Our Team

 

The Graduate Students

Gus Salazar

Gus is a 4th year Clinical Psychology PhD student. When I'm not enjoying my research and studies, I spend my time exploring the world through hiking and camping, trying to better myself through exercise and mindfulness practices, and savoring time with my small family! Currently I am researching adolescent flourishing. I want to know what it looks like and how to measure it. Ultimately, a measure of adolescent flourishing can help teenagers and young adults become the best versions of themselves. I am also examining how technology, like smartphone apps, can help people apply positive psychology principles to produce significant and lasting change.

Jeremy Bekker

Jeremy is a 4th year Clinical Psychology PhD student. Along side my work as a psychologist, I love spending time outside birding, paddle boarding, and traveling. I am interested in increasing sustainable well-being for all people, both now and in the future.

Katelyn Jackman

Katelyn is a 2nd year Clinical Psychology PhD student. I love that psychology doesn't have to be focused on just the mental health "problems," but can be focused on helping anyone and everyone flourish and live to be their best selves. I'm particularly interested in the physiological effects of practicing mindfulness and K-12 teacher well-being. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, canyoneering, traveling, and board games.

Eve Barton

Eve is a 1st year Clinical Psychology PhD student. I am interested in researching the physiological effects of mindfulness as well as creating translational research that promotes individual well-being and life flourishing. Outside of my work, I love to snowboard, wakeboard, and wakesurf. 

Conner Deichman

Conner is a 3rd year Clinical Psychology PhD student. I'm interested in studying how we can get much needed psychological resources out to the people who need it the most and would otherwise not benefit from therapeutic resources. Currently, I'm interested in understanding how we can create more impactful gratitude interventions that will have long-lasting benefits.

The Research Assistants

Leini Jenkins

I am part of this research team because I love the idea of helping others discover for themselves the goodness that is already within themselves. Some of my specific interests are mindfulness and self-compassion and how they can improve both physical and mental well-being. I want to attend graduate school and earn a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology or Marriage and Family Therapy. I hope to be a therapist and implement these positive psychology practices, helping individuals overcome challenges and thrive.

Bryce Klingonsmith

I took Professor Warren's class in Winter ‘22 Semester and absolutely loved it. I feel like positive psychology is what's most worth studying about psychology. Other disciplines are important, but why would you study how a bike works or how to fix a bike when you could be studying how to bring the joy and vitality of riding a bike to yourself and others? I am specifically interested in learning the clinical applications of positive psychology. I am aiming to go on to earn a PhD in counseling psychology and one day practice privately. How soon or where this will happen is still a mystery, but that's the goal.

Rachel nelson

Positive psychology attracts me because of its universality to help all individuals thrive, regardless of circumstance. My favorite topics are supportive relationships, engaged living, gratitude, and exercise. Positive psychology has and continues to encourage me to live a meaningful, fulfilling life. The evidence based practices are so practical and effective; they are the small and simple means that nurture my mental and emotional health. I am hoping to specialize in treating eating disorders and body dysmorphia.

Bryce Koehler

I took the intro to positive psychology class and instantly fell in love with the content. I love the idea of helping people live their best lives, and I want to find ways to apply that to a future career in counseling. My favorite subjects in the class were mindfulness, engaged living, and self-compassion, and I love that everything in positive psychology is based on and backed by research. Through working with Dr. Warren and this research team, I am hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the principles of positive psychology and learn how to better apply them to my own life, as well as how to help others do the same in theirs. I will be going to grad school to become a mental health counselor.

ashlynn larsen

I believe that our relationship with ourselves is the foundation to everything. When we are able to be kind to ourselves we can in turn be kind to the world around us. I am very interested in learning about how positive psychology dives deeper into our relationships with ourselves.

Tommy Rowan

I'm extremely interested in how the brain changes and develops through the different practices found in the positive psychology realm. In particular, I'm extremely interested in meditation and its impact on individuals. I'm also curious on learning about different kinds of meditations and how those specific kinds of meditations bring about different changes in an individual. I will pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology. After that, I will start my own practice where we implement not only practices to help aid individuals in fighting depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses, but also help individuals implement performance psychology principles into their lives to learn how to dramatically change their own circumstances and impact their environment.

Bella Brinkerhoff

I love the power that simple positive psychology techniques put in the hands of the individual to bring about change in their own life. I want to get a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and get my license for therapy.

Claire Sullivan

I'm on the research team, because I'm passionate about mindfulness and am fascinated by the experiences of wonder and awe. The human brain is one of the most (if not the most) complex structure in the universe. The ability to train your brain and make it a tool rather than a weapon against yourself is one of the coolest things to me, and that is what mindfulness is all about. I'm interested in the skills and practices that can be implemented to help the brain be more mindful and work at its greatest potential. My plans after graduating from BYU are to go to graduate school and get a PhD in clinical psychology. My long term goal is to become a therapist and have my own practice.

Will MacDonald

I love psychology and I was searching for a lab to join to explore my interests. I was told about an opening in this lab and jumped at the chance! I love so many things about positive psychology that it is hard to pick just one. I think I have grown the most attached to mindfulness after seeing it’s effect in my life and the lives of others. I plan on going to graduate school in order to get an Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Marinne Hammond

I have interests in battling perfectionism and using mindfulness to create a more joyful life. I plan to receive a graduate degree in the field of clinical psychology. I hope to become a clinical psychologist.

Lena Lindsay

I especially love gratitude, self-compassion, purpose and values and how those things can so deeply change a given person and help them deal with stress. I would like to become a teacher and educator in order to help as many children as possible to begin to establish habits and to come to find meaning in their personal lives.

Kathleen Ririe

I think our human bodies are incredible and capable of experiencing so much more joy than we understand or implement in society. I’ve personally learned about and used so many positive psychology techniques in my own life and I’m excited to learn more and help others apply these same principles. I’m specifically interested in how positive psychology practices can decrease anxiety and increase joy. I am applying to Clinical Psychology programs.

halle Schnackenberg

Positive psychology practices have taught me that I can always be happy, even despite my circumstances or genetic set point. By cultivating spirituality, savoring life’s joys, working to improve my relationships, being mindful, committing to my goals, managing my emotions, and exercising, I learned to fully enjoy the present moment at all times. I was more equipped to deal with daily stressors and major heartbreaks. My current goal is to go to grad school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling and become a licensed counselor. My ultimate dream would be to incorporate mental health education classes into school curriculum and help everyone flourish through positive psychology techniques.

Mikaela Ahlstrom

I'm passionate about making the most out of life, and I want everyone to understand how to flourish. I'm specifically interested in how a strong sense of purpose leads to personal growth and resilience in the face of obstacles. I'm planning to get a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy right after graduation and eventually return to school to get a PhD in Counseling Psychology.