wrangling their neurospicy kiddo and their cats.

Dr. Krista Moe received her PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky in 2012 and was licensed in 2013. She has published 17 articles in peer-reviewed journals, one book chapter, and writes seasonal articles for the Herald Leader. She helped nurses and other medical professionals start up about 200 evidence-based practice studies at Baptist Health Lexington over the past 5 years. With the wonderful support of Dr. Karen Hill (COO/CNO of the hospital) and long-time mentor Dr. Dorothy Brockopp (Professor Emeritus, College of Nursing, UK), she was able to open her own psychology practice at this hospital in 2014 where she now works full-time. Training she received at UK and on internship at ARH hospital in Hazard, she has developed a working style that is strength-based and empowering for the patients she serves.  In practice, she likes to follow in Dr. Mary Pipher’s footsteps by asking the question, “How can we use your strengths to solve this problem?”

Dr. Della V. Mosley (they/them or she/her) is a healer, scholar-activist, and spacemaker who uses Black feminist approaches to facilitate holistic wellness for people of the global majority, particularly Black people and all queer and transgender People of Color. Dr. Della earned a PhD in Counseling Psychology, is the president of The WELLS Healing Center non-profit, and co-founded The Radical Healing Collaborative, a mental health group practice in Durham, NC. Dr. Della has published over 35 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters centered on wellness and liberation. They also co-founded the initiative Academics for Black Survival and Wellness and recently presented a TEDx talk entitled “Moving from Woke to Working for Black Futures." Connect with them on Instagram @dvmosley or by visiting www.DellaVMosley.com.

Dr. Matt Richardson (he/him) is a licensed psychologist and business owner in Massachusetts. He earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology in 2023 under the mentorship of Dr. Sharon Rostosky. He completed his predoctoral internship at The Ohio State University Counseling and Consultation Service (CCS) in Columbus, OH, and his postdoctoral Internship at Kendall Psychological Associates in Cambridge, MA. Dr. Richardson opened his own private practice, Rough Waters Psychology, in 2024 on the same day that he was granted licensure. He specializes in treating body image and eating concerns among men, LGBTQ+ concerns, and relationship concerns. He can be reached at http://roughwaterspsych.com. 

Dr. Lori Montross Thomas is a licensed counseling psychologist. As part of Patient & Family Support Services at Moores Cancer Center, she provides psychological assessment, diagnosis or ongoing therapy for patients and families who are experiencing issues that are either related to the cancer experience or interfering with cancer treatment. In individual or group psychotherapy, she focuses on issues including depression, anxiety, communication, stress reduction, insomnia, grief or other psychological or emotional issues.  Dr. Montross Thomas is one of 75 Americans currently trained in Dignity Therapy, designed to bring meaning and a sense of legacy to those in palliative care through life reflection interviews. She helps facilitate the International Training Workshop for Dignity Therapy each year, and has been invited to speak to over 50 different groups about her experience with this novel intervention. She is also trained in Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy, designed to bolster the sense of meaning, purpose and peace among people diagnosed with cancer.

Dr. Kathryn (Katy) Owen earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2017 and completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Federal Medical Center - Carswell, a federal prison for women in custody with complex psychological and medical needs. Dr. Owen is the Chief Psychologist at the Federal Correctional Complex - Forrest City (a federal prison in Forrest City, AR). As Chief Psychologist, she directs a department of psychologists, master’s level clinicians, and administrative staff who provide mental health services to over 3,500 adults in custody. Dr. Owen specializes in working with folks diagnosed with substance abuse disorders and personality disorders. She is the Training Director for a practicum student training program and loves to share her passion for social justice work in correction settings. Outside of work, Dr. Owen loves to travel with her husband, spend time with her two young sons, and read an eclectic mix of mystery novels and nonfiction biographies.

Dr. Gina Owens received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2004. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. Dr. Owens is currently an Associate Professor in the Counseling Psychology program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. She also serves as the Associate Director of Training for the program. Her research interests involve meaning-making after traumatic events and its effects on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance use. Her work has largely focused on veterans and active duty military. Recent research with veterans has explored the relationships between guilt, meaning in life, and PTSD severity; mental health needs and barriers to mental health access for female veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan; and differences in relationship conflict, attachment, and depression for veterans with PTSD, hazardous substance use, or both. Research with colleagues in VA Medical Centers has centered on treatment outcome, investigating variables such as mindfulness, cognitive changes during treatment, personality disorder diagnoses, and other variables that may affect outcome. Dr. Owens is a licensed psychologist in Tennessee.

