Meet our Psy.D. Students

Students come to Point Park University's Psy.D. in clinical psychology program with strong educational backgrounds and a variety of clinical and research interests and career goals.

Featured below are the current students in Point Park's Psy.D. program — one of only a few doctoral-level programs in the nation to teach humanistic psychology.

Congratulations to our students on their 2024 internship matches!

The PsyD Program has 100% internship match rate for 2024! Congratulations to the following students:

Aram Zelman, Montana State University-Bozeman’s Counseling & Psychological Services
Annah Darling, SUNY Upstate Medical University-Syracuse

Congratulations to our 2022-23 graduates!

Kimberly Champion
Sarah Edmiston
Kris Messmer
Anne Rinehart
Orlandria Smith

Congratulations to the following students on their 2023 internship matches:

Adriana Gulli, University of Rochester
Adrian Hernandez, Johns Hopkins University
Hannah Kitcey, Sarah A. Reed Children's Center
Rachel Stough, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
David Tomaselli, Albany Consortium/Albany Medical College
Cris Wildmiller, Cleveland State University Counseling Center
Anastasia Wilhelm, Suny Upstate Medical University

Introducing our Doctoral Students

Meet our Psy.D. students and learn about their prior education, clinical and research interests and career goals.

Fall 2023 Cohort

Derek Robert Franco

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, Utica University

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychodynamic, humanistic and existential psychotherapy approaches; using existential philosophy as a framework to better understand the human condition and mental health issues; understanding the role and importance of both individualized and community-based interventions in the treatment of mental health issues; anxiety and trauma-related disorders in adult populations

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, educator and community mental health advocate working alongside community leaders in order to create effective public policy measures that adequately meet the treatment needs of at-risk populations

Brigid Haugh

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Sociology, Duquesne University

Clinical and Research Interests: Humanistic and transpersonal approaches, criminal justice, personality disorders, gender roles and norms, feminism, holistic approach to treatment, psychedelic-assisted therapy options and intersectionality

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, therapist and advocate for prisoners; researcher and starter of out-patient facility that incorporates holistic and animal approaches to treatment

Lauren Hirshorn

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, James Madison University

Clinical and Research Interests: Impact of sexual and relational trauma on attachment security; intergenerational trauma; early attachment; human sexuality, relationships and intimacy; effects of movement in therapeutic practice as part of a holistic perspective; feminism and empowerment; navigating the complexities of self-identity and meaning-making

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, educator

Amilee Miller

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, Keystone College

Clinical and Research Interests: Bringing a holistic combination of existential and humanistic approaches to therapy, meaning-making, friendship, implications of adolescent identity development, play therapy, utilizing the appreciation and creation of art, as well as movement, in the treatment of complex disorders

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and qualitative researcher

Tally Moss

Prior Education: B.F.A. in Music Composition & Technology, University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee; B.M. in Music Therapy, Alverno College

Clinical and Research Interests: Existential and Hermeneutic psychotherapy approaches; Identity development in adolescents and emerging adults, including how personal and artistic identities interact and impact meaning-making; neurodiversity and empowerment

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and private practice owner

Sasha Nebrat

Prior Education: B. S. in Psychology with minors in Chemistry and Deaf Studies, University of Pittsburgh

Clinical and Research Interests: Crisis intervention in acute psychosis; non-pharmaceutical and alternative approaches to managing psychotic symptoms; maximizing function and quality of life while living with schizoaffective, mood and personality disorders through person-centered humanistic, evolutionary and applied psychological approaches

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and program director in in-patient and intensive out-patient settings, advocate and mediator for mental health awareness in law enforcement and community crisis intervention

Shelby Wyant

Prior Education: B.S. Ed. in Integrated Language Arts, Kent State University; M. Ed. In Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Kent State University

Clinical and Research Interests: Rehabilitation psychology, disability justice, anti-ableism, forensic psychology, prison reform and alternatives to imprisonment, media psychology, use of creative arts in psychotherapy and feminist approach to psychotherapy

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist, disability advocate

Fall 2022 Cohort

Jenna Armstrong

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, Duquesne University

Clinical and Research Interests: Marriage and family dynamics, parenting, interpersonal relationships, conformity and obedience, self-esteem and narcissism

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist working mostly with families and relationships, forensic psychologist and possibly educator

