Introduction: Say a Little about Yourself! {by 9/3}
Yes, this is a little cheesy. However, this is your first semester of graduate classes. Let’s at least start to sort of get to know each other. Please answer the following about yourself (the more, the merrier, but no pressure): (1) Name? (2) What college/university did you graduate from? (3) Something wicked interesting/cool about you (it is okay to brag here)? (4) What are your initial thoughts (or experience) about psychological measurement? (5) What do you know about cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or evidence-based practice?
Your original post should be posted by 9/3. Post your two replies no later than 9/5. *Please remember to click the “reply” button when posting a reply. This makes it easier for the reader to follow the blog postings.
*Strong suggestion: Write all your blogs on a separate document. Then, copy and paste it. This will make your life easier and less stressful in case something “wacky” happens with technology.
*Your first post may not immediately appear on my website. I have strong spam filters. So, I may have to approve your first post before it is visible. I should only have to do this once unless you post in a different name and/or email address.
Dr. Adam M Volungis 
Aug 29, 2026 @ 14:18:14
Sep 04, 2026 @ 20:25:21
Hi Sara! We have some things in common. I am also born and raised in Worcester. What elementary school and high school did you go to? I went to Flagg St. and St. Peter Marian. I also went to Clark U out of high school where I was a physics major and played soccer both for two years. Rowing seems like a cool sport! It is definitely great exercise, you get to be on water, and I would imagine teamwork and chemistry are very important. Neuromuscular clinical research sounds interesting. I am interested in the intersection between physical and mental health in general. See you in class!
Sep 04, 2026 @ 20:57:25
Hi Sara! I just graduated from undergrad as well this past May! It’s really cool that you have a lot of experience from Clark and your clinical research internship at UMass Chan. I also liked learning about your research on trust and AI-generated health information. I agree that psychological measurement is really important because things like trust and attitudes can be difficult to measure without reliable tools. I’m also interested in learning more about CBT and how it is used with different clients. What made you interested in psychology and the clinical side of the field?
Sep 05, 2026 @ 15:18:22
Hi Sara! I’ve lived in and around Worcester my whole life, but I’ve never been on the Assumption campus until recently. I’m not familiar with Duck Day. What is it?
Also, it’s super cool that you were a part of the rowing team at Clark! I don’t know much about rowing as a sport, but that must have been really fun! I also have to say that getting to complete an internship at the UMass Chan Medical School and gain experience with neuromuscular clinical research is very impressive and certainly worth bragging about. Do you plan on using what you learned from that experience in any future research or professional endeavors?
Sep 05, 2026 @ 17:41:04
Hi Sara its so nice to meet you,
It’s really interesting to hear about the experience you have with research and in the field especially. I’ve always wondered what it’s like to do rowing. I have seen people do it but never have tried it and always wanted to know what it is like. How long have you been rowing for? What was your best way to prepare for races and events? Would love to get to know more about your experience with the sport!
The research you worked on is very interesting. Did you find any surprising results or data that you were surprised about based on the groups you focused on? I remember in my research study I found it interesting to see the data points for each group and how it was interesting how one group scored higher than the other in the category. Great Job!
Aug 31, 2026 @ 12:03:07
Sep 05, 2026 @ 15:19:40
Hi Lorcán 🙂 It is so cool to speak multiple languages. Google translate has done a lot to help communication across language barriers, but there is something special about being able to connect with people through a shared language.
Your undergraduate research experience sounds really interesting. Sleep and its effects is a personal interest of mine, so I’d love to hear more about what y’all found! Also, I am curious how y’all approached measuring participants’ experience of pain. I have some experience trying to figure out how to measure subjective feelings during my own undergraduate research, so I know how hard it can be!
Aug 31, 2026 @ 17:45:18
Sep 01, 2026 @ 18:38:03
Reply to
Ang, Hello! I am so happy to be able to get to know you soon in class. 31 concerts, that is quite the number! What a fun way to explore the artist you love (or get to know unknown and new ones). Your experience with psychological measurement is quite impressive. First authorship on research is amazing, I hope you are incredibly proud of all your hard work. I have only done independent research presenting so far in my career. However, I am hoping to be able to do more group work here at Assumption University. Thank you for sharing your experiences and successes here today!
I have thought of a couple questions while reading your post. Hopefully we can connect sometime before or after class.
Aug 31, 2026 @ 17:55:30
Sep 05, 2026 @ 00:51:32
Hi Ashley!
Oh my god! Your cruise sounds like a dream! This month, I went to Morocco, specifically Tangier, which is on the coast facing Spain. I saw Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar. I might have seen you too! I have been planning a trip to Italy, so I would love to hear all about your time there! I have not loved the food in Europe each time I’ve visited, so is the food of Italy as good as they say?
