About Us
Welcome to the Stress and Trauma Evaluation and Prevention Science (STEPS) Laboratory at the University of Memphis. Our lab aims to conduct innovative research in support of our dual mission to prevent trauma exposure and improve treatments for trauma survivors. Whether you are a trauma survivor, student, researcher, or clinician, we hope you find useful information on this site.
The STEPS Lab conducts both laboratory and community-based studies on a broad range of topics related to the development and treatment of trauma-related mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and prolonged grief disorder. In keeping our work close to home, we actively collaborate with community partners locally and nationally to help translate research into action.
Dr. Williams will be accepting applications for the Fall 2024 semester. If you are a prospective student interested in learning more about the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at the University of Memphis click here.​
UM Psychology Building
UM Psychology Building
News & Publications
09-2025
Emily Velandia and Isabelle Watters Present Work at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Emily Velandia and Isabelle Watters, members of the STEPS Lab, presented work this year at ISTSS in Baltimore, MD. Emily presented a poster titled, “How Types of Trauma and Recalled Emotion Socialization Collide: A Latent Profile Analysis Investigating Emerging Adult Psychopathology.” Izzy presented a poster titled, “Yearning as a Mediator between Death Imagery and Prolonged Grief in Bereaved Emerging Adults.” Congratulations to you both!
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05-2025
Emily Velandia Presents Work at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development
Emily Velandia, a student in the STEPS Lab, presented work this year at SRCD in Minneapolis, MN. Emily presented a poster titled, “How Parental Response to Childhood Abuse Impacts Family Security & PTSS Severity in Emerging Adults.” Congratulations, Emily!
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03-2025
Emily Velandia Successfully Defends Master's Thesis
Emily successfully defended her master’s thesis titled, "How Trauma, Recalled Emotion Socialization, and Current Emotion Regulation Collide: Implications for Emerging Adult Psychopathology” where she conducted a latent profile analysis to find profiles of college students and compare their psychopathological outcomes. Congratulations, Emily!
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10-3-2024
Izzy Watters Successfully Defends Master's Thesis
Izzy Watters successfully completed her master’s thesis transfer defense. Her empirical thesis, originally completed at Avila University, was titled “Loneliness and the Stress Response: Investigating Physiological Reactivity in the Socially Isolated and the Socially Connected.”
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11-14-2019
Dr. Williams, Jasmine Eddinger, Madeleine Hardt, and Aisling Henschel Present Work at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Dr. Williams, Jasmine Eddinger, Madeleine Hardt, and Aisling Henschel, members of the STEPS Lab, presented work this year at ISTSS in Boston MA. Their work was part of a symposium titled, "Reward sensitivity and trauma-related psychopathology: Understanding key mechanisms in the development and maintenance of trauma-related mental health problems. Additionally, Eddinger, Hardt, and Henschel presented posters on their individual research. Congratulations, all!
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11-17-2018
Dr. Williams, Madeleine Hardt, and Aisling Henschel Present Work at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
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Dr. Williams, Madeleine Hardt, and Aisling Henschel, members of the STEPS Lab, presented work this year at ABCT in Washington DC. Their work was part of a symposium titled, "Motivational and Self-Regulatory Processes Associated with Complicated Grieving." Congratulations, all!​
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11-9-2018
Jasmine Eddinger Presents Work at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Jasmine Eddinger, a student in the STEPS Lab, presented work this year at ISTSS in Washington DC. Jasmine's work was part of a symposium on network methodology titled, "Mental Health Impairment Following Violent Bereavement: Etiology and Intervention." Congratulations, Jasmine!
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8-15-2018
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What Helps Young Adults Adjust After the Death of a Sibling?
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New research from the STEPS Lab suggests that perceived emotional security within the family is an important predictor of young adults' adjustment to the death of a sibling. These findings were part of a larger project conducted in collaboration with Dr. Lisa Jobe-Shields at the University of Richmond assessing sibling bereavement among young adults. The results will appear in a forthcoming issue of Death Studies in a manuscript first-authored by the STEPS Lab's Madeleine Hardt.​
8-15-2018
Join Us for a Discussion on New Directions in Bereavement Research on September 7, 2018!
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The UMKC STEPS Lab presented preliminary results from several ongoing studies looking at risk and resilience factors associated with traumatic grief and loss at the Kansas City Grief Support Network's September meeting. We discussed the clinical implications of this work with an eye toward enhancing the integration of science and practice for providers here in the Kansas City area!
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11-12-2017
Jasmine Eddinger Presents Work at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
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Jasmine Eddinger, a student in the STEPS Lab, presented work this year at ISTSS in Chicago, IL. Jasmine's work was part of a symposium on network methodology titled, "From Correlation to Causality: Network Analyses of Stress Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms." Congratulations, Jasmine!
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10-27-2015
Preventing Sexual Violence and Changing the Rape Culture
Dr. Williams talks with Steve Kraske and Jeff Bucholtz, Director of We End Violence, about ways that men can help end sexual violence on KCUR's Up To Date.
http://kcur.org/post/preventing-sexual-violence-and-changing-rape-culture#stream/0
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10-04-2017
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Mass Shootings and Safety in Public Spaces
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Dr. Williams talks with Gina Kaufmann and Michael Tabman, retired FBI agent, about how mass shootings affect our sense of safety in public spaces on KCUR's Central Standard.
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http://kcur.org/post/sexual-harassment-missouri-capitol-safety-public-spaces#stream/0