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The Treatment Mechanisms, Community Empowerment, and Technology Innovations (TCT) Lab
Meet ABCT’s Featured Lab
The Treatment Mechanisms, Community Empowerment, and Technology Innovations (TCT) Lab, located in the Department of Psychology at University of Utah, is directed by Anu Asnaani, Ph.D.
We asked each of the TCT lab’s members:
- What is your primary research interest?
- If the student is or has ever been a member of ABCT:
- How has ABCT been helpful to you?
- If a student were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in?
Trainee Lab Members
Kiran Kaur, M.S. (Graduate Student)
What is your primary research interest?
My program of research focuses on understanding emotion regulation flexibility (i.e., how individuals implement strategies across different contexts) while integrating community-based participatory research methodology to apply these insights to diverse populations, with the ultimate goal of creating ecological momentary interventions that overcome traditional barriers to mental health treatment among underserved populations.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
ABCT has been instrumental in connecting me with professionals whose research interests align with mine and learning about new clinical innovations, providing me opportunities for graduate student grants and awards, and giving me a space to discuss my work and grow as a budding clinical scientist.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
If an individual is interested in joining ABCT, I would recommend them to look into special interest groups (SIGs) as these are a great opportunity to learn and connect with individuals who are interested in the same topics/concerns as you, to learn about and apply to the various student awards, and to present at the annual ABCT conventions.
Manuel Gutierrez Chavez, M.S. (Graduate Student)
What is your primary research interest?
In developing my research program, I made a commitment to the well-being of my Latine community through a careful analysis of power dynamics in the psychological research process and theory-informed collaboration. In practice, this commitment looks like leveraging mindfulness techniques, community engagement, and liberatory principles to influence the health of Latine families in Utah in culturally congruent ways.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
ABCT provides a great home for a wide range of people invested in behavioral and cognitive therapies. I’ve benefited from presenting at the organization’s conference and collaborating with researchers from across the U.S. Additionally, the training opportunities offered have been stellar and improved my therapy skills.
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
Don’t be afraid to reach out to fellow ABCT members. You’ll find many opportunities to join others and contribute to cutting-edge research. Join a SIG and keep an eye on Listservs.
Brooke Franklin, B.S. (Graduate Student)
What is your primary research interest?
My research interests surround the interaction of physical and mental health and understanding how we can better implement and disseminate health interventions and health information to increase health equity. I’m interested in developing scalable interventions that target both mental and physical health by leveraging health behaviors like exercise and sleep, as well as social support and mindfulness. I’m particularly passionate about using community-engaged research methods.
How has ABCT been helpful to you?
ABCT has helped me by providing a way to connect with other researchers. ABCT is neat in that you have so many people in different areas of research gathering in one place, and it is so helpful and inspiring to see what others are studying!
If a student, postdoc, and/or postbac were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in (e.g., presenting at ABCT conventions, joining a SIG or committee)?
Go where your interests lead you and join SIGs that seem interesting to you. ABCT is a great way to make connections!
Tatiana Leroy, B.S. (Post-Baccalaureate RA/Lab Manager)
What is your primary research interest?
My research interests focus on understanding stress and anxiety, particularly how individuals regulate negative emotions and thoughts, the factors that influence stress experiences, and why some people cope more effectively than others.
I am particularly drawn to mindfulness-based and integrative interventions, which use a combination of cognitive, emotional, and physiological techniques to engage participants in ways that resonate with them. Evidence suggests that the flexibility of these interventions enhances their effectiveness, leading me to explore how incorporating personalized components could further enhance treatment outcomes by better aligning with individual needs and preferences. Looking ahead, I aim to develop scalable, adaptive interventions that are accessible to diverse populations outside traditional therapy settings.
We would also like to recognize our wonderful undergraduate research assistants who make our work possible and are building their own areas of research interest: Cadence Jones, Josie Hahn, Kate Williamson, Jackson Webb Hunter, & Rachel Johnson.
Anu Asnaani, Ph.D.
Anu Asnaani, Ph. D., is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah, where she has been since 2019. Previously, she was a faculty member for five years and the Associate Director of the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania. Over the past decade, Dr. Asnaani has received numerous mentoring and research awards and has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles, including her recently published book presenting empirically-supported guidelines for the integration of cultural humility and social justice approaches into evidence-based treatments (Asnaani, 2023: Oxford University Press).