Dr. David Pascale-Hague received his Counseling Psychology Masters degree in 2010, and his Ph.D in 2015.  David completed an APA accredited doctoral internship at The Ohio State University Counseling and Consultation Service in Columbus Ohio.  Following internship David returned to Lexington to take a position in the Counseling Center at the University of Kentucky as a Staff Psychologist. Within the counseling center David is involved in training, supervision, and diversity initiatives.  In addition to clinical work David has served as a lecturer and clinical preceptor in the Department of Behavioral Science.

Dr. Dani Rosenkrantz is a licensed psychologist providing therapy services in 40+ states and is a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in the sunshine state. She is the founder of Brave Space Psychology, LLC, a virtual private practice that provides therapy and coaching, gender affirming care assessments, consultations and training. Dr. Dani is passionate about helping clients heal and connect to joy, identity affirmation, and empowerment through life transitions and stressors, especially for those navigating minority stress as Jewish, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC individuals. In addition to working with therapy clients, Dr. Dani offers parent and grandparent affirmation coaching and support groups focused on empowering Jewish families to best support their LGBTQ+ children and grandchildren. She also provides education, training, and consulting, working with diverse businesses including national companies, local nonprofits, and Jewish LGBTQ+ organizations like Keshet. Dr. Dani is passionate about building inclusive communities where all can feel seen and thrive! 

Dr. Igor Vasilj is a Licensed Clinical and Aeromedical Psychologist and a Captain serving in the United States Army.  He currently works as the Brigade Aeromedical Psychologist for the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Drum, New York.  Dr. Vasilj holds a PhD, MS, and EdS degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky, and a double BA in Psychologyand German from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Dr. Vasilj completed his APA-accredited doctoral internship and postdoctoral residency at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX specializing in providing evidence-based trauma treatments to Soldiers diagnosed with PTSD.  While at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Vasilj’s research efforts focused on evaluating the effect of therapeutic alliance on treatment outcomes, the efficaciousness of various telehealth psychotherapy treatment modalities, and the roles physical exercise plays on emotional and cognitive well-being.  Originally born in Eastern Europe, Dr. Vasilj lived in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and Germany prior to moving to the United States. His dissertation titled: “Evaluating the attitudes and practices of exercise prescription among psychotherapists” assessed the factors impacting exercise prescription among psychotherapists. Dr. Vasilj’s previous clinical experiences include working at the Lexington VA Medical Center, the bluegrass Community Mental Health agency, the Nest center for women children and families, and the UK Counseling Center. Email: igorvasilj1@gmail.com

Dr. Whitney Wheeler (pronouns she/her/hers) is currently in private practice at the Anxiety Treatment Center of Austin (www.anxietyaustin.com) in Texas. She received her M.S. (2013), Ed.S. (2014), and Ph.D. (2018) in Counseling Psychology from UK. Dr. Wheeler completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center. She has completed research projects on cultivating well-being in LGBTQ individuals and social justice ally development. Her dissertation investigated self-compassion as a potential tool for developing multicultural attitudes in White individuals. Dr. Wheeler specializes in assessing and treating the full range of anxiety disorders, co-occurring mood disorders, and trauma in adults, adolescents, and children. Outside of her professional life, she spends time exploring the outdoors with her son and dog, traveling, and enjoying live music.

Dr. Ronnetta Williams completed her PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky in 2013. She has a background in general mental health, health psychology, and trauma-focused psychotherapy and provides virtual psychotherapy services for a community based outpatient clinic at the North Florida/South Georgia VA Health System. Some of her specialties include trauma-focused interventions, clinical hypnosis, and couples therapy. Dr. Williams was born and raised in eastern Kentucky and currently lives on Amelia Island with her husband and three cats in Fernandina Beach, Florida. In addition to a successful psychotherapy career, Dr. Williams is a 500-hour trained registered yoga teacher, certified breathwork practitioner, and reiki master. She is known for her authentic, relaxed, non-judgmental treatment and teaching style and person-centered philosophy.

In the following videos, doctoral students answer these four questions about their experience with the UK Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program:

Q1: How do you feel about the research training that you have received here?

Q2: How do you feel about the clinical training that you have received here?

Q3: What do you see as the strengths of the University of Kentucky counseling psychology doctoral program?

Q4: What is something you didn’t know about graduate school but with you had?

See Whitney's response.

See Roberto's response.

See Igor's response.