2023 Interns

Haley Betron is a rising senior at the University of Southern California where she is studying psychology and occupational science, and where she is also the Vice President of the Psychology Honors Society, Psi Chi. At USC, she not only serves as a clinical assistant in their Psychology Services Center, but she also volunteers as a research assistant in the NeuroEndocrinology of Social Ties (NEST) lab, which focuses on the neurobiological and psychological underpinnings of family relationships, such as transition and adjustment to parenthood. Haley’s role in the lab includes behavioral coding of couples’ discussions about their division of household labor as new parents and leading in-lab family visits. The data is being used to gain a better understanding of mothers’ and fathers’ dynamics as they transition to parenthood. Haley’s experience in the lab fosters her growing interest in family dynamics. She thoroughly enjoys working with kids and families and is excited to continue pursuing her passion at ATSA, where she is gaining hands-on experience ranging from interfacing with patients’ parents to serving as a confederate in exposure therapy sessions for children and adolescents coping with selective mutism or social anxiety. Her research experience at USC, coupled with the hands-on clinic experience at ATSA, gives Haley a strong foundation to pursue her career goals. After graduation, Haley intends to become a mental health counselor working with children and adolescents. For now, she is looking forward to learning more about therapeutic techniques to help children and their families cope with anxiety, and she is excited to work with the campers at Adventure Camp!

Claire Dellorto is a rising Junior at the University of Michigan and is majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. At the University of Michigan, Claire is a volunteer mentor for FATE mentorship program where she works with underserved Detroit youth, an Editorial Writer for MASH Magazine, and a member of several other organizations including the Undergraduate Psychology Society and the Iota Chapter of Delta Delta Delta. Claire is especially interested in a specialization in diagnosing and treating serious mental illness. Additionally, she is very excited to get this opportunity to work with ATSA children and families. After gaining this experience, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical or school psychology, so that she can continue helping others! Claire was drawn to this internship at ATSA because of the rare opportunity for hands-on clinical work as an undergraduate, many professional development seminars, and the valuable experience of seeing the progress that the children make firsthand. Claire can’t wait for Adventure Camp this summer to meet all of the wonderful kids and help them to use their brave!

Eliza Joy is a rising senior at Arizona State University and is double-majoring in psychology and neuroscience. At ASU, Eliza works as a student success coach and is a member of the Medallion Scholarship Program, which emphasizes leadership, scholarship, and community service on campus. She is passionate about working with children and adolescents. This passion began when she worked at a Native American youth rehabilitation center and special education classroom. Eliza also taught swim and dive lessons and volunteered at Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels. After graduating from ASU, Eliza plans to pursue a doctorate in school psychology and further specialize in neuropsychology with a focus on children and adolescents. Eliza is excited to be a part of the ATSA team as she continues to explore her interests in the assessment and treatment of childhood anxiety disorders, phobias, and OCD. She is very grateful to be a part of this opportunity, to support the children and their families, as well as to help the children find their BRAVE at Adventure Camp.

Yaerin Wallenberger is a rising junior at Bowdoin College and is double-majoring in Psychology and Education, with a minor in Chinese language. At Bowdoin, Yaerin has sung in the Chorus and the Chamber Choir, led an Alternative Spring Break trip to New York City focusing on educational equity, and conducted a Chinese language-based independent study on attitudes toward mental health in China. Yaerin’s long-standing passion for the field of clinical psychology, as well as a specific interest in learning more about selective mutism and co-occurring anxiety conditions, led her to enthusiastically pursue the opportunities that ATSA provides through its undergraduate summer internship. As someone who grew up immersed in a multicultural environment, Yaerin is interested in engaging with research in cross-cultural psychology. Next semester, she will begin a research project on neurodivergent traits and mental health outcomes, which she hopes to extend into her semester abroad in Denmark in spring of 2024. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Yaerin plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and engage in a combination of culturally-aware research, clinical, and advocacy work. She is excited to learn about the day-to-day experience of working at a clinical practice, serve as a confederate in therapy sessions, and to get to know the diverse group of AC campers (many of whom come from multicultural and multilingual backgrounds like hers)!

