Lab Members
Each member of the CASE lab actively participates in one or more of the lab’s projects. We meet as a team on a regular basis to plan, conduct, and write about, and present our findings. Our lab is group focused, meaning that we are collaborative and support each other in our various projects. We also actively collaborate with faculty and at other universities, which is essential given the inter-disciplinary nature of our work. Members of the CASE lab take an active role in scholarship by regularly co-authoring journal articles and book chapters and presenting at national and international conferences several times a year.
Principal Investigator
Chris McCarthy
I have been a faculty member in the Department of Educational Psychology since 1995 and my professional specialization is in both Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology. My research focuses on stress and coping in educational contexts, particularly with respect to understanding the stress that teachers experience and how to help them cope and thrive in their role as educators. Another important research focus for me is group interventions, particularly how we can train counselors to become group leaders and use groups to promote wellness. Last but not least, I have a strong professional commitment to career development, both in terms of career counseling practice and the impact that career development has on overall psychological well-being. My primary professional affiliations are with the Association for Specialists in Group Work, the American Educational Research Association, and the Trauma, Stress, Anxiety, and Resilience Society.
Current Students
Caroline Weppner
A Louisiana native, I graduated from Louisiana State University in 2016 with a degree in Public Relations – Mass Communications. After working at an international public relations firm for a few years, I completed my master’s degree in Psychological Sciences from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. While there, I worked on an NCAA-funded project focused on the resiliency and well-being of DI and DIII student-athletes, as well as mindfulness training and research with DIII student-athletes. This experience led me to the Coping and Stress in Education lab where I hope to continue to study predictors of peak performance for teachers in the school setting, particularly coping skills related to stress. In my free time I love to check out the local food scene…which makes Austin a great place to call home!
Francesca
Ciao! My name is Francesca and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am from Italy and have recently moved to Austin to pursue a PhD in Counseling Psychology at UT. I am thrilled to be part of the CASE lab and focusing on the study of stress, which is an interest I first developed while working on burnout prevention in humanitarian contexts. Before I moved to Austin, I could be found driving my vespa around Rome when not at work. These days, you can find me exploring Austin with google maps in hand when not on campus.
Madison Blaydes
Prior to UT, I completed a master’s in Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At UW, I worked on research related to the educational experiences of children experiencing homelessness and assisted with a research project focused on undergraduate prescription drug misuse. These qualitative and quantitative experiences helped shape my interest in stress, trauma, and coping in school settings. Currently, I am interested in the way trauma impacts teachers’ demands and resources. In my free time, I enjoy baking, traveling, working out, and trying new restaurants.
Trisha Miller
I am currently a student in the Counseling Psychology doctoral program with a primary research interest in the area of stress, coping, help-seeking, and suicide prevention in college students and emerging adults. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas and worked as an elementary school teacher in the Austin area for 5 years. This experience also sparked my interest in studying teacher coping and stress. After teaching, I attended Texas Woman’s University and received a Master’s degree in Psychological Science. Outside of research and studying, I enjoy traveling and spending time with my family and my three dogs.
Yijie Tian (Teresa)
I am from Qingdao, China. I am a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Texas at Austin. I attended Bucknell University, where I received my undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology. I worked primarily on investigating the relationship between social isolation and stress for college students during Covid pandemic. I am so excited to work with this research group because it fits my research interests in stress and coping. In my free time, I love hanging out with my friends and exploring everywhere in Austin.
Lab Alumni
Molly Allender
Abbie Balat
Travis Bauer
Michelle Beard
Lauren Boyle
Nicolina Calfa
Jeremy Capello
Blaine Carr
Betsy Crowe
Anna Dematitis
Ryan Douglas
Jendayi Dillard
Maytal Eyal
Cassandra Gearhart
Mike Ghormley
Sara Gilbert
Katie Hatch
Scott Hosford
Bert Hoopes
Brian Juncker
Sarah Kelton
Debra Kissen
Sally Lineback
Hsin-Tine Liu
Minda Markle
Colleen McCarthy
Olga Mejia
Lauren Melendres
Kristen Mosley
Susan Murphy
Emily Playfair
Jenson Reiser
Mikaela Sebree
Monique Shah
Maria Tortorice
Valerie Van Horn Kerne
Sara Villarreal
Josh Westheimer
Esme Williams