"We know very little, and yet it is astonishing that we know so much, and still more astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power." - Bertrand Russell
I am a clinical scientist at Brown University and The Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. I conduct work in three intersecting areas:
Healthcare today attempts to keep pace with fast-moving advances in technology. I apply novel electronic means for assessing and improving behavioral health in areas such as tobacco use, anxiety, and insomnia.
Humans don't just think, we like to think about our thoughts too (i.e., metacognition). I study these 'thoughts about thoughts,' which can stray into dysfunctional territory, contributing to anxiety, insomnia, and other health problems.
With aging comes substantial changes in motivation, goals, and concerns. My research suggests that these changes lead to unique protective and risk factors for older adults in the ways they respond to intrusive thoughts.