Sep 05, 2026 @ 14:58:43
Hi Ashley! It’s really cool that you had the opportunity to travel to all of those places and even see a total solar eclipse in the Mediterranean Sea! I haven’t had the opportunity to travel very much in my life, but I aspire to be someone who does one day!
I’ve been learning French for years in hopes of being able to travel to France one day and understand the language around me! I also think French is a beautiful language, and it’s very fun to speak! Do you know any other languages? Was it difficult to travel to places where people spoke a different language than you, or were the locals accommodating to tourists who spoke a different language?
Sep 05, 2026 @ 16:06:03
Hi Ashley!
That’s awesome! Where in Spain did you stop at? I studied there for a semester, and took a cross cultural psychology class in Madrid. It sounds like you have a lot of experience with psychometrics- I’m excited to learn more!
Sep 05, 2026 @ 16:09:15
Hi Ashley! Where did your cruise stop? I did a study abroad in Madrid, and I got to take a Cross cultural psychology class in Spanish. That’s so cool that you like traveling, where would you like your next trip to be?
It seems like you have a lot of experience with psychometrics, I can’t wait to learn more!
Sep 08, 2026 @ 21:53:40
Hi Ashley!! I am Payton. I am so curious to learn more about your minor in Theology! I am wondering if and how it may affect your studies in psychology as well! I am jealous of your travels and hope to get the opportunity to do the same one day, as Italy has ALWAYS been a top bucket list destination for me. I will absolutely be begging for recommendations if you have any! I agree with your thoughts on psychological measurement and have similar experience to you. I cant wait to learn alongside you this semester! Ashley!
Sep 01, 2026 @ 09:17:27
1) Hi, my name is Alyssa Myers.
2) I graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice.
3) I did an internship with the Manchester Police Department in New Hampshire in the legal unit. I got to sit in on hearings, speak with defendants, and get a closer look at some pretty intense cases. I also got to go on a ride-along, which was probably one of the coolest parts of the internship.
4) I have some experience with psychological measurement from a research project I completed on attachment styles and relationship satisfaction. For the project, we used an attachment style quiz and the Couples Satisfaction Index to measure participants’ attachment styles and relationship satisfaction. We then compared the results to see if there was a relationship between the two. This gave me some experience with how psychological measurements can be used to collect data and study different behaviors and characteristics. I am interested in learning more about how these types of assessments are developed and how researchers determine if they are reliable and valid.
5) Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the connection between a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It helps people recognize negative thoughts and behaviors and work on changing them into healthier ones. I learned about CBT and different counseling techniques in one of my previous counseling classes. I think evidence-based practice is important because it allows counselors to use treatments and techniques that have been researched and shown to be effective. I would like to learn more about cognitive-behavioral therapy and other types of therapy and how they can be used in a clinical setting to help clients work through different challenges.
Sep 01, 2026 @ 18:27:35
Alyssa, hello from a fellow New Hampshire student!!!
Your experience with Manchester Police sounds like you got some great (and tough) experience. I have a passion for forensic psychology and potentially becoming a psychological analysis on criminal cases with minors (I would be intrigued to do this on cases like Linsey Clancy). So, hearing about this internship was fascinating. I also was interested in hearing about your study on attachment styles and relationship satisfaction. Doing research is hard but also such rewarding work, especially on a topic that is interesting to you. It sounds like you’ve got a great mind and skills for the career we are heading in. Thank you for sharing all the amazing work you have been doing.
Here are a couple questions that I’d love to talk about with you some time.
Thank you again for sharing,
-Olivia G
Sep 01, 2026 @ 18:14:25
Hello, my name is Olivia Griffin. I graduated in 2025 from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in history. Something really cool about me? My second biggest passion to psychology is anything outdoors (i.e., Hiking, Snowboarding, camping, paddleboarding, surfing, swimming, running (I just ran my first marathon in May!), horseback riding, or even just a gentle stroll through nature with a cup of tea). I am a huge solo traveler, however I’m also good at planning group trips. My dog Paisley and I traveled to 48 states of the U.S by car over a six-month period after I graduated. I also traveled to Hawaii in March of this year (no Paisley, there are too many quarantine restrictions, environment first!). My last state before I reach all 50 is Alaska, if anyone is wants to join!
