Research Summary
The development and maintenance of professional competence has become a critical keystone in psychology. A focus on the development and documentation of interdisciplinary, multicultural, and evidence-based practices is a key component of the evidence-based competency movement, and much of my work addresses this development. My program of research addresses early developmental precursors to competence (effective mentoring, self-care), through later stages of professional development.
Education
- B.S., Department of Psychology, University of Florida
- M.S., Department of Psychology, University of Florida
- Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Florida
Biography
Hello, and welcome to my webpage! My name is Dr. Jennifer Taylor, and I teach masters and doctoral students in subjects including Career Counseling, Group Counseling, Ethics, and Core Practicum. I've also taught Counseling Skills Courses, History of Psychology courses, Intellectual Assessment courses, and Internship courses. Utilizing up-to-date research to inform practice and my professional experiences as a psychologist, I strive to bring the classroom to life.
My clinical experiences include individual, couples, family, and group counseling at the University of Florida's, The Ohio State University's, and West Virginia University's counseling centers, a psychiatric hospital, a multicultural student center for international college students, a career services center, a non-profit counseling center for low-income women and children, an underserved high school (a program for which we were officially nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize), and a non-profit community group therapy program for adults in their 20s who struggled with various addictions. I strongly value multiculturalism and work to infuse it in every lecture. My goal as a professor is to inspire students to think beyond the textbook, to apply course concepts to other courses and life experiences, and to develop the skills necessary for a lifelong love of learning.
My research focuses on professional competence, lifelong learning, continuing professional development, mentoring, and continuing education. As an extension of this work, I also study important impacts and predictors of professional competence, including personal variables such as stress, self-care, and an appreciation for multiculturalism and engagement in social justice issues. My overall program of research is designed to provide an evidence-based approach to understanding, generating, and maintaining professional competence across the professional lifespan. It includes conceptual and empirical expressions as this rapidly developing field advances within a broadly interdisciplinary context, both informing, and being informed by, developments within allied fields of health.
I graduated from the University of Florida with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and a concentration in Quantitative Statistics under the advisement of Dr. Greg Neimeyer. I also received a M.S. degree in Counseling Psychology and a B.S. degree in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Florida. Prior to my appointment at the University of Utah, I was a faculty member at West Virginia University. I also teach a Distance Learning course on Eating Disorders for the University of Florida.
Aside from my teaching, research, and service, I enjoy baking, surfing, skiing, hiking, gardening, trying out new restaurants, playing the piano, and watching football (especially the Colts, Gators, and now, the Utes!).