Louisiana State University

Laboratory Personnel

Anxiety and Addictive Behaviors Laboratory

Julia Buckner received her Ph.D. in 2008 from Florida State University. After completing her Clinical Internship at the Yale University School of Medicine (Substance Abuse Division), she joined the Clinical Psychology Program at LSU. Dr. Buckner is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Louisiana State University (LSU). She is the Director of LSU’s Anxiety and Addictive Behaviors Laboratory & Clinic. Dr. Buckner’s program of research primarily focuses on two interrelated domains: (1) delineation of causal and maintaining factors implicated in anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and co-occurring anxiety-substance use disorders;  and (2) development and evaluation of empirically-informed treatment and prevention protocols for anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and co-occurring anxiety-substance use disorders. Dr. Buckner has published numerous scientific articles on anxiety, substance abuse, and the co-occurrence of anxiety and substance abuse. She has received several awards for this work from organizations such as the American Psychological Association, College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Anxiety Disorders Association of America, and Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Addictive Behaviors & Anxiety Disorders Special Interest Groups. Current NIH-funded research projects include (1) NIDA-funded project examining affective, cognitive, and situational predictors of marijuana use; (2) NIDA-funded treatment development project for clients with comorbid cannabis dependence and anxiety disorders; and (3) NIDA-funded treatment development project smoking cessation with anxious clients.

 

 

 

Anthony Ecker, M.A.

Anthony Ecker received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Louisiana State University in 2009 and his Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from LSU in 2013. During his time as an undergraduate he worked in the Laboratory for Anxiety, Phobia, and Internalizing Disorder Studies on a project investigating an exposure therapy for specific phobia. Mr. Ecker now serves as Laboratory Coordinator for the Anxiety & Addictive Behaviors Lab and as Graduate Student Assistant Director of the Anxiety & Addictive Behaviors Clinic. He is project coordinator for several studies in our lab. His current research interests include anxiety disorders and the comorbidity of anxiety disorders and substance use, social norms and their impact on anxiety and substance use, and substance-related problems.

Julia Buckner, PhD

Emily Jeffries, B.A.

Sarah Thomlinson, B.A.

Ashley Richter, B.S.

Ashley received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Vermont in 2009. As an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Michael Zvolensky's Anxiety and Health Research Lab at UVM, she gained invaluable research experience and formed interest in the areas of anxiety, PTSD and substance use. Upon graduation she joined the Anxiety & Illness Behaviours Lab and The Traumatic Stress Group as research coordinator at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada. In her time with the UofR, Ashley extended her areas of interest to include chronic pain and health anxiety. As a research associate in the Anxiety and Addictive Behaviors Lab & Clinic, Ashley's responsibilities include day-to-day and long-range coordination of AABL & AABC research activities, as well as working with research personnel, trainees and supporting community organizations to ensure the smooth running of laboratory projects.

Sarah received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas State University, where she worked in the Chronic Pain Laboratory under Dr. Joseph Etherton. Sarah’s overarching research interests are aimed at investigating the intricate relationships between substance use and anxiety disorders, with a specific interest in social anxiety and PTSD in high-risk populations. She is currently interested in: exploring the interaction between social media, self-perceived loneliness, and co-occurring anxiety and substance use disorders; examining exacerbating factors underlying substance-related problems and anxiety disorders among survivors of childhood trauma; and, developing efficacious integrated treatment for comorbid anxiety and substance use disorders tailored to victims of child abuse.

Emily Jeffries earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at the University of Cincinnati. She is an incoming first year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Training Program at Louisiana State University. Her research interests focus on cognitive vulnerability factors, such as distress tolerance, and how they relate to anxiety disorders and substance use.