Research + Scholarship

​Good intentions aren't enough. Neither is good theology, by itself. If we're serious about addressing chronic stress, health disparities, and systemic barriers, we need interventions that are both biblically sound and research-backed. We need scholarship that doesn't stay locked in academic journals, but translates into practices that actually work in real communities with real people.

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My doctoral work at California Baptist University focuses on faith-integrated mindfulness interventions designed specifically for Black women—a population facing disproportionate rates of chronic stress related to systemic racism, gendered expectations, and the cultural pressure to embody strength at the expense of well-being. My comprehensive project, Selah & Abide, is a mindfulness healing circle program that honors both the Holy Spirit's transformative work and what research tells us about stress reduction, community healing, and sustainable wellness.

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I work from multiple theoretical frameworks because single-theory explanations rarely capture human complexity: Social Learning Theory (how we learn wellness through community), Critical Theory and Intersectionality (examining how power and systems shape health), and Theologies of Rest, Race, and Gender (biblical frameworks that take seriously both God's design for Sabbath and the realities of injustice).

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I also teach MSW courses in Mental Health and Psychopathology (SWK 572) and Social Welfare Policy (SWK 520), helping emerging social workers develop the critical thinking, cultural responsiveness, and faith integration necessary for justice-oriented practice.

What becomes possible when our interventions are grounded in both rigorous research and robust theology—when we refuse to choose between clinical excellence and faithfulness to scripture?