Charis Chen is a Malaysian international student and rising senior at Cedarville University, where she is pursuing a major in psychology with concentrations in comprehensive counseling and child & family studies, as well as minors in honors interdisciplinary studies, biblical studies, and international business. Her research interests include grief, trauma, neuroscience, communication, expressive/generative writing interventions, and cross-cultural psychology. Last year, she worked as a Teaching Assistant in a social psychology class and led an independent study research project on bereavement grief in college students. This project was presented at two conferences and an undergraduate research symposium. She hopes to provide accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive care to underserved populations, and is eager to gain clinical experience at ATSA this summer. Charis’ passion for stories, culture, and human connection shines through her campus involvement as executive secretary of the Multicultural International Student Organization and member of the Student Diversity Council, MuKappa (organization for individuals who have lived outside their home country/culture), Chinese Club, University Orchestra, Psi Kappa Theta psychology org, and various mentoring programs. She also works at Cedarville’s Career Services office, Campus Store, Academic Enrichment Center, and International Student Services office to connect with students and equip them with resources to succeed. Charis has worked with children and teens in various countries for over 7 years in classrooms, camps, and communications coaching, and loves helping people grow in different ways. She can’t wait to learn more from the clinicians at ATSA and have fun with the children at Adventure Camp!

Julia DeLuca is a rising junior at Bowdoin College and is majoring in psychology and education. Julia’s passion for psychology and helping others has been ever present. In high school, she volunteered at Norwalk Grassroots Tennis where she helped to teach youth the game of tennis as well as teaching them invaluable life skills. At Bowdoin College, Julia is on the Varsity Women's Tennis Team. On Fridays, her team visits a local middle school where they teach English Learning Students how to play tennis and help them with their academics. During her sophomore year of college, Julia volunteered at Strong Girls United where she was a mentor to a fifth grade girl. As a mentor, she imparted both the physical fitness and mental skills necessary to thrive as both a student and an athlete. Currently, Julia volunteers as a Crisis Counselor and assists people in crisis move from a hot moment to a cool, calm state. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school and pursue a degree in either clinical or developmental psychology. Her long term goals include doing developmental research on Theory of Mind and becoming a clinical therapist. She hopes to open her own practice one day! Julia is thrilled to have the opportunity to intern at ATSA this summer and learn from Dr. Lynas and the ATSA staff. She is excited to learn more about Selective Mutism and how to best support the children and families at Adventure Camp.

Artemiy Leonov is a rising senior at Clark University in Massachusetts and is majoring in psychology. Artemiy is actively involved in academic research and has demonstrated a strong sense of agency and determination, not only developing two independent research projects as an undergrad, but also receiving grant and fellowship funding through Clark University to support his research. It is no surprise that Artemiy’s research interests fall in the broad domain of self determination and anxiety. His inquisitive mind is constantly formulating potential research questions, and he is determined to answer them. Currently, his interests focus on motivation, self-regulation, and mechanisms of therapeutic change. He has completed two self-directed mixed-method studies: one of self-regulation strategies that video-gamers rely on to avoid procrastination, and another one of habit development in people that wish to regularly complete meditative practices. In addition, Artemiy lives the “Use Your Brave” motto by reaching out to other researchers, for example making connections with researchers in Germany and China. His strong determination to collaborate with others led to a recent neuroscience publication. Currently, Artemiy is preparing for completing his honors thesis, in which he will explore emotions from the standpoint of narrative discourse, attempting to explain the paradoxical malleability of the affect . After graduation, Artemiy plans to pursue a Ph.D in either clinical or personality psychology in order to continue his research of emotion regulation and change. One of the reasons Artemiy is excited to serve as an intern at ATSA is due to his interest in each child’s story of resilience. He is eager to assist them in developing the belief in their agency to control and reshape anxiety, and looks forward to seeing their narratives transform during Adventure Camp!