As far as psychological measurement thoughts and experiences. Most of my experience is through my undergraduate program. Sophomore and junior year I ran group studies using Sona, Qualtrics, and Excel to run through data for projects and papers. My favorite experience with psychological measurement was my independent thesis my senior year. Where I created my own study on college student stress and parental separation. I collected data via Qualtrics, use JASP to run my numbers to get conclusive data, and then used excel to create graphs to visualize my results. After my experiment concluded, I got to present my work at the New Hampshire Psychological Association 2025 Academic Convention. That was the first time I was able to professionally present my work and see the impact that psychological measurement has on the community. Psychological measurement is vital in giving genuine statistics and results to theories. It’s important in the academic world to be able to show facts, but it’s also important to be able to analyze, and simplify those results to make the information easy to digest for as many people as possible.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been used since 1960s after Dr. T. Beck had clinical trials showing it could work as well, if not better than antidepressant medications. In 1990s CBT became more common practice in our healthcare systems. This therapeutic method is now used to treat other psychological disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety. It can be used to help with managing emotions like grief, stress, and even insomnia. CBT is a talk therapy that helps the client create a positive goal oriented process of thinking that are helpful over unhelpful thoughts that can lead to harmful or thoughts and behaviors.
Sep 02, 2026 @ 13:03:25
Hi Olivia!
I also have a passion for the outdoors! My favorite activities being camping, kayaking, and swimming. I even work in adventure therapy, which is taking kids (usually with developmental disorders and/or are affiliated with DCF) which is taking kids on fun, weather-appropriate adventures to build confidence during helping skills. It’s a great way to combine my love for outdoors and psychology!
I’m in awe by how much you’ve traveled (and jealous). While my completed trips list is much shorter than yours, Alaska has always been on my bucket list!
Sep 03, 2026 @ 20:12:29
Hi, Olivia!
Very nice to meet you! I am a very big proponent of outdoor activities; It’s one of the things I believe has huge potential in reducing allostatic load and stress in human beings. I found your experience to be very interesting- It reminded me a lot of two projects I did in my senior year at WPI. I’m curious to know how you found Qualtrics; Did you find the interface very intuitive? How did you structure the questionnaires? Were there any limitations within the system itself you found frustrating? I’m also curious if you’d want to work more in academia or more as a practicing therapist, and the reasoning you might have for both of those options.
Sep 04, 2026 @ 18:02:42
Hi Olivia! I’ve always wanted to travel to all 50 states, so I might have to join you for Alaska lol! Traveling to 48 states by car with your dog is wicked cool!!
I also really enjoyed reading about your research on college student stress and parental separation. As someone on the clinical track, I would love to study something similar involving the mental health of parents, caretakers, or guardians and how socioeconomic status may play a role. I minored in sociology during undergrad, so I’m especially interested in the connection between mental health and larger social and economic factors. Your research gave me some ideas for areas I would be interested in exploring!
Sep 02, 2026 @ 09:57:57
Sep 04, 2026 @ 18:14:52
Hi Gemma! I used to dance when I was little, but I have always wanted to learn how to partner dance. Being proficient in both leading and following in 12 different styles on top of teaching is impressive. I did have to google what lindy hop was & wow! That looks so fun!!
I would love to hear more about the work you did in the health psychology lab and what kinds of research you were involved in. I have been involved in research throughout undergrad, so I always find it interesting to hear about other people’s research experiences and the different areas of psychology they have worked in!
Sep 05, 2026 @ 22:54:50
Hi (again) Gemma, my name is John Perkins, and I also graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, last winter (Dec. 2025). I’m also interested in health psychology! I found the cardiovascular health and anxiety research that Dr. Costello’s Health Psychology and Physiology lab was doing at Trintiy super interesting.
Sep 02, 2026 @ 16:57:41
Sep 05, 2026 @ 00:45:47
Hi Evan!
It has ALWAYS been a dream of mine to study with monks in the mountains of China! That is amazing! What did you learn during your time there? Did you happen to learn martial arts? I am also interested in knowing why you decided to go there in the first place.
I feel like there is so much to learn from monks as they have accumulated so much wisdom from reflection and solitude. Would you ever consider living such a lifestyle away from technology and people? I feel I love fast food, my phone, and the people around me too much to live such a life.
Sep 05, 2026 @ 23:00:36
Evan, what a cool experience!! I would be curious to hear about what you took away from the time that you were able to spend with the Shaolin monks. Any words of wisdom?
Sep 16, 2026 @ 00:52:45
Hi Evan, I am really impressed with your experience studying with Shaolin Monks in china. I have always admired monks especially with how disciplined they are. That must have been a very unique and meaningful experience. I strongly agree with point about psychological measurement as being able to measure psychological concepts can help counselors compare results and understand clients better. I also agree with your conception about evidence-based practice because when an approach has been shown to work, counselors still need to adjust it to the advantage of the client.
