Human Services Psychology, Clinical
From a young age I had always been interested in the brain, how it works, and what can impact its functions, for better or worse. It wasn’t until late in my undergraduate career at UMBC that the field of psychology, and specifically neuropsychology, opened up to me, and I began to understand the amount of growth and change the brain was capable of. Through the continued mentor-ship of Dr. Shari Waldstein in my undergraduate and graduate career, my interest peaked around traumatic brain injury, specifically focusing on cognition and the correlates of recovery.
Specifically my thesis and dissertation research illustrated the important sociodemographic differences and biopsychosocial associations with brain injury and cognitive deficits in the community. My clinical work has also centered on how interventions for health habits and cognitive rehabilitation can aid patients in their recovery. Currently, I am interning at the Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Medical Center in neuropsychology where I provide cognitive assessments for Veterans throughout their recovery process. The Minneapolis VA is one of five Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers in the nation providing inpatient, transitional, and outpatient services for veterans with varying severities of brain injury. As part of the neuropsychological rehabilitation team, I evaluate the veteran’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses and provide recommendations to veterans and their other providers to optimize their recovery.