Sarah Hayes-Skelton

Dr. Sarah Hayes-Skelton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston and serves as the Graduate Program Director. She leads the Anxiety Mechanisms and Processes Lab, focusing on psychotherapy for anxiety disorders through cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based approaches.

• PhD, University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Her research explores mechanisms and processes of therapeutic change, with a specific emphasis on cultural sensitivity in evidence-based treatments for social and generalized anxiety disorders. She also investigates perinatal anxiety and develops prevention programs for this demographic.

Recent publications highlight her work on mindfulness, acceptance-based therapies, and cultural adaptation of interventions. Key themes include decentering, emotional processing, and systemic factors in anxiety treatment.

• Labs: Principal Investigator, Anxiety Mechanisms and Processes Lab