Emma Lathan-Powell

Emma Lathan-Powell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Auburn University's College of Liberal Arts, where she leads trauma-focused research on gender-based violence and systemic responses. As a Licensed Psychologist, she directs the Lotus Lab, which implements community-based interventions to improve outcomes for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

Her educational background includes:

• BA in Psychology (Minor: Human Development & Family Studies) from Auburn University
• MS in Applied Psychology from the University of South Alabama
• PhD in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from the University of South Alabama

She completed a pre-doctoral internship at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University's Grady Trauma Project.

Dr. Lathan-Powell's research examines how trauma exposure intersects with healthcare and criminal justice systems, with particular emphasis on Black women's experiences, sexual/gender minority victimization, and institutional betrayal. Her work employs mixed methods to develop trauma-informed protocols that reduce retraumatization and enhance system engagement. The Lotus Lab (named for resilience symbolism) focuses on sustainable, community-driven change through projects like pet-friendly domestic violence shelters and trauma-informed police training.

Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal three dominant trends: (1) Healthcare system failures in trauma response, particularly regarding Black maternal health and institutional betrayal; (2) Racial and gender disparities in trauma outcomes; (3) Implementation science for trauma-informed care across medical and legal settings. Over 60% of her recent work involves community partnerships addressing real-world intervention gaps.

She teaches PSYC 3970: Psychological Trauma and Resilience and collaborates with researchers at Emory University, Georgia State University, and the University of South Alabama on projects spanning healthcare betrayal, trauma disclosure, and law enforcement responses. Current initiatives include the Pet-Friendly Domestic Violence Shelter Studies with Auburn's College of Veterinary Medicine and the Health Care Betrayal Study with Candice Selwyn.