Kelly Knowles

Kelly Knowles is a Research Fellow in the Department of Psychology at Vanderbilt University, affiliated with the EARL lab. She completed her postdoctoral training at the Anxiety Disorders Center of the Hartford HealthCare Institute of Living. Her research focuses on cognitive-behavioral interventions for anxiety and OCD, mechanisms of treatment efficacy, and the dissemination of evidence-based practices. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology (2022) from Vanderbilt and a BA in Psychology (2013) from UNC Chapel Hill with highest distinction.

• Education:
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2009–2013)
• PhD in Clinical Psychology, Vanderbilt University (2015–2022)

Her honors thesis examined laughter as an intervention for anxiety, earning highest honors. She has also contributed to PTSD research at the Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System/University of Michigan. Key research interests include maladaptive beliefs, behavioral avoidance, and emotion regulation in anxiety/OCD contexts.

Affiliations:

• Vanderbilt University’s EARL Lab
• Hartford HealthCare Institute of Living (internship/postdoc)