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Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The capstone project requirements require doctoral students to make an original contribution to psychological scholarship. Students may choose to do a qualitative or quantitative research project, or can choose other forms of scholarship, such as developing a case study or treatment protocol.

Doctoral Papers/Masters Projects from 2027 2027

Gestalt Therapy: History, Theory, and the Freeman Developmental Model, Samuel Kohlenberg

Doctoral Papers/Masters Projects from 2024 2024

A Box Full of Darkness: Risk and Resilience in Children of Incarcerated Parents, Hailey Allo

I See You! Play: A Therapeutic Playgroup for Caregivers and Their Intensive Care Group Infants, Mariana Cerqueira Aokalani

A Proposal for the Use of Motivational Interviewing in Discussion Between Oncologists and Late-Stage Cancer Patients When Discussing Next Steps, Carissa Borchardt

A Proposal for Best Practices in Test Selection and Administration During (Mono/Bi)lingual Latine Evaluations, Nicole Bozas

Harmony and Healing: Implementing Community Focused Music Interventions to Address Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Vicarious Trauma in Psychology Graduate Trainees, Hannah Bronson

Sport and Performance Psychology Service Provision Needs and Preferences of Division-I Student-Athletes, Coaches, and Program Stakeholders at a Private University, Ellie Brown

The Experiences of Siblings of Incarcerated Individuals: Clinical Recommendations, Heather Burlas

Playing with WePlay!: Adapting a Caregiver-Child Group for Caregivers of Young Children with Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Louisa A. Cahn-Gambino

Fostering Awe to Enhance Public Well-Being: Proposed Interventions for a Nature and Science Museum Setting, Zach Calo

Clinical Sharebacks of Survivor of Torture Treatment Progress: A Novel Therapeutic Intervention Approach, Meghan Colpas

‘But That’s How It’s Always Been!’ Analyzing a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program for Systems of Power and Privilege Using One Student’s Personal Account and Multicultural Feminist Psychological Theory, Alison Conner

Experiences of Dungeons & Dragons Players, Tim Daniel

The Transition from Military to Civilian Life: A Proposed Military Transition Psychological Skills Training Manual, Meghan E. Fitzgerald

Parental Childhood Maltreatment History and Parenting Self-Efficacy in Mothers and Fathers During the Early Postpartum Period, Carly Girnun

Therapist Self-Disclosure with Children and Adolescents: A Guide, Katia Goga

Psychosocial and Neurocognitive Contributors to Suicide Risk Among Persons in the Criminal Legal System, Jensen P. Greene

Considerations for Interviewing and Intervening with Suicidal Gender Expansive Individuals, Abigail Herrold

Empowering Providers to Empower Their Patients: One Model to Expand Knowledge, Competency, and Awareness for the Perinatal Substance Use Workforce, Jacqueline Jacobs

Pediatric Performance Validity Testing: Examining the Performance of Children with Reading Difficulties on Stand-Alone and Embedded Measures in a Neuropsychological Research Sample, Morgan Jolliffe

Affirming Primary Care for Queer Natal Females: The Development of an Integrated Primary Care Curriculum for LGBTQ+ People Assigned Female at Birth, Brenda Kane

A Program Evaluation of an Asynchronous Parenting Class: Assessing the Needs of Co-Parents of Children with Mental and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Breanne L. Kline

Moved By Love: A Love Letter to the Western World, Jah Rain Latchman

Reducing Epistemic Tension: How Relational Cultural Theory Can Inform the Field of Therapeutic Assessment, Emily Lauster

Understanding the Relationship Between Exposure to Violence During Childhood and/or Adulthood, Gross Cognitive Function, and Psychosocial Vulnerabilities Among Justice-Involved Adults with Brain Injuries, Cory F. Marchi

Connecting Through Stories: Analyzing Cultural Representation and Emotions in Children's Literature to Inform the Development of a Dialogic Reading Intervention for Latine Fathers and Children, Taylar McCoy

Music Therapy and Evidence-Based Treatments: Combined Approaches for Military Populations, Einav Nahum

The Intersection of Consensual Non-Monogamy, Black Identity, and Power Dynamics: A Review and Proposal for Therapeutic Models, Casey Nelson

Suicidality Among Black Women: Considering Resiliency Within the Historic and Societal Context of Risk, Samantha J. North

Cognitive, Psychosocial, and Legal Vulnerabilities of Violent Versus Nonviolent Traumatic Brain Injury Among Justice-Involved Individuals, Spenser Nye