Sep 03, 2026 @ 11:51:02
My name is Claire Van Dyck.
I graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. I lived in TX for a few years, but have moved around the country a bit, too.
Something I continue to be proud of myself for is working through having a phobia. By the time I was 16, I was avoiding spending any time outside that I didn’t have to as a result of my phobia. I visited a counselor who taught me a modified version of exposure therapy. I have first-hand experience of how horrible exposure therapy sounds to people who might benefit from it. Since then, but especially since I have learned more about the science behind exposure therapy, I have incorporated those principles into my everyday life. Truly, the change from 16 to now is astronomical, and even the change over the past year is significant. Also, I am a big NBA fan in my free time.
I understand the value of psychological measurement, and I am aware of some of the pushbacks against it, too. I worked in a social psychology lab that relied completely on surveys for testing, so I was exposed to both the importance of validated psychological measures and the difficulty of creating one. Beyond that personal experience, I feel like I got a solid introduction to assessment by my clinical psychology professor. We discussed why some practitioners push back against using them in clinical practice (e.g., too cold feeling, not flexible enough), and the flaws of those critiques. My only other experience with psychological measurement has been the many questionnaires I have filled out throughout my life.
I believe that I have a solid foundational understanding of CBT and evidence-based practice. Primarily, I think of the three tenets of evidence-based practice: best available evidence (e.g., randomized controlled trials), clinical judgment, and patient/client values. I understand CBT and many of its sub-therapies to be rooted in evidence-based practice ideologies. Furthermore, my undergraduate experiences have led me to value the combination of both cognition and behavior in improving mental health. I have the basics, but know very little about the details and nuance.my undergraduate experiences have lead me to value the combination of both cognition and behavior in improving mental health. I have the basics, but know very little about the details and nuance.
Sep 04, 2026 @ 20:21:04
Hi Claire! Working through a phobia is a huge accomplishment. I have been working on recovery from schizophrenia for over 20 years now. While I would not necessarily choose to have struggles like we have had, I know for me it has been a rewarding challenge and consider myself lucky for the positive outcome of my life so far. I am a diehard Celtics fan so I would be interested in who you root for. If you do root for San Antonio you should be proud that you came so close to the championship this past year and clearly have a bright future as long as Wemby is around. I grew up with the great teams with Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker and have always admired Gregg Popovich.
Sep 03, 2026 @ 12:46:02
Sep 04, 2026 @ 20:50:44
Hi Julia! I love to travel and explore new places as well. I go to the Dominican Republic every year, and traveling really is a great way to experience different cultures and learn new things. I also think understanding someone’s culture is really important when working with clients. It’s also really cool that you got to be a research assistant and present your work at different places! What was your research about when you were a research assistant?
Sep 08, 2026 @ 21:59:18
Hi Julia! My name is Payton. I love your minors and concetrations. I wish we had something like that from my undergrad Loyola Chicago. I would have loved to have a focus in mental health services. Did haivng a minor in human development have an affect on your future specialization and concentration areas when choosing what population to work with? I am going to Puerto Rico in December! It is the first port for my cruise. I would love to hear more on your poster presentations at EPA and MassURC.
Sep 03, 2026 @ 13:00:54
Sep 03, 2026 @ 20:01:38
Hi, Aleesha! Nice to meet you.
That’s a very ambitious goal! I have a great passion for surfing, and can definitely relate to that wish to go to every ocean specifically. Glad to hear that Scotland was one of your favourites- I would personally recommend West Cork and Connacht in Ireland for scenery and natural beauty!
Before deciding to go to this program, I almost decided to do ABA. How do you find the work there? Is it personally fulfilling? How do you cope with seeing patients? I’d also be curious to hear your thoughts on what could be done to improve assessments, if you have any suggestions.
Sep 05, 2026 @ 17:32:06
Hi Aleesha Its so nice to meet you,
I love that you want to swim in every ocean and especially how much you have travelled thats amazing. I think that is really cool about you and I also love traveling its really nice being able to see new places and what they have to offer.
I also currently work in ABA as well and understand the use of ABC data. Have you faced any challenges within the role of a behavior technician and how have you gone about it? Im curious to hear your thoughts! Great Job!
Sep 03, 2026 @ 14:39:56
1. Hi! My name is Kayla Kobel.
2. I graduated from Worcester State University with my bachelor’s degree in psychology, including a minor in human development and a concentration in mental health services!
