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SUMMER 2026 • VOLUME 17
CURRENT STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: SARAH PRATHER
5 YEAR PSYD STUDENT (SHE/HER/HERS) TH
Are you involved in any advocacy, social justice, or community service work?
I’ve long been committed to advocacy work, social justice, and supporting underserved populations, even before starting my doctoral journey with ISPP. From spearheading early community initiatives in which I coordinated resource support and hygiene kits for individuals recently released from jail, to interning with a case manager at a Housing and Urban Development drop-in day center for unhoused populations. These experiences influenced my master’s thesis research, in which I participated in a jail study to understand the systemic barriers to reentry perpetuated by the criminal justice system. This dedication expanded into the financial sector, where I specialized as an elder abuse investigator and developed a comprehensive 50-state compliance program to safeguard older adults from financial exploitation, complementing my volunteer work as a board member and elder safe advocate for community resources. Since starting the clinical psychology doctoral program at ISPP, I’ve broadened my experience with underserved populations in juvenile justice and adult forensic psychiatric settings. Today, I am grateful that my belief systems have evolved and for the environments that have influenced my growth and commitment to social justice. I am appreciative of the direct experiences that have broadened my understanding, leading me to recognize that addressing the root causes of problematic or unsafe behavior—such as mental health disorders and substance abuse—is a more effective approach for reducing recidivism and at-risk behavior, and improving community health and safety. My current dissertation research aims to understand the attitudes and beliefs of psychology doctoral students toward clinical psychologists with mental health conditions. The purpose of the present study is to contribute to stigma literature by investigating how clinical psychology doctoral students view clinical psychologists with mental health conditions and to learn about the specific concerns held (e.g., effectiveness with clients, perceived mental illnesses’ influence on clinical judgment, clinical impairment, etc.) for different mental health conditions (e.g., mood disorders, personality disorders, psychosis/schizophrenia, etc.). I view this research as a scientific mechanism for advocacy—a method to systematically identify injustices, understand their root causes, and advocate for change by increasing awareness.
More about Sarah:
Sarah is currently a doctoral level intern at Boys Town National Research Hospital. She has been involved at NLU as a teaching assistant for ISPP and Arizona State University. She has leadership, volunteer, program development, and presentation experience regarding financial abuse and neglect, particularly within the elder adult community.
(312) 261-3036
www.nl.edu
Chicago, IL
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