HEART Lab: HEAlthy RelaTionships

People

Director

Dr. Goncy

Liz Goncy

  • Assistant Professor of Psychology
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • PhD Clinical Psychology, Kent State University
  • Post-doctoral studies in Prevention Science, Virginia Commonwealth University 
  • Office: Union Building 248
  • Email: e.goncy@csuohio.edu
  • Phone: 216-687-2546
  • CSU Faculty Page
  • Faculty Bio Video
  • Research Gate
  • Personal Interests: Dr. Goncy enjoys spending time with her husband, Jeff, daughter, Emilia, and son, Oliver. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, cooking, and baking.

M.A. Student Researchers

Evan Basting (He/Him/His)

Evan Basting

  • M.A. Psychology - Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.A. Psychology, Cleveland State University, 2019
  • Research Interests: family & romantic relationships, adolescent problem behavior, self-regulation, SGM youth
  • Thesis Project: The intergenerational transmission of violence, rejection sensitivity, and the impact of self-regulation: A mechanism study of adolescent dating abuse 
  • Career Plans: Clinical Psychologist 

Frances Bull (She/Her/Hers)

  • M.A. Psychology - Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2022)
  • B.A. Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, 2020
  • Research Interests: sports/athletes, relationships, personality development 
  • Career Plans: Sports Psychologist 

Hannah Breen (She/Her/Hers)

Hannah Breen

  • M.A. Psychology – Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.A. Psychology, Certificate of Diversity and Multicultural Competence, California University of Pennsylvania
  • Research Interests: military, PTSD, substance use
  • Email: h.m.breen@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Thesis project: Focused on military couples and agression and how that impact relationship satisfaction 
  • Career Plans; To work at a VA Hosptial as a psychologist 

Kyle Eyman (He/Him/His)

  • M.A. Psychology – Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.A. Criminal Justice, Baldwin Wallace University
  • Research Interests: forensics, adolescents 
  • Email: k.r.eyman@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Thesis project: The effects of yoga on incarcerated youth (Longitudinal pilot study to assess stress reduction among incarcerated youth) 
  • Career Plans: Licensed psychologist 

Eric Frazier

Eric Frazier​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • M.A. Psychology – Psychological Science specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.S. Psychology, Augusta University
  • Research Interests: Intergroup prejudice, health disparities
  • Email: e.k.frazier@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Masters Project: Vignettes
  • Career Plans: To go on to a PhD program in Social Psychology and conduct research as a professor 

Ed Gorski (He/Him/His) 

Ed Gorski

  • M.A. Psychology- Clinical specialization (May, 2020)
  • B.S. Neuroscience and Psychology, Baldwin Wallace University (2017)
  • Research Interests: LGBTQ+, Depression, anxiety, IPV
  • Email: e.j.gorski@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Career Plans: Ph.D., Clinical Psychology

Jessica Harangozo (She/Her/Hers)

  • M.A. Psychology- Clinical specialization (May, 2021)
  • B.A. Psychology, Kent State University 
  • Research Interests:relationships, risk and resiliency, victimization 
  • Email: j.harangozo@vikes.csuohio.edu

Jennifer Ishaq (She/Her/Hers)

Jennifer Ishaq

  • M.A. Psychology – Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.A. in Psychology at Oakland University; Minor in Middle Eastern Studies
  • Research Interests: Mindfulness, identity development, parent-child relationships 
  • Email: j.ishaq@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Thesis: School-based yoga intervention program: Fostering self-regulation and postive outcomes 

Halle Letizio (She/Her/Hers)

Halle Letizio

  • M.A. Psychology - Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2022)
  • B.A. in Psychology & Criminology Cleveland State University (2019)
  • Research Interests: adolescents, relationships, substance use, delinquenc
  • Email: h.letizio@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Thesis project: Developing project pertaining to adolescents at risk for juvenile delinquency 
  • Career Plans: To workin a prison or juvenile delinquency center as a clinical psychologist 

Clare Lynn (She/her/hers)

Clare Lynn

  • M.A. Psychology – Clinical specialization (Expected graduation: May 2021) 
  • B.A. Psycholog 
  • Research interests: childhood trauma, romantic relationships, addiction
  • Email: clynn304@gmail.com
  • Career plans: Open a private practice 

Elizabeth McDermott (She/her/hers) 

EM

  • M.A. Psychology – Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.A. Psychology, Cleveland State University, A.A. Lorain County Community College 
  • Research Interests: PTSD, Depression, emotion regulation, substance use
  • Email: e.anne.mcdermott@gmail.com
  • Thesis project: Anhedonia and physiological hyperarousal may undermine emotion regulation in PTSD (Thesis advisor: Dr. Ilya Yaroslavsky)
  • Career Interest: Military psychologist

Ishita Munshi (She/Her/Hers)

Ish Munshi

  • M.A. Psychology - Clinical specialization (Expected graduation: May, 2023) 
  • B.A. Psychology, University of Delhi, India 
  • Research Interests: romantic relationships, LGBTQ+ relationships, dating abuse, parent-adolescent relationships 
  • Email: ishitamunshi100@gmail.com
  • Career plans: PhD in Clinical Psychology 

Michaela Steiner (She/her/hers)