Ayonna Christopher

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Spanish, Kent State University

Clinical and Research Interests: Feminism, personality disorders, racial identity, racial stereotyping and discrimination, trauma resulting from abuse, existentialism, emotion regulation and mindfulness

Career Goals: Open my own private practice and increase knowledge and research about misrepresented groups

Rachel Cox

Prior Education: B.S. in Bio-Medical Science, University of Guelph; B.S. in Nursing, McMaster University

Clinical and Research Interests: Humanistic and psychodynamic approaches to psychotherapy, c-PTSD and post-traumatic growth, holistic health psychology, mindfulness-based practices, entheogenic therapy, self-transcendence and transpersonal psychology

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, educator and mental health advocate

Michael Deely

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, Saint Vincent College; M.Ed. in Educational Psychology, and Post-Masters in School Psychology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate Program, Florida Institute of Technology

Clinical and Research Interests: Crisis response, psychodiagnostics, humanistic behavioral therapy, joy and meaning making

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and educator

Alexandra D'Ercole

Prior Education: B.A and M.A. in Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Adolescents and teens; social justice; psychotherapy; multicultural; feminist theory and post-traumatic growth

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, Community advocate for social justice, program development in increasing accessibility to mental health resources, particularly in schools

Allison Green

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Juvenile Justice, Grand Valley State University; M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Georgia State University

Clinical and Research Interests: Children and adolescents, suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, self-harm, homicidal ideation, substance use disorder and developmentally appropriate counseling theories and interventions for children and adolescents

Career Goals: Research and application of developmentally appropriate practices for working with children and adolescents, clinical psychologist in a private practice setting

Shawn Jones

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University, M.A. in Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, veterans and military issues, the street community and street medicine, religion and spirituality and existential and humanistic approaches to psychotherapy

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, therapist and researcher focusing on veterans and the street community and providing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to those populations

Alyssa Laughner

Prior Education: B.S. In Neuroscience & Biology, Baldwin Wallace University

Clinical and Research Interests: Gender-related nuances in mental health treatment and diagnosis frequency, such as in ADHD, ASD, and BPD; neurodiversity and trauma and physical manifestations of c-PTSD

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist

Kylie Sullivan

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, Utica University

Clinical and Research Interests: Feminist approaches in psychotherapy, psychodynamic and emotion focused psychotherapy, advocacy and resources for young mothers perinatal and postpartum, women’s mental health and gender roles in westernized societies

Career Goals: Qualitative research, private practice therapy, and teaching.

Sarah Varley

Prior Education: B.Ph. in Psychology, minor in Linguistics, University of Pittsburgh

Clinical and Research Interests: Ipseity-disturbance model of psychosis; humanistic approaches to SPMI; psychosis onset; racial disparities in treatment qualities/outcomes & antiracist alternatives; acute crisis response and police involvement (911 to incarceration/social-services monitoring pipeline); community-based task-sharing models; impacts of neoliberal individualism on suicidality.

Career Goals: Program director on an acute, in-patient unit; Outpatient early-intervention in psychosis; Development of early-SPMI psychoeducation programs for schools/teachers; Advise/consult/train police services on involvement in crisis response; Help to carry mental health care into street medicine (alternative counseling approaches).

Eliza Watson

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Forensic Concentration; Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Phenomenology &and Hermeneutics, existentialism, feminism, a holistic approach to adolescent care and treatment, intersectionality and social justice advocacy with a focus on adolescent populations

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, program director, educator, designing and collaborating on community-based interventions for adolescents and young adults

Fall 2021 Cohort

Theresa Buczek

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Creative Writing, Allegheny College; M.A. in Applied Clinical Psychology, Penn State Behrend

Clinical and Research Interests: Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), rape culture, parent-child relationships, toxic masculinity, bystander intervention/prevention of sexual assault on college campuses, domestic violence and feminist psychology

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist with a focus in PCIT and trauma, teach part-time at an educational institution and conduct research

Kiersten E. Carper

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, High Point University

Clinical and Research Interests: Sexual assault and violence with a focus on collegiate attitudes towards believability and survivorship; eating disorder intervention and treatment, trauma and women’s issues; exploring broad phenomenon using qualitative methods while emphasizing a spirit of humility and openness in research

