Collective Members
We bring different skills, perspectives, and experiences to the table, but we’re united by our values as counseling psychologists.
Madeline Brodt
Madeline Brodt (she/her) is currently an Assistant Professor in the Counseling Psychology doctoral program in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research. Previously, she was an assistant professor in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology department at Oklahoma State University. She received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Madeline’s overarching research goal is to get us all incrementally more free. Her research focuses on social justice (broadly defined) and has a particular passion for disability, gender, and racial justice issues. Her research is focused within three main areas: culture and trauma, disability, and transforming training for psychologists. She leads the DEFIANTS research collective, which includes collaborators from around the country. She created the concept of gendered violence stress and is continuing work in this area.
For more information about Madeline’s other professional areas outside of research such as her approach to mentoring, visit her personal website. If you are interested in connecting or joining the collective, please do not hesitate to contact her at mbrodt@memphis.edu
Founder
Ashley is a White, bisexual, cisgender woman in her fourth year as a Counseling Psychology doctoral student. Her quantitative and qualitative research interests involve systems of oppression, race-based traumatic stress, intersectionality theory, identity, interpersonal trauma, and resilience factors, such as stress appraisals and identity pride. Her recent lab projects have focused on gendered-violence stress, intersectional microaggressions, and Black and LGB identity pride. Ashley wants to continue to grow throughout her time as a doctoral student by learning more about feminist therapy and liberation psychology. Outside of school, she loves to walk her dog Leia, read books, watch animated movies/shows (like Studio Ghibli!!!), listen to live music, and try new foods/places to eat.
She/her
Ashley A Messina, M.S.
Ruby is a fourth year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Memphis. Her research interests include the experiences of justice-involved people who are reentering society following incarceration, restorative justice practices, group processes, harm reduction, peer support, and relationships between the criminal legal system and wellbeing. So far, she has been involved in projects related to employment during the reentry process, mental health service provision in jails and prisons, and juror guilt perceptions based on defendant identity. Clinically, Ruby gravitates towards emotions-focused and phenomenological approaches. She hopes to use her training to work with clients reentering society following incarceration in the future as they navigate their transition. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, thrifting, hiking, and spending time with friends.
She/her
Ruby Bosclair, B.S.
Ushta Cawasji (She/Her) is currently a second year counseling psychology Doctoral student at the University of Memphis. She earned her master’s degree from Santa Clara University in counseling psychology with a dual emphasis in health psychology and LGBTQIA+ counseling. She holds a triple major bachelor’s degree in psychology, English and Communication and Media studies. Ushta appreciates an interdisciplinary approach and is interested in learning more about qualitative research methods. Her research interests include topics of sex and sexuality, Sex therapy, sexual education (particularly in graduate psychology), LGBTQIA+ counseling and issues, gender affirming care, LGBTQIA+ identity development, Queerness, queer theory, and disability. These interests are reflected in her clinical work as well as she adopts an integrative approach using aspects of person centered approaches including queer and feminist theory in combination with constructivist approaches such as narrative therapy. Ushta has experience working with transitional age youth and young adults. Her future career goals include securing an academic teaching position and continuing clinical work with the LGBTQIA+ population. Under the supervision of Dr. Madeline Ushta hopes to learn more about qualitative methods and engage in conducting research. She is currently engaged in the lab’s disabilities syllabus project and photovoice project. Outside of school Ushta enjoys spending time with her partner, going on walks, watching movies/shows, listening to music, and going to concerts.
She/her
Ushta Cawasji, M.A.
Bobbie describes herself as a fat, disabled, neurodivergent, queer, femme, white woman from the rural Midwest who holds privilege across varying domains. Born and raised outside of a small farming village of 500 called Republic, OH, Bobbie has always known the importance of community -- and lack thereof. During her time at Miami University in Oxford, OH, Bobbie conducted research on accessibility/livability, empathetic strategies of the Westboro Baptists (a primitive Baptist church widely described as a hate group), and the intergenerational transmission of anxiety through maternal behavioral pathways. In 2021, Bobbie graduated from Miami University with her bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in disability studies. She then went on to study patient reported outcomes in gynecologic oncology at the Ohio State University. In the final years before beginning her grad program, Bobbie directed a project at the University of Pittsburgh -- a longitudinal (20+ years) randomized control trial testing the efficacy of a home-visiting parenting intervention.
Bobbie is currently a second year. Her research is informed by critical disability theory, disability and social justice, and intersectionality theory. Bobbie's research output focuses on the lived experiences of multiply marginalized individuals, examining both the positive and negative dimensions of their participation in identity-based communities. Through qualitative and mixed methods, Bobbie aims to explore these experiences and identify the risk and protective factors within these communities that influence individual wellbeing. She is currently interested in exploring ways to cultivate positive disability self-identity.
She/her
Bobbie Annette Hall, B.A.
Colleen is a second year doctoral student in the program. They received their B.A. in Studio Art and Philosophy/Neuroscience/Psychology, with a minor in Latin American Studies, from Washington University in St. Louis. They have various interdisciplinary work experiences across peer counseling, museum/cultural studies, visual arts/art therapy, research, and health education. Colleen’s research interests involve ethnic/racial and gender identity construction as it intersects with ideology and interpersonal behavior (in particular, critical whiteness studies and masculinities); restorative justice; and qualitative and arts-based methods. In their personal life, they love cooking and baking, mixed-media art, biking, and watching movies!
they/them
Colleen A. Avila, B.A.
This could be you!
We have over 20 collective members and many more collaborators, though not all have chosen to be featured here.
For interest in collaboration, please reach out to Madeline via email. Better yet, apply for the Counseling Psychology PhD program at the University of Memphis! More details can be found on our home page. Those who plan to apply do not need to contact Madeline to express interest, instead, include this in your personal statement.