Wild Roots Wellness: A Wilderness-Based Couples Intervention Curriculum Proposal, Evelyn Ohaus

Across Borders and Cultures: Examining Sense of Belonging and Empathetic Attitudes in Adult Third Culture Kids, Sushmita Oruganti

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) for Sport Psychology: Enhancing Performance Enhancement, Blake Pindyck

Pornography and Masculinity: How Mainstream Pornography Reinforces a Narrow and Destructive Conceptualization of Masculinity, Seamus Power

From Cop to Clinician: Applying an Autoethnography Methodology to Identify the Effects of Law Enforcement Identity on the Development of Therapeutic Relationships with First Responders, Tyson F. Radons

Latine Psychology Specialty Program Development, Leeza Rojas

Working with Emotions in Existential–Humanistic Psychotherapy, Brittany Varisco and Louis Hoffman

Visual Voice: Integrating Art into Psychotherapy for Military Trauma: A Case Study of a Combat Veteran, Patty Wilson

Considering How Filial Piety and Collectivism Affect Second Generation Chinese American Adult Attachment in Familial Relationships, Kelly Ye

Understanding South Asian American Adolescent Suicidality from an Interpersonal Theory of Suicide: A Case Study, Xian Zhang

Doctoral Papers/Masters Projects from 2023 2023

The Use of Metaphor in Intersubjective Supervision, C.J. Clinkscales

Perinatal Through 5-Years-Old Referral List, and Full Referral Flow Process for the Professional Psychology Clinic and Associated Clinics, Lauren V. Cruz

Reducing Stigma and Increasing Competence: An Introductory Graduate Curriculum on the Assessment and Treatment of Psychosis, Brooke Davis

Post-Traumatic Growth in Adult Sexual Assault Survivors: Inter and Intrapersonal Factors that Lead to Growth, Soo-Yeon Dawson

The Use of Intersubjectivity in Integrated Primary Care Settings, Sophia Fidai

The Misattuned Music Industry: An Intersubjective Perspective on the Music Industry's Mental Health Crisis, Jonathan Fricke

Parental Misattunement and the Production of Shame of Existing: How to Address the Shame of Existing Through an Intersubjective Systems Approach, Tal Ginsburg

WePlay Denver: The Why and How: Background and Implementation Manual, Lauren Gross

A Qualitative Analysis of Treatment Providers’ Understanding and Assessment of Trauma and Autism, Leah Hanson

Heterotopic Sports Coaching: Facilitating Epistemic Revolution, Sebastian D. L. Harvey

Reflections of a Student Evaluator: Animal Maltreatment as a Line in the Sand for Forensic Work, Laura P. Hauglid

Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy: Equity Through Contextual Frameworks, Emanuel Hermosillo

A Seat at Our Own Table: Showing Up Unapologetically and Being Fully Seen, Sabah Islam

Breaking the Cycle: Application of Cyclical Psychodynamic Theory to Intergenerational Patterns of Complex Trauma, Molly Jankovsky

Paternal Perinatal Psychopathology and Stigma Related to NICU Admission, Hudson Holland Jones

The Virtues of Telehealth in Conducting Systematic Desensitization, Daniel Katz

Vulnerable Narcissism and Authenticity: Alienation from the Real Self and the Pathway to Reconnection, Callison Kernick

Affirming Care: Lessons from Minority Stress Model to Bolster Mental Health Outcomes for LGBTQ+ Youth in Primary Care, Kyrie Lampert

Relationship of Block Design with Motor Function, Melissa J. Levy

Cognitive Assessment of Latinx/e Bilinguals in the United States: A Fictitious Case Study, Vanessa Magro

To Telehealth or Not, That Is the Question: Current and Anticipated Use of Psychological Telehealth for Clinicians Working with the Perinatal-to-Age-5 Population, Stephanie Pinch

An Intersubjective Approach to the Role of Anger in Differentiation and the Development of a Cohesive Self: A Case Study, Hannah Schriber

Adapting Grief and Bereavement-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chinese-identifying Individuals in America: A Cultural Analysis, Ian Tsang

“Stronger than You Think:” Examining Post-Traumatic Growth, Quality of Life and Social Support for English-Speaking Latina Women Recently Diagnosed with Cancer, Philippa (Pippa) Tucker

Successful Crisis Teams: Targeting Themes Related to Well-Being and Productivity, Dana Rae Vessio