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and researcher

Antoinette Donofrio

Prior Education: B.A. in International Studies, Allegheny College

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychosocial and behavioral interventions for adolescents with mood disorders and their caretakers; culturally relevant mindfulness-based programming for underserved communities; accessible and antiracist clinical assessment; efficacy of school/community-based mental health services; person-centered, relational, and interpersonal approaches to psychotherapy; perinatal and maternal mental health; interrupting the school/trauma to prison pipeline; creative arts and dance/movement therapeutic practices and critical community psychology as a means of social praxis

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, community mental health advocate engaged in public policy, nonprofit administrator, co-collaborating/rethinking educational institutions for school-aged youth and their caretakers

Jasper Flint

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, Penn State Brandywine

Clinical and Research Interests: Queer and feminist theory and practice; systems work, especially as it relates to post-traumatic growth, mutual aid and solidarity

Career Goals: As a queer, trans, nonbinary person, I hope to someday serve other queer individuals by providing system-informed care guided by humanistic practices. My hope is that, wherever I end up working, I will be able to make existence easier for people who struggle against marginalization, victimization and other forms of violence. I hope to work with other providers to discourage supporting systems of inequality, such as gatekeeping and the U.S. system of insurance.

Cynthia Gelien

Prior Education: B.A. in Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University; M.A. in Guidance and Counseling, New Mexico Highlands University

Clinical and Research Interests: I would like to research the comorbidities of patients that have chronic illnesses with PTSD, depression, or anxiety. I would also love to work with veterans again because I can give back to all who have served our country.

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and educator

Joe Huang

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, University of Mary Washington; M.A. in Psychology, University of West Georgia

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychosis, dynamic nominalism and the various effects of pathology and psychological categorization, psychiatry and power, alternative (crisis) intervention systems, process-oriented psychologies, psychosocial development and community building as an alternative to individualist neoliberal identity formation

Career Goals: Clinician, ideally in community setting

B. Mason Judy

Prior Education: B.A. in Communications, Trinity Western University; M.A. in Creative Writing, Newcastle University; M.A. in Counseling Psychology, The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychoanalysis, psychodiagnostics, qualitative research methodologies and post-structuralist theories

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, researcher and educator

Madison Krull

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, High Point University

Clinical and Research Interests: Sexual assault survivorship and collegiate attitudes toward sexual assault, self-stigma as it relates to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), self-stigma influenced by the stigma surrounding learning disorders, emphasis on qualitative and mixed methods research

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, researcher and community advocate supporting underserved communities and systematically marginalized groups

Brianna Morga

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Criminology, Slippery Rock University

Clinical and Research Interests: The effects of self-objectification and systematic oppression on women as they relate to performance and mental wellness

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist

Lauren Roush

Prior Education: B.A. in Secondary English Education and M.A. in Education, West Virginia University; M.A. in Psychology, Chatham University

Clinical and Research Interests: Existentialism and psychosis, schizophrenia, psychedelic psychotherapy, mindfulness-based practices and working with homeless and underserved populations

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, educator and community advocate

Autumn Vick

Prior Education: B. A. in Psychology with a minor in English and Poetry, The University of Texas at Austin

Clinical and Research Interests: Treatment, intervention and prevention of trauma related disorders with emphasis and regard to sexual violence survivors and perpetrators; epigenetics of sexual violence survivors who present signs of trauma-related disorders; psychedelic research in relation to substantiative progress in trauma response; social justice and political action to change policies in place that are detrimental to community mental health with special regard to POC and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, community advocate, sexual violence prevention advocate, social justice advocate and nonprofit owner/administrator for trauma-related disorders and sexual violence survivorship

Lia Dana Yahalomi

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

Clinical and Research Interests: Stigmatization of mental health in East-Asian societies; Asian-American mental health, suicide prevention and the promotion of psychological education in East-Asian communities; holistic approach into the conceptualization of happiness and sadness through the therapeutic process and forming mental resilience; mood disorders in adolescents and young adults and cross-cultural psychopathology with an emphasis on cultural differences.

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, mental health advocator and educator

Fall 2020 Cohort

Annah Darling

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Taylor University, and Brain Injury Specialist Certification through the Brain Injury Association of America

Clinical and Research Interests: Meaning-making, attention, patriarchal effects on love and female friendship, psychological implications of consumerism and commodification

Career Goals: Therapy and research

Pictured is Adrianna Gulli. Photo | Randall Coleman.

