Dr. Jamie Lawler

Dr. Lawler is a clinical and developmental psychologist with expertise in early adversity, parenting, self-regulation, and early childhood socio-emotional health. Her research program is grounded in developmental psychopathology and focuses on the impact of early life stress on the socio-emotional development of children and on interventions to promote resilience. Dr. Lawler has a particular interest in the development of self-regulation, parent-child relationships as protective factors, and interventions to support positive development in high-risk children, including school-based behavioral health interventions. Her work examines developmental processes at multiple levels of analysis, incorporating bio-markers of stress, dyadic parent-child interactions, and environmental influences on parenting and child development. Her current research projects can be found on the Projects page. Over the last decade, Dr. Lawler has investigated the socio-emotional outcomes of early institutionalization, the determinants of parenting, and effects of the child welfare system. She also conducted an intervention study examining the efficacy of executive function training and mindfulness-based interventions on school-aged children’s self-regulation. She has recently combined these training interventions into one resilience-building intervention called SMART Skills for Kids: Self-regulation, Mindfunless, And Resilience Training, which she plans to evaluate in the coming years.  See the Publications page to read more. Contact Dr. Lawler at [email protected] or sign up for an appointment during her office hours.

Dr. Angela Staples

Dr. Staples is a quantitative developmental psychologist studying development across multiple time scales in early childhood. Her research is grounded in bio-ecological systems theory that emphasis the transactional nature between person, situation, and time. As both sleep and self-regulation develop rapidly from birth to age five, this period poses challenges for studying continuity and change. A single night of poor sleep has consequences for parents and children. For example, the ability of a parent to keep their cool or a child's ability to stay on task. Now, add the development of sleep between age 2 and 4, when kids stop napping, start resisting going to sleep, and may reach out for comfort when awakened in the middle of the night and we have arrived in the neighborhood of Dr. Staples' research area. Specifically, she studies the relation between sleep and parent–child communication. For more information, visit her webpage.

Sarah Freeman

Sarah is a fifth year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Program at EMU. She received her BA in German studies from Furman University in 2014, after which she spent a year teaching English in Germany on a Fulbright fellowship. In 2017, Sarah earned her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Michigan. She has experience applying behavior change theory and principles of Motivational Interviewing to develop tailored health interventions and has also worked with the children’s program at SafeHouse Center in Ann Arbor, providing trauma-informed care and implementing violence prevention programming. Prior to joining the SEED Lab, Sarah worked for the University of Michigan’s Department of Psychiatry as lead evaluator for the Infant Mental Health Home Visiting study. Her research interests include the effects of early adversity on child development, familial protective and risk factors that promote or hinder resilience, parenting and parent-child relationships, and the development and evaluation of interventions that promote relational health and resilience among families. 

Centia Thomas

Centia Thomas is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at Eastern Michigan University under the mentorship of Dr. Angela Staples. She earned her Bachelor's of Science with a major in Psychology and a minor in Rehabilitation and Human Services at the Pennsylvania State University in 2019 and went on to work as a Project Coordinator in the Emotional Development Lab. Some of her specific research interests include racial health disparities, multicultural competency, and its impact on therapeutic outcomes.

Maitri Jain

Maitri is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at EMU. She graduated with a BA in Psychology Honours from India (2020), following which she completed a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University in 2022. Her research interests lie in understanding the effects of early adversities on children's socio-emotional development, parent-child relationships, psychobiology of stress, and resilience factors for children exposed to early adversities. Maitri has prior experience working with orphaned and institutionalized children in India, and in developmental affective neuroscience and cognitive development.

Emaan Ali

Emaan Ali is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at EMU. She received her BA in Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University in 2019. At Penn State, she worked in the Laboratory for Personality, Psychopathology and Psychotherapy Research, where she conducted clinical assessments and studied Attachment Theory. Her research interests are in parent-child relationships, attachment styles, maladaptive caregiving behaviors, and helping children and families overcome adversity. 

