HOME | Joelthomas

About

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Agnes Scott College and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Atlanta, GA. I completed my doctoral degree in Clinical/Community Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After my graduate work, I completed my fellowship training at the Grady Trauma Project in the Emory School of Medicine.

My research examines the effects of trauma on self-development. This includes theoretical work on what a "self" is from the perspectives of philosophy of mind and philosophy of science, as well as empirical work on relational schemas (i.e., patterns of feeling/behaving such as abandonment, defectiveness, emotional inhibition, and recognition-seeking) and therapeutic change mechanisms (e.g., empathy and expectation). To conduct this work, my lab uses psychophysiological, self-report, and projective measures to explore the phenomenology of trauma-related self experience. The overarching goal of our work is to develop better approaches to the treatment of developmental trauma.

I am passionate about teaching and practicing psychotherapy. I see both as a process of self-discovery and personal growth, and feel most alive when engaged in these activities. Flavorful fusion cuisine, live jazz, and playing soccer are a few of my favorite things.