Adriana Gulli

Prior Education: B.A in Psychology with a minor in Jewish Studies, Duquesne University

Clinical and Research Interests: Exploring the place of religion/spirituality in society and its psychological effects, phenomenological research focused on anxiety, depression, trauma, resiliency and the ways in which we reorient ourselves to the world post trauma

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist working with custody/competency evaluations and potentially serve in some form of academic or director role

Aram Zelman

Prior Education: B.A. in Philosophy, Bard College

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychoanalysis, meaning and language, identity and conceptualizing utopias

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and possible academic role

Charles Russell

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Syracuse University and M.A. in Clinical Psychology, St. Michael's College

Clinical and Research Interests: Relational psychoanalysis, existential and humanistic approaches to psychotherapy and sex and sexuality coinciding with alternative sexual practices

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, Kink-friendly therapist and possible educator

Fall 2019 Cohort

Brendan Donovan

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychosis, schizophrenia, altered states of consciousness and psychedelic psychotherapy

Career Goals: To be able to assist people through altered states of conscious without the use of neuroleptic drugs

Sarah Edmiston

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Wild Cherries Herbal Studies Intensive

Clinical and Research Interests: Effects of systemic and institutional oppression on individual mental health and community relations, liberation-based therapeutic practices, critical psychology, post-structuralism, deconstruction, decolonization; challenging mechanistic worldviews through radical ecopsychology/deep ecology, animism, integrative holistic health and herbalism

Career Goals: Co-create community-based alternatives to the criminal justice system through transformative justice; provide holistic approaches to physical and mental health to those with barriers to access through a combination of relational, narrative and somatic therapy, a cultivation of critical consciousness and working with the earth as medicine to reinvigorate a sense of belonging in the world

Anilenia Hernandez

Prior Education: B.A in Psychology, Florida International University

Clinical and Research Interests: Trauma-informed cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychology of gender, cross-cultural studies, sexual violence prevention and psychology of social justice

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and sexual violence prevention advocate

Hannah Kitcey

Prior Education: B.S. in Psychology, Gannon University

Clinical and Research Interests: Utilizing humanistic ideologies to address diverse counseling situations among those living in poverty and motivational concepts/theories and psychotherapy

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and educator

Rachel Stough

Prior Education: B.A. in Biology, Vassar College; Master of Public Health, Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health

Clinical and Research Interests: Feminist psychology and person-centered psychodynamic approaches to therapy in the context of women's mental wellness, particularly perinatal and maternal mental health

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and community advocate

David Tomaselli

Prior Education: B.A. in English Writing, University of Pittsburgh; J.D., Duquesne University School of Law

Clinical and Research Interests: Existential-Phenomenological, Psychoanalytical and Third-Wave Cognitive Behavioral approaches to psychotherapy with a research emphasis on the phenomenon of having felt understood in therapeutic interaction, how to arrive at this understanding and the implications of authentic empathy in client outcomes

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist engaged in therapy and assessment; potential academic role

Cris Wildman

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Duquesne University

Clinical and Research Interests: Trauma, ecopsychology and working with transgender/gender nonconforming children and adolescents

Career Goals: Clinician, most likely for children, and also interested in doing outreach and advocacy work at the public policy level

Anastasia Wilhelm

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Duquesne University

Clinical and Research Interests: Person-Centered Therapy, Terror Management Theory and its effect on societal constructs and examining a community or person's access (or lack thereof) to mental health care based on their socioeconomic status.

