Laura Bennett-Murphy, Ph.D.

Registered Content Expert

About

I recieved my B.A. in psychology from Indiana University in 1990. While at I.U., I had the tremendous privilege of studying infant motor development with Dr. Esther Thelen. I received my M.A. in clinical psychology from Duke University in 1993 and my Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Duke in 1995. While at Duke, I specialized in pediatric psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Robert. J. Thompson, Jr. I completed my residency and post-doctoral training at Columbus Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University. I lived and worked in Columbus, OH as a professor and licensed psychologist for 14 years. I currently am licensed to practice psychology in Utah where I enjoy the beautiful landscapes. In addition to working and parenting, I enjoy reading, singing, and of course, skiing.

Research/Teaching Interests

As a pediatric psychologist, my research and clinical interests involve how children and families adapt to significant stress. Guided by models of risk and resiliency, I seek to understand individual differences in psychological adjustment. Currently, I work with refugee populations in the Salt Lake City area. In my research, I am looking at the ways in which maternal and child stress reactivity affect mother-child interactions and child development. Clinically, I am treating very young children of refugees struggling with attachment, grief, loss, and trauma. I continue to be interested in more traditional pediatric psychology questions such as how the presence of a chronic or terminal illness affects maternal and child adjustment and family relationships.

I am privileged to teach both undergraduate and graduate students in psychology. My courses at the undergraduate level include: Introduction to Psychology, Personality Theories, Childhood Psychopathology, and Pediatric Psychology. At the graduate level I teach: Infant and Child Development, Applications of Cognitive-Behavioral Theories, and Clinical Assessment.