Filipino American Therapists and White Supremacy: Training as a Filipino American Therapist Whilst Navigating the Model Minority Myth and Colonial Mentality in Graduate School, Jerimi Infante Vindua

Doctoral Papers/Masters Projects from 2022 2022

Cancer Related Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Patients: Guidelines for Neuropsychological Evaluation and Management, Ali Al-Humadi

Program Evaluation and Wider Demographic Study of the Denver Area Non-profit Parenting After Divorce, Martha M. Bautista-Biddle

The Impact of a Relationship Education Program on Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women, Anne Clara Biermann

A Phenomenology of Meme Culture Across 2020, Carolyn Black

A Proposed Grief Support Group Intervention for College Students at a University Counseling Center, Kyle Cacoyannis

“It’s Right Below the Surface”: Clinicians’ Experiences of Shame in Therapy Work with Adult Clients with Body Shame, Body Image Concerns, or Eating Disorder(s), Tess Carroll Keeley

Strive United: Answering the Call to Support Athletes Through Retirement from Sport, Kirsten Anne Cooper

Asexuality and Demisexuality: Clinical Implications of Sexual Identity, Michael Scott Fiorini

La Luz: Illuminating the Effects of Language and Considering the Role of Culture in a Postpartum Depression Prevention Program for Spanish- and English-Speaking Mothers, Erin Flanagan

Leadership and Psychology: An Anecdotal Exploration of Administrator Experiences, William Giddings

The Necessity of Trauma-focused Curricula in Mental Health Graduate Programs: Advocating for Comprehensive Trauma Etiology and Treatment Education with Proposed Course Outline, Aaron S. Gillespie

A Mental Performance Protocol Developed for a Four-Person Endurance Team: Rowing the Atlantic Ocean, Scotty Marie Hanley

End-of-Life Care for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Best Practice Guide for Medical and Mental Health Professionals Around Death, Dying, and End-of-Life Care, Georgette Harper

A Missing Narrative: The Creation of a Trauma-informed Children’s Book for Children in the Foster Care System, Elizabeth Hoff Saunderson

Older Adults and Suicide as Examined Through the Lens of Joiner's Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, Pamela Holmes

Psilocybin and the Psychologist: A Proposed Methodology for Exploring the Effects of Clinicians’ Psychedelic Experiences on Their Clinical Practice, Brian N. Iliescu

The ACT of Being a Pre-doctoral Intern: A Personal Account of Navigating the Dynamics of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Abby Jay

"Stay Strong": Internalized Stigma, Religiosity and Black Mental Health in Colorado, Breigh Jones-Coplin

Working with Families with Refugee Experiences in the United States: The Impact of Forced Displacement on Parent-child Relationships After Resettlement, Sakshi Kapur

Therapist Self-disclosure with Mandated College Students: A Case Study, Zachary Lattanzio

Unreality and Loss of Self: Dissociative Experiences in Buddhist Practitioners, Jill Loving

Managing Multiple Transferences from a Self-psychology Perspective: A Case Study of an Older Adult, Gabriel Maletta

Developing a Comprehensive and Inclusive Initial Client Screen, Ashley Marsh

Feminist Supervision: A Proposal for Peer Supervision Training Through the Feminist Lens, Kate McGuire

Providing Effective Assessment Feedback to Patients: Lessons Learned from Feedback After a Severe Injury, Kelsie McQuinn

Attachment Theory to Inform Intervention in Correctional Populations with Adverse Childhood Experiences and Substance Use Disorders, Samantha Mendoza

Athletic Injury and Resources for Student-Athletes: A Proposal for an Athlete Injury Playbook, Jessica J. Pauley

Can Brazilian Jiu Jitsu be a Viable Treatment Option for Law Enforcement Officers with PTSD?, Megan Rinderer

Psychologists’ Graduate Training Experience and Attitudes in Religion and Spirituality, Kristi Santiago

It Takes a Village: Tribalism as a Premise to Understand Societal Responsibility and Impact of Mass Violence, Paige D. Schultz

An Analysis of Military Service Academies Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Through Reports, Research, and Media Coverage, Lisa “Tana” Youn Kyung Sharp

Case Study: Compulsive Eating Behaviors from an Intersubjective Lens, Monica Smith Acuña

Unique Types of Angel and Ghost Memories in Low-income, Diverse Pregnant Women, Rebecca Spear

Best Practice Guidelines for Supervising Probationers with Brain Injury, Molly Standeven