Our Team

 

Dr. Bradley Smith

Director of the Mindfulness, Well-Being, and Spirituality Lab

Dr. Smith was hired as a professor in the College of Education at the University of Houston in 2013. His current teaching emphasis is training School Psychology Doctoral students to be sensitive community partners who advocate for the development and use of evidence-based practices that improve well-being.  He is the director of the University of Houston Mindfulness, Well-Being, and Spirituality Lab that is studying ways to make mindfulness an integral part of the educational and social culture of diverse educational communities.  He is also a yoga teacher and faculty advisor to the University of Houston Mindful Coogs student organization, and enjoys hiking, biking, and non-judgmental present time appreciation of life.

“I am interested in research methodology in general and school-based interventions for youth in particular, with numerous peer-reviewed publications in both areas. For the past 30 years, I have been developing and studying innovative interventions for youth in collaboration with schools and community organizations.  Through these intervention experiences, I have sought to make breakthroughs in equitable education. Toward this end, I am contributing to training a new generation of educational researches, particularly in school psychology.  I am also very interested in working with undergraduate students to promote engagement in service-learning and pursuit of careers in school psychology.  My current research interests include working with two youth serving organizations in Houston, LEAD and The Woods Project, that are developmental asset building programs for middle and high-school students.  My other major research activity is working with students, faculty, and administrators at the University of Houston to develop and study mindfulness interventions that improve academic performance and increase equity in graduation rates.” - Dr. Smith 

 
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Syed Rizvi

Doctoral Student (6th Year)

Syed Rizvi is a 6th year PhD student in School Psychology who is currently on his pre-doctoral internship in Erie, PA at Sarah Reed Children’s Center with plans to become faculty in the Houston area. Check out my website!

Candidacy: Impact of Religiosity/Spirituality on College Student Well-Being

Proposed Dissertation: Does Religion Help with Nature Exposure? Faith as a Moderator During Summer Camp

“You presume you are a small entity, but within you is enfolded the entire universe.” - Imam Ali (A.S)

Kimberly Smoots

Doctoral Student (7th Year)

Caroline Mousa

Doctoral Student (4th Year)

Caroline began her involvement with the lab as an undergraduate “Mindful Ambassador” in 2018. Upon learning new perspectives on mindfulness and the evidence supporting the positive outcomes of various practices, she felt empowered and equipped to support others as well. She chose to continue her studies at UH in pursuit of her PhD in School Psychology in 2020 to continue to develop her research in mindfulness. She is now the Primary Investigator of the Mindful Ambassador Program (MAP). She strives to continue spreading mindfulness in all setting she works in— schools, clinics, community centers, and beyond!

Proposed Candidacy: The Impact of Mindfulness on Student Well-Being and Spirituality: A Study Investigating the Effects of Three Presentation Formats

“Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Brian Dang

Doctoral Student (4th Year)

My name is Brian Dang. I am a 4th year doctoral student in the School Psychology program. In a previous life, I was a biology teacher in HISD. Nowadays, I am interested in positive youth development programs. In this lab, I assist with delivering and evaluating the Mindfulness Ambassador Program (MAP). I have also presented mindfulness workshops with our other lab members at state and national conferences.

I would like to leave you with this quote from Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower.

“All that you touch, You Change.

All that you Change, Changes you.

The only lasting truth is Change.

God is Change”

Adam Garcia

Doctoral Student (4th Year)

Howdy! My name is Adam Garcia and I am a foruth-year doctoral candidate in school psychology. Prior to graduate school, I attended Texas A&M University (Gig’em Aggies!). My research interests generally focus on religion and spirituality as aspects of diversity within clinical populations. I completed my candidacy thesis on examining spiritual attributions made by parents of autistic children, and I am starting my dissertation focused on how school psychology clinicians are trained regarding religion and spirituality. Outside of school, I enjoy playing chess, ultimate frisbee, and competitive air hockey!

“There are many things that can only be seen through eyes that have cried.” - Oscar Romero

Catherine Urso

Doctoral Student (3rd year)

Hey y’all! I began my journey in the School Psychology doctoral program at UH in 2021. I am born and raised in Houston, TX, and had the pleasure of living in New Orleans, Louisiana (Who Dat?!) while completing my B.S. at Tulane University with a major in Public Health, minor in Psychology, and was pre-med.

At UH, I work with my advisor, Dr. Brad Smith, who heads our research lab of Mindfulness, Wellbeing, and Spirituality. My present research is focused on school-based yoga and social emotional learning programs, in collaboration with the Puranik Foundation, provided to Houston’s Title 1 high school students. I am particularly interested in how these practices can contribute to the reduction of mental illness symptoms, and improved wellbeing, attention, compassion, forgiveness, and enhanced interpersonal relationships. My current research project is concerning program evaluation, ensuring high degrees of fidelity and acceptability prior to implementing a rigorous impact evaluation.