3. Something cool about me is that I’ve been taking dance classes for about the last 14 years, and I even got to choreograph and teach dances at WSU as part of the Dance Company! I’ve taken styles such as ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theatre. Dance has always been something I’ve really enjoyed, and I miss it so much already!
4. My initial thoughts about psychological measurement are that it is something I feel a little nervous about it because it involves things such as math, which is not necessarily one of my strongest areas. However, I do have a good amount of experience collecting and measuring data, studying, and conducting research, so I am hoping that these experiences will help me feel more comfortable with the material.
5. I’ve taken several classes that have gone over cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based practices. For instance, cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that works on things such as cognitive restructuring, focusing on a person’s thoughts and feelings and how these patterns affect their daily life. CBT and other evidence-based practices may also focus on mindfulness, which is the practice of being aware of one’s thoughts and feelings, acknowledging their presence, and not ruminating on negative ones. CBT and other evidence-based practices can help individuals better understand their thoughts and behaviors, develop healthier coping strategies, and improve their overall mental well-being.
Sep 05, 2026 @ 18:40:27
Hi Kayla! I love dancing too! Doing that many different styles is so interesting. I’ve done a little bit of musical theatre and choreography as well! What is your favorite style/ dance you have done? I would love to find somewhere around here that does lessons!
I’m not very strong in math either, so you are not alone in that! I am sure we will be able to make it through.
Sep 04, 2026 @ 22:30:47
(1) Hi! My name is Payton Renée Duquette.
(2) I went to Loyola University Chicago and graduated in Spring 2026.
(3) Something cool is that I have a food blog/Instagram (I don’t know if that’s “cool” but its fun!) I get to try new food and restaurants and tell people about it. I also work part-time for a thrift store and also do their social media! I am passionate about connecting with people in many ways including online aka using social media for good!
(4) With psychological measurement, I am little nervous about this part of the field. I am not confident in my previous education and classes on psychological assessment. I look forward to this comprehensive review and class to continue and further my education. I have two courses in undergrad that have supported my understanding of collecting and reporting data for the purpose of assessment. Those courses include a study of eating behaviors and a psych lab on social psychology. I do think that this aspect of the field is incredibly foundationally important and look forward to expanding my knowledge.
(5) Using evidence-based practice is important as it gives a foundation and support to why certain methods and assessment may be used with a client. It allows for the practitioner to use both their knowledge in combination with previous research and evidence of others utilization to fit the specific clients needs throughout the process. Cognitive behavioral therapy has always been a specific methodology that has peaked my interest. The utilization of evidence-based tools to tackle those specific goal-driven needs is interesting. It seems to an umbrella for lots of modalities of treatment and have almost created a movement of evolution in the world of treatment.
Sep 05, 2026 @ 15:21:56
Hi Payton! “Renée Duquette” sounds very French. Do you have close connections to France?
As someone who doesn’t have very much social media at all, what you do is very impressive. I’ve had the personal belief for a while that the field of psychology suffers from a branding problem. I actually think skills in community outreach and advertising could greatly benefit the field, if you chose to apply them.
I am curious what you studied in your social psychology lab! I was in one during undergrad as well, and we looked into the perceptions of people who cheat or game the system to get ahead in life. If I didn’t go into clinical psychology, social psychology was my second option so I’d love to hear about any of the work you found most interesting!
Sep 05, 2026 @ 22:55:25
My name is John Perkins, and I graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas last winter (Dec. 2025). I have about a year of experience working at the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas as an assistant grief camp manager and support group facilitator I played water polo in high school and at Trinity, and I can also play a variety of instruments. My initial thoughts are that psychological measurements can serve as helpful evidence-based tools that help to objectively reinforce or challenge clinicians’ assessments. I would say I understand the basics of CBT, and I’m particularly interested in mental health comorbidities and the biopsychosocial model of mental health.
Sep 16, 2026 @ 00:21:03
Hi John, I second with your point that Psychological measurements can be useful because they give clinicians more objective information that can support or challenge their initial impressions. I believe this is crucial because it can help prevent or reduce the chance of relying only on personal judgment
Sep 16, 2026 @ 00:12:30
I am Jude Kyeremateng, a graduate and transfer student from Anna Maria College. I am a very quiet and hardworking guy with a great personality. I love to travel, open to try new things, work out, and I have started falling in love to reading books. My initial thought about psychological measurement is how the efficient use of tests, interviews and other tools to understand a person’s thoughts, behavior, mental health conditions, and emotions and also track progress and identify strengths and concerns. Moreover, what I know about CBT is the connection between a person’s thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. The main idea I know about CBT is to prevent distorted thought. More like it replaces distorted thoughts with more realistic thoughts.