Elizabeth Hamik

Elizabeth is a second-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at EMU. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with her BA in Psychology and minors in Child, Youth, and Family Studies, as well as Leadership and Communication. After graduation, she worked at Cincinnati Children's Hospital as a Clinical Research Coordinator for both the Center for ADHD as well as the Comprehensive Health Evaluations for Cincinnati Kids (CHECK) Center. Her research interests are in the impact of early childhood adversities and trauma on child and family development and youth and families involved in the child welfare system.

Bri Trudeau

Bri is a first-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at EMU. She earned her BA in psychology from Dartmouth College in 2024. While at Dartmouth, Bri worked in the AIM HIGH lab as the project coordinator for a randomized control trial testing the effectiveness of an AI therapeutic chatbot in delivering interventions to individuals without access to therapy. Her current research interests include examining factors that influence early childhood development, including the impact of sleep problems on parent-child interactions, parenting practices, family systems, and children’s anxiety symptoms and emotional regulation. Bri is also interested in how digital tools can be used in prevention efforts to target risk factors and make evidence-based interventions more accessible to families.

Sneha Kamath

Sneha Kamath is a second-year student in the General Clinical Master’s Program at EMU. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in April 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. During undergrad, Sneha assisted with research in a developmental psychology lab studying early perceptions of food and the relationships between parents’ and children’s eating habits. Sneha’s main research interests include self-regulation behaviors, anxiety, and depression in early childhood. At Eastern Michigan University, Sneha looks forward to continuing her education and working towards her goal of practicing at an in-patient pediatric mental health facility.

Jessica Fagan

Jessica is a second-year Masters student in the General Clinical Psychology program. Prior to this, she attended Pacific Lutheran University in Washington State where she received a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Religious Studies with honors. While attending school she worked as a Certified Behavior Technician as well as a therapy aide in an pediatric occupational, physical, and speech therapy clinic. She is interested in researching environmental and personal factors that mitigate the negative effects of early-life trauma, as well as therapeutic techniques that accomplish the same goal.

Madalyn Mosallam

Madalyn is a second year student in the General Clinical Psychology masters program. She graduated from the University of Michigan Dearborn in 2022 with a Bachelors of Arts with a double major in psychology and criminal justice. During undergrad she was a captain of the UofM Dearborn Women’s soccer team. She also conducted an undergraduate thesis on the effects of PTSD with children in Foster Care. Madalyn's interests include emotion regulation behaviors, PTSD and ACEs in children. 

Shane Rankin

Shane is a second-year Master’s of Clinical Psychology student from Madonna University. In 2022, he graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Science from Grand Valley State University (GVSU). While at GVSU, Shane conducted a study examining how anatomical differences affect throwing velocity and accuracy in humans. Recently, Shane was awarded first place at Madonna University’s annual research symposium for his work on evolving public perceptions towards mental health therapy. Upon Graduation, Shane plans to further his education by pursuing a  Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. His research interests include relationship dynamics, interpersonal attachment, and lifespan development.

Minella Aghajani

Minella is a first-year student in the General Clinical Master's program at EMU. She earned her BA in Psychology from UCLA in 2024. During her undergraduate studies, she was involved in different labs that looked at the effects of parenting on clinical symptoms and emotion regulation in children. Her current research interests include examining parent-child interactions from physiological and interpersonal perspectives to better understand the development of emotion regulation in children.

Alivia Overbee

Alivia Overbee is a first-year student in the Experimental Psychology Program at EMU. She graduated from EMU in April 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. During undergrad, she participated in research in the fields of physiology, biological psychology and educational pedagogy. Post graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and a career in academia and research. 

Gabby Maramag

Olivia Palazzolo

Olivia Palazzolo is a senior undergraduate at Eastern Michigan University. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Social Work. Her research interests include emotional development in children, attachment theory, and the effect parenting styles have on adult romantic relationships. Olivia plans on furthering her education through a graduate’s degree in either clinical or educational psychology. Her goal is to ultimately work with children in either a school or clinical setting. In her free time, Olivia enjoys choir, writing fiction, yoga, and crocheting. 

