Learn more about Lindsey Nichols, who is on her way to becoming a double-duck after receiving her master's in Prevention Science and now completing her doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology, through our Graduate Spotlight series.
Lindsey (she/her/hers), is from Dallas, Texas and is on her way to becoming a double-duck after completing her PhD in Counseling Psychology. She received her master's in Prevention Science.
Training in both programs prepared Lindsey for a career working with systems-involved youth. She’s able to see the bigger picture of how policies and systems impact young people while also focusing on individual needs, identities, and mental health.
After graduation, she will be joining the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University as a postdoctoral fellow.
Her time at UO was made special by the close-knit community she built with her CPSY cohort and lab mates—this support was invaluable.
How did the Prevention Science program and the Counseling Psychology program prepare you for your career?
Training in both Prevention Science and Counseling Psychology prepared me well for a career working with systems-involved youth and afforded me a unique lens for my work in integrated settings. I feel like I can contribute to big picture conversations about how policy and systems impact youth, think about problems along the spectrum of prevention, and also zoom in to work individually with teens in ways that consider their identities, mental states, and interpersonal networks. I feel really lucky to have been trained in an interdisciplinary setting!
What is the focus of your research?
My research focuses on informing and improving treatments for teens with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions. Basically, I want to know how and why treatment outcomes differ based on individual characteristics, settings and context, and how we can help youth and families maintain treatment gains long-term.
What are your plans following graduation?
After graduation, I will be joining the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University as a postdoctoral fellow.
What made your experience at UO special?
What made my time at UO so special was the close-knit community I built with my CPSY cohort and lab mates. Their support and comradery were everything!
What advice would you give incoming/current students?
My advice for incoming/current students is to make sure you take a night off from work each week (yes, during the week). There will always be work to do, but intentional breaks, whether with friends or by yourself, are sustaining and necessary! Also, go to conferences when you can - it’s a great way to travel while in grad school and network with others.