Director


Emily Kroska

Emily Thomas, Ph.D.

(formerly Emily Kroska)

Dr. Thomas is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa. She received her PhD from the University of Iowa in 2018, mentored by Michael O'Hara, PhD. Dr. Thomas completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2017-2018 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018-2019 under the mentorship of Zachary Stowe, MD.

 

Graduate Students


Ti Hsu's photo

Ti Hsu, M.S.

Ti is a fifth-year student in the clinical psychology program. She received her B.A. in liberal arts from St. John’s College, and worked with research teams at National Cheng Kung University hospital and National Chiayi University after graduating. She then received her M.S. in experimental psychology from William & Mary, where she examined the effects of stress and emotion dysregulation on disordered eating. Ti’s current research focuses on associations among psychological processes such as psychological flexibility, distress tolerance, and mindfulness on key psychosocial and health outcomes in at-risk emerging adults, as well as on improving self-report measures of different processes using advanced statistical methods. In her spare time, she enjoys long runs, large dogs, and good books.

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Allie Schneider Carlson, M.P.H.

Allie is a fifth-year student in the clinical psychology program. She received her B.S. in psychology from Allegheny College, following which she worked at the National Institutes of Health within the NIAAA studying psychosocial factors that relate to binge drinking. She then received her M.P.H. from Yale University, where she studied social and behavioral science and focused her thesis on the intergenerational transmission of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) from mother to child in a community-based sample. She is currently interested in exploring the impact of psychological flexibility on both psychological and physiological outcomes among those who report ACEs. She is particularly interested in the effect of psychological flexibility on vascular endothelial function. Outside of school Allie enjoys Peloton rides, skiing, watching college basketball, and spending time with her husband, Kory and dog, Emma. 

Graduate Student Collaborators


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Zoe Sirotiak, DPT

Zoe is a graduate student at Iowa State University. She received her B.S. from Iowa State with majors in kinesiology and psychology and minors in biology and sociology. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Iowa. Her research interests include investigating how psychological symptoms relate to functional somatic syndromes, as well as medical trauma and grief. Outside of school, Zoe enjoys reading philosophy texts and being active with friends.

Tess Filip

Tess Filip, M.A.

Tess is a fourth-year student at the University of Iowa's Psychological and Brain Sciences doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in the Mechanisms of Adult and Youth Psychopathology Lab (MAYPL). She received her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Michigan in 2015. Tess' research interests include utilizing mobile technologies to better detect and understand symptoms of psychotic disorders and social/environmental factors that may improve functioning in people with serious mental illness. Tess is a graduate research assistant working with Dr. Thomas on an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention for cardiometabolic conditions in rural veterans.

Post-Baccalaureate Research Coordinators


 

Micah Williams

Micah Williams, B.S.

Micah graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minors in Human Relations and French in 2024. He plans to attend graduate school to work towards a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and to pursue a career in research. Micah's research interests include the conceptualization and structure of psychopathology, network analysis, and transdiagnostic intervention approaches. Outside of academics and work, Micah enjoys playing sports, hanging out with friends, watching movies, and listening to music.

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Stephanie Nettleton, B.A. 

Stephanie graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Human Relations in 2022. Stephanie’s research interests include examining the mechanisms that mediate the relation between stressful or traumatic experiences and psychiatric disorders, particularly PTSD, MDD, and GAD and effective interventions for these disorders. In addition, she is interested in incorporating psychophysiology and neuroimaging into her research. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys staying active, being in nature, playing the violin, reading, and spending time with her cats, Kevin and Chairman Meow.

Research Assistants


Olney lab photo

Carly Olney

Carly is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa pursing her major in Psychology, a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Resilience and Trauma. After graduating, she hopes to pursue her PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include mindfulness based therapeutic intervention, cultural influences on children’s development and disordered eating. Carly enjoys reading, practicing yoga, and listening to music in her free time. 

Amro

Hailey Amro 

Hailey is a licensed mental health therapist (LMSW), who received her Master of Social Work from the University of Iowa, with a clinical practice specialization. She previously received her B.A. in psychology from the University of Kansas. She currently works as a mental health therapist. Her research interests include contributory and resiliency factors in trauma exposure, grief, mood and anxiety disorders, and how research can work to inform therapeutic interventions and clinical best practice. Outside of research and clinical work, she enjoys reading, staying active, and spending time with loved ones. 