The TCT lab focuses on understanding mechanisms underlying meaningful change in fear-based symptoms (anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD). Lab interests include emotion regulation, anxiety sensitivity, resilience, cultural values, and psychophysiological correlates. The lab aims to improve outcomes that matter to a wider diversity of individuals, empowering communities and reducing ongoing health disparities, with a focus on outcomes such as quality of life, functional impairment, and school/job retention. The lab strives to leverage latest technological and other innovations to expand the scope and access to evidence-based interventions on a local and global scale.
How long have you been a member of ABCT?
18 years.
How often and why do you attend the ABCT convention?
I have been to ABCT (in person or virtually when it was) every year for 18 years! It is my academic home, my scientific headquarters, and the bedrock of my professional research and practice network.
How do you stay current with developments in the field (research and/or practice and/or policy)?
Aside from the rich discourse I am lucky to share with my many collaborators in the field (many of whom are also part of ABCT) about the latest findings and research developments in my sub-area, I rely heavily on current publications of research work, learning about latest research findings in my active role as a peer reviewer for various journal outlets, and attending the ABCT conference and being an active participant in the research sessions at the conference. I strengthen my clinical practice through CE offerings primarily through ABCT and also through local practice bodies in Utah, as an ongoing clinical supervisor and finally in my own reflection and ongoing self-education as a trainer of providers in local and global settings in evidence-based strategies for emotional disorders. Lastly, the role of clinical psychologists in advocacy and the impact we can have on local policy around mental health practices and access is very important to me professionally; I partner with several NGOs and the Department/Ministry of Health both in Utah and in the Caribbean where I conduct my global work to be kept informed about how our research findings and provider training work can support the mental health policies and budget allocations in these areas.
How has ABCT helped you/your lab professionally (e.g., network/collaborate, stay current with developments in the field, meet prospective/former trainees)?
As noted above, ABCT has been a significant part of my professional journey from the time I was an undergraduate student right through my current role as a tenured faculty member. From providing networking opportunities with potential graduate school mentors, internship sites, and faculty positions, to now allowing me to recruit and connect my own graduate students with their next set of professional pursuits, ABCT has helped me across the board with building and growing my professional network! I also greatly value the chance at the conference and throughout ABCT CE offerings outside of the convention to continue being kept informed of the latest research and clinical best practices and innovations. And of course, the annual ABCT convention has allowed my lab to present their work in posters, symposiums, and panel presentations throughout the years, bringing in invaluable visibility to the range of projects we are fortunate to conduct in our lab, and I’m greatly appreciative for this chance to share our work and learn from others in this way.
Does your lab have any traditions? Does your lab do anything together for fun?
Our lab has an annual tradition of a picnic at the beginning of the academic year and an end-of-the-year meal together. We have also tried to end each semester with something non-work related in our lab, whether that’s a trivia game or social get together, and it is not uncommon to share some laughs in our weekly lab meetings throughout the year. We also hold alternating paper writing sprints or grant writing sprints every summer to foster professional development for the graduate students (and occasionally post-baccalaureate research assistants in our lab who are particularly research-inclined) with our sister lab at the University of Utah (HEART Lab, directed by Dr. Katie Baucom). Finally, our lab values community service and engagement outside of our research pursuits; thus, every year we try to end the academic year engaged in volunteerism at a community event such as teaching emotion regulation/distress tolerance skills and providing psychoeducation on common mental health symptoms at the Calvary Baptist Church Community Health Fair held in May.
What advice would you give prospective trainees (either in general, or to those applying to your lab specifically)?
Finding the lab and mentor whose work style, research philosophy, and guiding methodologies suit you and what you need should be at the top of your list when looking for a research position at any level. It’s tempting to join a lab or work under a mentor simply because of the content of the work they do; while this is important so that you do work you are actually interested in, if the rest of the pieces of the set up as mentioned previously do not fit your style or way of working, neither side will get the experience they want out of it – so don’t be afraid to ask about those pieces and make sure those line up with the type of training you want (and ask others how to figure out what type of training you want and need!).