Kulsoom Bashir

Kulsoom is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Eastern Michigan University. Currently, she is majoring in Bachelor of Science in General Psychology. Her career goal is to pursue graduate school and open her own pediatric clinic. In her spare time Kulsoom enjoys painting, swimming, and hanging out with friends.

Tyleen Wilson

Tyleen is a second bachelor's student pursuing a degree in Psychology after earning a BA in Communication from Eastern Michigan University in 2019. They are dedicated to gaining research experience with the goal of advancing toward a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Their academic focus includes the effects of late-diagnosed ADHD in women, specifically how delays in diagnosis impact self-esteem and self-concept. They are also interested in studying gender differences in ADHD manifestations in children, aiming to contribute to earlier and more accurate diagnoses of ADHD in women. They hope to gain valuable insights into the development of self-regulation through their work with the SEED lab.

Camille Lehrmann

Camille Lehrmann is senior undergraduate student at Eastern Michigan University. She is majoring in psychology and pursuing a minor in Spanish. Camille has primarily worked with young adults with autism but has additional experience working with preschool and elementary age children in an ABA clinic as well. After graduation, Camille plans to continue working as a research assistant, and later apply to a clinical psychology Ph.D. program. Outside of school, Camille enjoys volunteering, reading, and spending time outside.

May Allen

May Allen is a junior undergraduate student at Eastern Michigan University. She is majoring in psychology and minoring in studio art and plans to graduate in Winter of 2026.  She enrolled in Early College Alliance at Eastern Michigan University for high school allowing her to earn college credits during high school. Her research interests include child development, attachment theory, and the relationship between childhood experiences and adulthood diagnosis. May’s goal is to continue to graduate school and become a licensed practicing counselor (LPC). In her free time she enjoys traveling, hanging out with friends, and painting.

Bethany Lester

Bethany Lester is a recent BA graduate from the University of Denver with her degree in Psychology and minors in both Leadership and Communication. Her focus now is to gain research experience in order to be a good candidate for Master’s and PhD programs in Clinical Psychology. Bethany is passionate about working with children and helping understand adverse childhood experiences, and how to prevent and treat these experiences. Her goal is to eventually work with young children on an individual basis in a clinical or school setting. In her free time Bethany enjoys listening to music, playing board games, swimming, and watching movies and tv shows. 

Brenna Fikel

Brenna is a senior undergraduate at Eastern Michigan University planning to graduate in the Winter of 2025. She is completing a double major in Psychology and Social work along with a minor in Women & Gender Studies. Brenna's interests have always been related to systemic and interpersonal dynamics, with a growing focus on children and families. She seeks an expansion of knowledge on family and child psychology, attachment theory, and development. Personally, Brenna enjoys listening to music, binge watching movies/ tv shows, and collecting new experiences.

Sarah Alhisnawi

Sarah is a senior undergraduate at Eastern Michigan University. She’s majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology. She plans to work in an educational setting while pursuing her graduate degree in either clinical or school psychology, with an ultimate goal to continue working with children. Sarah’s research interests include child development, learning, and parenting styles. During her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with friends and family. 

Andres Salamanca Pelaez

Andres Salamanca Pelaez is a second-year undergraduate student at Eastern Michigan University, majoring in Neuroscience with a double minor in Psychology and Communications. He plans to graduate in April 2027 and afterwards pursue graduate studies. Andres is highly motivated to explore new ideas and immerse himself in research opportunities. His main interest is on the brain, including its behavioral, developmental, cognitive, and neurological aspects.In his free time he enjoys taking pictures of nature and working out. He is especially passionate about addressing the stigma surrounding men's mental health and hopes to make a lasting impact in this area.