Michaela Steiner

  • M.A. Psychology – Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.A. Psychology, University of Toledo
  • Research Interests: Adolescents, young adults, risky behaviors
  • Email: mcsteiner9405@gmail.com
  • Thesis project: Resiliency and risk in adolescents: Risk behaviors including risky sexual behaviors, and protective factors among adolescents and their effect on mental health outcomes 

Nicole Wolf

Nicole Wolf

  • M.A. Psychology – Clinical specialization (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • B.A. & B.S. Psychology, University of Cincinnati
  • Research Interests: trauma, risk beahviors, resiliency, adolescents 
  • Email: n.p.wolf@vikes.csuohio.edu 
  • Masters project: Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent externalizing behaviors: The role of resiliency in minimizing delinquency during adolescence 
  • Career Plans: PhD in Clinical Psychology with focus in forensics

Undergraduate Student Researchers

Terrin Akstens (She/Her/Hers) 

Terrin Akstens

  • Major: Psychology (Expected graduation: May 2023)

Allyson Ball (She/Her/Hers) 

  • Major: Psychology (Expected graduation: May 2021)
  • Minor: Women and gender studies, biology, chemistry 
  • Research interests: rape culture, sexism 
  • Email: 2729086@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Honors Project: rape myth acceptance and belief of rape victims 

Johnathan Cowan (He/Him/His)

John Cowan

  • Major: Psychology (Expected graduation: May 2023)
  • Research Interests: LGBTQ+, relationships & sex, diagnosing 
  • Email: j.p.cowan82@vikes.csuohio.edu 
  • Career plans: PhD in Counseling Psychology 

Marissa Dieleman (She/her/hers)

Marissa Dieleman

  • Major: Psychology; Minor: Anthropology & Communications (Expected Graduation: May 2021)
  • Research Interests: adolescents, abuse, relationships, mental health
  • Email: m.dieleman@vikes.csuohio.edu
  • Career Plans: Adolescent Clinical Psychologist

Nana Frimpong (She/Her/Hers)

Nana Frimpong

  • Major: Psychology and Social Work
  • Research Interests: attachment theory, romantic relationship, assessing emotions
  • Email: n.frimpong@vikes.csuohio.edu 
  • Honors Project: Parental acceptance and rejection and its effect on romanic relationships 
  • Career plans: Medical Social worker

Rayna Hutcherson (She/Her/Hers)

Rayna Hutcherson

  • Major: Psychology, Minor: Communication (Expected graduation: May 2021)
  • Research Interests: health, social influence, risk & protective factors
  • Email: raynaahutcherson@gmail.com
  • Honors Project: The effect of risk and protective factors on the resilience levels of adolescents 

Nick Knickerbocker (He/Him/His)

Nick

  • Major: Psychology & Sociology (Expected Graduation: May 2022)
  • Research Interests: mental health, trauma, young adults
  • Email: nickknickerbocker205@gmail.com
  • Career Plans: Mental health counselor 

    Briana Liebhardt (She/Her/Hers)

    BL

    • Major: Psychology; Minor: Sociology (Expected gradaution: May 2021)
    • Research Interests: trauma, LGBTQ, social media, depression
    • Email: brianaliebhardt@gmail.com
    • Career Plans: Pursuing a Ph.D in clinical psychology 

    Gwendolyn Wheatley (She/Her/Hers)

    Gwendolyn Wheatley​​​​​​​

    • Major: Psychology (Expected graduation: May 2023)
    • Research Interests: PTSD, trauma, abuse, prevention
    • Email: g.wheatley@vikes.csuohio.edu
    • Career plans: Clinical Psychologist 

      Lab Alumni

      • Reem Almukdad - M.A. student in Legal Studies (Cleveland State University) 
      • Brittany Baker 
      • Kayla Barillas - M.A. student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Xavier University) 
      • Evan Basting - M.A. student in Clinical Psychology (Cleveland State University) 
      • Katie Blase
      • Angie Bush - Ph.D. student in Clincial Psychology at North Dakota State University 
      • Paige Clark - Ph.D. student in Adult Development and Aging (Joint program: Cleveland State University, University of Akron) 
      • Courtney Dunn - Ph.D. student in Clinical Child Psychology (Virginia Commonwealth University)
      • Maddie Herman - Psy.D. student in Clinical Psychology (University of Hartford) 
      • Sarah Jeppesen - LPC in Ohio
      • Joe Lancaster - M.A. student in Clinical Psychology (Cleveland State University) 
      • Hally Letizio -  M.A. student in Clinical Psychology (Cleveland State University) 
      • Nicole Mahoney - M.Ed. student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling 
      • Megan Mancini - LPC in North Carolina 
      • Tyler Musial - Peace Corps
      • Jessica Olin - M.Ed. student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Cleveland State University) 
      • Kristyn Oravec - Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology (University of Akron) 
      • Kayla Scamaldo - Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at University of Toledo 
      • Noel Scanlon - M.Ed. student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Cleveland State University) 
      • Kelly Solano 
      • Brooke Taylor - Family Advocate at the Forbes House 
      • Alison Vincent - M.Ed. student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Cleveland State University) 
      • Alyssa Williams - M.A. student in School Psychology (Univeristy of Central Florida)
      • Klarissa Zeno - M.Ed. student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Cleveland State University)