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Stella Mesch 

Stella is a third-year student at the University of Iowa, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human Relations. After graduating from Iowa, she plans to attend graduate school to work towards a Ph.D. in either counseling or clinical psychology. Stella's research interests include ​substance use and depression and anxiety on academic performance, positive psychology effect on wellbeing in college students, and intervention effectiveness for college aged students. Outside of academics, Stella enjoys hiking, snowboarding, playing board games, and watching movies.

Hannah photo

Hannah Thomsen 

Hannah is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a certificate in Resilience and Trauma Informed Perspectives. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school to receive a PhD in Counseling Psychology. Her research interests include intervention approaches for depression and anxiety in college students and young adults. In her free time, Hannah enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and spending time outside.


 

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Jake Lamartine 

Jake graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Human Relations in 2024 and plans to attend graduate school in the fall of 2025. Jake's research interests include working with transdiagnostic interventions with individuals struggling with trauma, substance abuse disorder, and anxiety, as well as the relationship between trauma and anxiety. In his free time, Jake enjoys collecting records, skateboarding, and staying active. 


 

Leah Pena

Leah Pena

Leah is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa pursuing a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing with a certificate in Resilience and Trauma-Informed Perspectives. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school and work towards a PhD in clinical psychology. Leah’s research interests include the neural mechanisms and situational factors underlying complex trauma and dissociation, as well as effective interventions for trauma-based disorders especially in socially marginalized groups. In her free time, Leah enjoys writing, reading, and drinking hot chocolate.


 

Berkley Johnson

Berkley Johnson

Berkley is an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa, where she is working toward a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Human Relations and a certificate in Resilience and Trauma-Informed Perspectives. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology. Berkley’s current research interests focus on the effects of psychological flexibility, cognitive defusion, as well as mindfulness-based practices in therapeutic interventions. In her free time, Berkley enjoys long walks, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

THRIVE Lab Graduates

 

Graduate Students

Jenna Adamowicz, Ph.D.

Pain Research, Informatics, Multimorbidities, and Education (PRIME) Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System: West Haven 

Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

 

Graduate Student Collaborators

Sara Diesel

Henry Ford Health Sciences Center

Natalie McClellan

Doctoral Student in Counseling Psychology, University of Iowa

Anne Roche, Ph.D.

Mayo Clinic Rochester

Cole Toovey, M.A.

Clinical Psychology Intern, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System

 

Post-Baccalaureate Staff

Paul Holdefer, B.A., M.P.H.

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Department of Psychiatry

Manny Stegall, B.S.

Change Consultant, Change Matrix 

 

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Holly Beith-Mangrum

Biomedical Sciences Graduate Student, University of Denver

Maria Buri

AmeriCorps

Meghan Cantu

Majoring in Psychology, University of Iowa 

Halle Czarnecki

Psychometrist, NeuroHealth Arlington Heights

Nicole Dietrich, B.S.

University of Indianapolis, Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology

Carlie Dellmann, B.S., M.A.

Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Javiera Hernandez, B.S.

Master's in Experimental Psychology, William and Mary College

Felipe Herrmann

Post-baccaleurreate research assistant, Harvard University

Tyler Kuhn

Master's in Social Work program, University of Iowa

Noah Martin

Graduate Assistant, Participation, Environment, and Performance Lab, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis 

Callahan Morton, B.S.

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Women's Wellness and Counseling Service

Clarence Nguyen, B.A.

Stephanie Orellana

Post-baccaleurreate research intern, University of Iowa, Psychological and Brain Sciences

Justin Rhode

Azzurra Sartini-Rideout, B.A.

Full-time research assistant, University of Iowa, Psychological and Brain Sciences

Maddie Swick

Majoring in Psychology, University of Iowa 

 

Honorary Lab Members 


 

Harry and Theodore
Emma
Biscuit
Kev and Chairman
Steph O's dog 1
Steph O's dog 2
Twig
Steph O's dog 3
Logray photo
Morton pet
Morton pet 2
Olney pups
Stella's cat