Nema Kebbeh

Doctoral Student (2nd year)

Hello! My name is Nema Kebbeh. I am a second-year student in the School Psychology program. I graduated with a B.A. at the University of Detroit Mercy in developmental psychology. My research interests are broad in child and adolescent development, with a particular emphasis on (a) how emotional regulation influences that growth; (b) how affect and self-control influence peer affiliation dynamics; and (c) how culture and interpersonal relationships contribute to and are influenced by social-emotional development.

Kelli Lahman, LSSP, NCSP

Doctoral Student (2nd Year)

Kelli Lahman, L.S.S.P., N.C.S.P., is a second-year student in the Ph.D. School Psychology program at the University of Houston. She is currently completing practicum in the Forensic Unit at the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, providing assessment of children and adolescents pre- and post- adjunction. Kelli is a student member on the National Association of School Psychologist’s Communiqué Editorial Board. Her research interests include evidence-based assessment and interventions focusing on disruptive behavior and mood disorders, investigating mindfulness deficits and their impact on pathological personality traits, and manifestations determination reviews. Kelli plans to pursue a career as a research practitioner following graduation.

“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I’ll bet they’d live a lot differently.” - Calvin & Hobbes

Mahnoor Ahmad, MAT

Doctoral Student (1st Year)

Mahnoor completed her B.S. in Psychology at UH with minors in Human Development and Family Sciences, and Quantitative Sciences. She then went on to do her Masters in Teaching at UH Clear-Lake, and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in hopes to go into academia. Her research interests are broadly identity development within South-Asian and Muslim Americans. She is interested in researching risk and resilience factors such as family influences, parental involvement, substance use, religiosity/spirituality, and mindfulness on overall mental health and academic outcomes. Mahnoor is also interested in the intersection between Mindfulness and Religiosity/Spirituality, and serves as a Mindful Ambassador for MAP in this lab. She is also passionate about helping undergraduates learn more about and get involved in research and graduate school. You can contact her at mahmad26@cougarnet.uh.edu if you have any questions!

“We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation.” - Bryan Stevenson

Jeff Carter

Doctoral Student (1st Year)

I am a current school psychology Ph.D. student at the University of Houston and a graduate of Butler University with expertise in psychology and research. I have experience contributing to the development and presentation of multiple manuscripts and poster presentations relating to psychological and clinical research. In my free time, I enjoy reading, gardening, and exercising.

Dhwani Sanghavi

Doctoral Student (1st Year)

Hello! My name is Dhwani Sanghavi and I am a first-year Ph.D. student in the School Psychology Program. I have completed my B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Mumbai, India. I have also completed a specialized Master’s (M.Sc.) in Development, Disorders and Clinical Practice from the University of York, U.K. My research interests, currently, involve studing the effects of mindfulness on compassion fatigue and burnout in school psychology practitioners and the implications of it on their practice. In my free time, I love to watch K-Dramas, explore new places, read books and sleep a lot!

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Mayson Spillman

Doctoral Student (1st Year)

I am a first-year doctoral student in the School Psychology Ph.D. program. I have a bachelor’s in psychology and a minor in math from the University of Kentucky! My research interests revolve around early childhood education and implementing and translating interventions into low-income school districts. I love doing jigsaw puzzles, reading, and hanging out with my cats!

“Strive not to be a success but rather to be of value” -Albert Einstein

Alumni

 

Former Graduate Students

Gulden Esat, Ph.D. Former Doctoral Student

Gulden is an experienced clinician with a unique training focus on Tier 1 prevention interventions and implementation integrity. Currently, she is a faculty member at Sam Houston State University.

Starting in the fall 2016, Gulden began developing Mindful Ambassador Program (MAP), a college-based universal well-being enhancement intervention at the University of Houston. Extensive mentoring of Dr. Smith, substantial support of Syed Rizvi, and the passionate feedback of all the volunteers of Yoga & Mindfulness Lab put MAP in the path to be an evidence-based social-emotional curriculum. That work is still being carried out today by the members of the lab, particularly, Caroline Mousa.

Former Undergraduate Research Assistants

  • Chase Philip

  • Tyler Boston

  • Guy Joseph

  • Khanh Trinh

  • Piya Malhan

  • Ester Shaw

  • Vanissa Oeun

  • Arifa Habib

  • Trystn Cardenas

  • Vincent Dang

  • Shea-lyn Moss

  • Brianna Kreditor

  • Meliza Vasquez