Sara Hofmann

Sara Hofmann serves as Associate Professor of Psychology at Eckerd College, where she teaches clinical courses including Perspectives in Mental Health along with statistics and research methods for the B.S. track. As a licensed psychologist and St. Petersburg native, she maintains active clinical expertise while contributing to the academic community.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado, an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Clark University, and a B.S. in Psychology from Florida State University.

Dr. Hofmann's research program focuses on self-compassion interventions, trauma-informed services for at-risk adolescents, and improving clinical approaches with justice-involved youth. Her work bridges cultural psychology and clinical practice, particularly examining shame mechanisms in Mexican American populations and racial disparities in pandemic-era mental health. She has developed innovative training protocols for medical residents addressing adolescent depression in primary care settings.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output across clinical psychology, criminology, and cultural studies domains, with recent work (2017-2022) examining ethical considerations in youth offender treatment, self-compassion as a mediator of aggression, and racial disparities in COVID-19 impacts. Her research integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies to address complex mental health challenges.

Through her teaching and scholarship, Dr. Hofmann emphasizes practical applications of psychological science to improve mental health services for vulnerable populations, particularly adolescents navigating justice systems and cultural transitions.