Background Information

Whitney graduated from Penn State University in 2006 with a B.S. in Psychology and a concentration in Bio-Evolutionary Science. There she was involved in research with a strong focus on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), attachment, and therapeutic mechanisms of change in psychotherapy. For the past 2 years, Whitney has worked with a range of clinical populations and ages as a Mental Health Associate at an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Currently, she is a full time senior research assistant at CAPER involved in research focused on risk taking behaviors, substance use and cession, distress tolerance, and BPD. She plans to return to school to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology working with patients with BPD.

Research/Clinical Interests:

Whitney’s research and clinical interests include Borderline Personality Disorder, interpersonal relationships, emotion regulation, developmental psychopathology, substance abuse, and mechanisms of change in psychotherapy. In particular, she is interested in investigating the role of emotion regulation in interpersonal relationships, and how this interaction is involved in the development, maintenance, and success/failure of psychotherapy with BPD patients. Similarly, she is also interested in how impulsivity and risk taking behaviors, such as self harm and substance abuse, maintain BPD and influence the therapeutic mechanisms of change with these clients. Ultimately, she would like to explore how the above facets of BPD affect clients’ Borderline psychopathology over time, and the changing role of these facets throughout the disorder.

Personal Interests

Outside of the lab, Whitney enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with friends and family.