Ashley Taylor
Born in Oregon, I was a competitive figure skater for 18 years before hanging up my skates to pursue my academic endeavors. Now, under the mentorship of Dr. Blake Allan, I am a fifth-year doctoral student in health psychology track of the counseling psychology program. Prior to my doctoral studies, I completed my B.S. in Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. My research centers on understanding the biopsychosocial mechanisms that contribute to the development of personality disorders and the ways in which serious mental illnesses contribute to criminal behavior and motivation. In addition, and after losing my father to suicide in 2021, I have devoted my time to better understanding trauma-related psychopathology and suicidality. I am currently working with Dr. Adriana Macias Strutt, Professor in the Department of Neurology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to complete my doctoral dissertation which centers on understanding the clinical and forensic implications of head injuries. Since the start of my doctoral tenure, I have completed practicum rotations at The MendCenter, Applied Psychological Services, Baylor College of Medicine’s Department of Neurology, G. Harris Enterprises, the Federal Detention Center (Houston – BOP) and Harris County Psychiatric Center. My clinical interests center on conducting forensic evaluations and providing psychotherapy to individuals experiencing significant psychopathology. In addition to my research and clinical interests, I have held a service role since 2019 as the Graduate Student Representative on The University of Houston’s IRB Committee 1. Ultimately, I would like to work as an attending psychologist for an inpatient psychiatric hospital, while continuing to engage in meaningful research. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, exploring the outdoors and reading.