Lab Members
Principle Investigator
Dr. Joel Wong
Dr. Joel Wong, a Professor of Counseling and Counseling Psychology, at Indiana University directs the Gratitude Interventions and Practices Lab. Dr. Wong is interested in studying a myriad of gratitude interventions and practices that promote well-being in diverse populations. Please click here for a description of his other research interests.
Doctoral Students
Jonathan Kang
Jonathan is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program. His research is generally focused on the psychology of power, privilege, and oppression, and the impacts of hegemony and social injustice on mental health.
Nayoung Cho
Nayoung Cho (she/her) is a third-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology. Her research focuses on positive psychological interventions, with a particular emphasis on gratitude. She is especially interested in integrating gratitude interventions into individual and group psychotherapy. Nayoung is also passionate about revisiting significant life events through the lens of gratitude, helping individuals discover meaningful connections to their present selves.
Öykü AltıntaÅŸ-Atay
Öykü AltıntaÅŸ-Atay (she/her) is a first-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program. Her research interests lie in positive psychological interventions, with a particular focus on gratitude, encouragement, and prosocial behaviors. She is also passionate about cross-cultural adaptation of these interventions, emphasizing the promotion of positive development in adolescents and youth.
Master's Students
Kiersten Schuler
Kiersten (she/her) earned her M.S.Ed. degree in Mental Health Counseling and Counselor Education from Indiana University. Her research interests include exploring the implementation of gratitude practices in an individual's life and how these interventions may impact one's well-being, development, and perception. She is particularly passionate about the coexistence and interaction between religion and spirituality (R/S) and gratitude. She plans to pursue a doctoral degree in counseling, aspiring to help others and add to the field of research.
Undergraduate Students
Piper Henson
Piper Henson is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She has been a member of Dr. Joel’s lab for three years, where she has gained valuable research experience. Her future goals include pursuing graduate studies in clinical psychology with a focus on forensic applications.
Jayden Easley
Jayden Easley is a third-year undergraduate student studying psychology and economics & political science. Jayden is a Cox Research Scholar, so he has the opportunity to work with Dr. Joel Wong in his lab for early experience in research. Jayden assists in many things for research under Dr. Joel Wong through the Gratitude Interventions and Practices Lab. His passions include gratitude, motivation and teaching others. With this, Jayden hopes to pursue a career as a IO psychologist or a professor in the future.
Alumni
Jee Yoon Park
Jee Yoon is a Senior pursuing dual-degrees in Psychology and Counseling and Student Services at Indiana University. She is looking forward to learn more about the Counseling Psychology field in graduate school. Her some of her interests are in advocacy of mental health in diverse communities and multicultural competency.
Yangtian(Sam) Yan
Sam graduated with his M.S.Ed. Learning and Development Sciences – Counseling Psychology program and is currently a doctoral student in the counseling psychology program at the University of Akron. His research interests include the efficacy of gratitude interventions for mental health in all age groups and cross-cultural groups, particularly with regard to improvements in mood disorders and anxiety disorders.
Cat Cohen
Cat Cohen (she/her) graduated with an undergraduate degree in psychology with minors in counseling and Spanish. Her passions include mental health advocacy and mindfulness. With this, Cat hopes to pursue a career as a therapist in the future.
Sophia Goris
Sophia Goris (she/her) is a student in the master's in mental health counseling program at Indiana University. In the future, she plans to focus her studies in the realm of couple's counseling and, more specifically, on divorce and infidelity. In Dr. Wong's Gratitude Interventions and Practices Lab, she supports projects that examine people's general stance towards gratitude and how this can impact their lives.
Bailey Brase
Bailey Brase (she/her) is a 3rd year undergraduate clinical psychology and counseling student. She is hoping to pursue counseling psychology to become a licensed psychologist with her own practice. She is interested in mental health within adolescence.
Alexis Pandelios
Dr. Alexis Pandelios (she/her) graduated with a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and was formerly advised by Dr. Joel Wong. Broadly, Alexis’s research focuses on human connection. In the Gratitude Interventions and Practices Lab, she was engaged in projects which aim to examine the efficacy of gratitude-based interventions and uncover mechanisms underlying interpersonal gratitude exchanges. Alexis currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Family Institute.
Tenzin Bhuti
Tenzin Bhuti (She/Her) graduated with a master’s degree in the learning and developmental science-counselling psychology track. Her research interest lies in how fostering positive psychological constructs will serve the well-being and mental health of the immigrant and refugee populations. She is also interested in examining the cross-cultural perspective in gratitude expression and what guides an individual to express their gratitude. Tenzin is a doctoral student in the counseling psychology program at Loyola University Chicago.