About
I became a psychology major at Tennessee Wesleyan University by selecting the professor that I most enjoyed. I knew right away that I wanted to stay as far away from therapy type careers as possible. I just enjoyed learning more about psychology, especially social, abnormal, and cognitive psychology. I consider my six years working in the restaurant business a version of an internship in psychology. By the end, I had as many questions as I had answers. What makes a person so angry with their food order that they place their steak in the floor until a manger addresses their concerns? What makes a regular customer begin clocking the greet time of servers and hope to gain excellent service because of it?
By the time I began my graduate work, I loved the subject. Sport, health, and exercise psychology are my favorite areas because they are fun topics, the techniques can immediately be applied, and the concepts are transferable to many components of life. For example, if we learn to set better, more attainable fitness goals, then we can follow the same process to improve our job performance, our cooking skills, or our studying strategies.
Since 2008, I have taught both graduate and undergraduate courses in traditional and online formats at Tennessee Wesleyan University, Southern New Hampshire University, Lindenwood University, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I have also operated my own karate studio, earned my sixth degree black belt, completed my M.S. in Sport Psychology (2008) and my Ph.D. in Health Psychology (2016). My dissertation studied tattoo visibility and self-esteem. (I love tattoo stories, so feel free to share!)
In August 2016, my family moved from Athens, Tennessee to Illinois just outside St. Louis. In addition to teaching, I work as a mental performance coach and am completing the requirements for my AASP-CMP certification. I have two daughters who are both now in high school. We are in the process of remodeling a house. I enjoy getting outdoors to hike, kayak, travel, or just stand in nature whenever I can. I especially enjoy national parks. I try to stay active and do yoga and martial arts regularly.
By the time I began my graduate work, I loved the subject. Sport, health, and exercise psychology are my favorite areas because they are fun topics, the techniques can immediately be applied, and the concepts are transferable to many components of life. For example, if we learn to set better, more attainable fitness goals, then we can follow the same process to improve our job performance, our cooking skills, or our studying strategies.
Since 2008, I have taught both graduate and undergraduate courses in traditional and online formats at Tennessee Wesleyan University, Southern New Hampshire University, Lindenwood University, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I have also operated my own karate studio, earned my sixth degree black belt, completed my M.S. in Sport Psychology (2008) and my Ph.D. in Health Psychology (2016). My dissertation studied tattoo visibility and self-esteem. (I love tattoo stories, so feel free to share!)
In August 2016, my family moved from Athens, Tennessee to Illinois just outside St. Louis. In addition to teaching, I work as a mental performance coach and am completing the requirements for my AASP-CMP certification. I have two daughters who are both now in high school. We are in the process of remodeling a house. I enjoy getting outdoors to hike, kayak, travel, or just stand in nature whenever I can. I especially enjoy national parks. I try to stay active and do yoga and martial arts regularly.