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist

Fall 2018 Cohort

Shacoya Bates

Prior Education: A.S. in Biology Community College of Allegheny County; B.S. in Psychology and Dual B.A. degrees in Africana Studies; University of Pittsburgh, Strengths-Based Family Worker Credential, Temple University

Clinical and Research Interests: Analyzing accessibility of mental health services for underserved and African American communities, researching the negative impacts about the myth of the strong black woman, exploring feelings of guilt, disconnection, and "code switching" from underprivileged students that change SES after obtaining college educations and exploring the role of advocacy in the mental health profession from a humanistic perspective

Career Goals: Owning and operating a community center that provides linkage to resources, access to physical and mental health care at low or reduced rates, and education on how to better oneself and community, also mentoring and inspiring impressionable minds by teaching at the university level

Kristine McCarthy

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Duquesne University; and M.A. in Clinical/Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychotherapy, identity, diversity and cultural impacts/influences

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist

Orlandria Smith

Prior Education: B.A in Psychology and M.A. in Clinical-Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Person-Centered, Existential and Experiential theories and bridging the gap between minorities and psychotherapy within institutions and oppressed communities

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, educator and author

Eric Vogan

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University and M.S. in Professional Counseling, Carlow University

Clinical and Research Interests: Existential theory/psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic thinking and personality organization, particularly as it relates to psychotherapy process and outcome

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist and educator

Alexandra Youssef

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Queer theory, cross-cultural psychology, characterological personalities and trauma studies

Career Goals: Clinical psychologist, art therapist

Fall 2017 Cohort

Anne Rinehart

Prior Education: B.A. in Spanish and B.A. in English, Adrian College; M.A. in Criminology, University of North Carolina Wilmington; and M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Relational, Interpersonal and Feminist approaches to psychotherapy. Integrated assessment (general and forensic). Culturally responsive, holistic approaches to drug and alcohol treatment. Gender and sexuality affirming counseling. Dissertation research focuses on anti-racism and the intra- and interpersonal processes that motivate and sustain anti-racist identity and activities.

Career Goals: Clinical psychotherapy, assessment and research that foster greater equity in treatment, increased access to care and more nuanced understanding of emotional and relational challenges across the life span.

Ashley Bobak

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University; and M.S. in Counseling Psychology, Chatham University

Clinical and Research Interests: Mindfulness-based treatment; utilizing humanistic approaches to address substance abuse, existentialism and psychosis

Career Goals: Work with individuals and communities using humanistic epistemology to facilitate the reduction of suffering and dismantle systems of oppression; create alternative approaches to therapy that allow for the maintenance and reverence of human dignity

Francine Caldwell

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University; and M.A. in Clinical-Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Senior citizen population, Alzheimer's Disease care, quality of care, quality of life and meaning making

Career Goals: Work within government and community organizations to create higher standards of care, higher quality of life and help create accessible mental health care options for underprivileged populations

Brandon Graham

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Duquesne University; M.A. in Clinical-Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Existential-phenomenological conceptions of psychosis and post structuralism

Career Goals: To work in cultural therapeutics

Chelsea Chase

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Penn State Behrend; M.A. in Clinical-Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Trauma, particularly focused on sexual abuse; working to change the flaws within the mental health system including the ways which people with "severe" mental illness are currently diagnosed and treated

Career Goals: Disseminate views, knowledge and quandaries through as many modes as possible through clinical practice, teaching and writing

Kimberly Champion

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University; veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve (23rd AG Postal Company)

Clinical and Research Interests: Existential and Person-Centered Human Theory and understanding the resilience of the human spirit in its ability to cope with the oppressive nature of its environment

Career Goals: Work within the system to promote positive change and to encourage healthy living, especially within oppressed communities where resources are limited

Jeremy Northup

Prior Education: B.A. in Psychology, Point Park University; M.A. in Clinical-Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychosis, anarchism, mysticism, post structuralism, Deleuze and Guattari, deconstruction, schizoanalysis, psychoanalysis, transpersonal psychology, (advocate) ethnography, qualitative research and birding

Career Goals: Teaching, qualitative research and therapy

Wendy StMyers

Prior Education: B.S. in Human Services, Purdue University; M.A. in Clinical-Community Psychology, Point Park University

Clinical and Research Interests: Working in the community and clinically with military men and women post war; the effectiveness and implementation of community, family and job reintegration services specifically for military men and women

Career Goals: Give back to military heroes through awareness of and crucial clinical support for systems that help reintegrate them back into civilian life

Learn More

The 90-credit Psy.D. in clinical psychology program at Point Park University uniquely integrates community psychology with clinical psychology, equipping students with diversified skills to pursue a variety of career paths.

Designed to be completed in five years, the program includes a dissertation and one-year, full-time clinical internship. The curriculum is comprised of a variety of theoretical, research and clinical courses, including four clinical practicums and a community practicum.

Request more information or apply online.