Lowell Bouchard

Lowell (he/him) is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology program at Western Michigan University. As a student working in the Child Injury and Maltreatment Prevention Lab, he has contributed to various research projects, including studies on caregiver supervision and racial/ethnic differences in mental health service accessibility. His research interests focus on parenting interventions, childhood trauma, and health equity. In addition to his research, Lowell is also a graduate instructor for Abnormal Psychology where he enjoys teaching undergraduate students about the field of clinical psychology.

My dedication to the field of psychology has consistently concentrated on supporting children and their caregivers. As a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Western Michigan University, my academic, clinical, and research experiences have been shaped around understanding the challenges that youth and families face when navigating mental health concerns. Through a combination of applied research and community-based clinical work, I have strived to contribute to the development and implementation of evidence based and culturally responsive interventions.

My research has consistently focused on the health and well-being of children, caregivers, and family systems. I have contributed to several projects, including Caregiver Supervision of Young Children, where I collected behavioral data and administered a family-based injury prevention intervention to better understand supervision practices and risk. I also supported projects such as Examination of a Measure to Assess Clients’ Perceptions of Home Visitors and Effects of COVID-19 on Home Visiting Service Provision, where I assisted with transcription, data collection, and data analysis to further understand experiences with home visiting services. My current thesis explores how provider communication and cultural responsiveness influence postpartum healthcare experiences among Black mothers during their six-week postpartum visit. Together, these projects represent a sustained research trajectory centered on caregivers and children, structural inequities, and the role of early intervention in promoting family well-being.

My clinical work has complemented this research focus by emphasizing family-centered care. As a whole this work is informed by behavioral parent training, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and collaborative problem-solving models, tailored to the developmental stage of the child and the cultural, relational, and environmental context of the family system. An essential focus of my clinical training has been delivering interventions that meaningfully engage both children and their caregivers. I have had the opportunity to implement a range of evidence-based treatments for youth and families, including Parent Management Training (PMT) to reduce behavioral concerns, support coping strategies, and strengthen caregiver-child interactions; Problem-Solving Skills Training (PSST) to enhance problem solving and coping strategies in youth experiencing mood, anxiety, or behavioral challenges; and Family-Based Treatment for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (FBT-ARFID) to collaboratively address restrictive eating, sensory sensitivities, and caregiver responses to problematic eating behaviors. I have also implemented Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) in both individual and conjoint caregiver-child sessions, guiding families through psychoeducation, affect modulation, and cognitive restructuring. These approaches have allowed me to work across a range of clinical presentations, supporting both child development and caregiver practices. 

Additionally, I regularly incorporate principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness-based strategies to promote emotion regulation, psychological flexibility, and values-based action. These have been especially valuable when working with families facing chronic stress, neurodivergence, or emotion dysregulation. What unites these approaches, and what I view as essential in any treatment with children is a commitment to family-centered care. Involving caregivers not only improves generalization and consistency across settings but also creates opportunities to repair ruptures, build resilience, and foster skills. Supporting the caregiver-child relationship is often the most impactful intervention we can offer, particularly when children are coping with significant behavioral concerns. Through collaborative goal setting, parent coaching, and shared skill-building, I aim to help families move from cycles of distress toward increased understanding, flexibility, and alignment with shared values.

A core component of my training has also involved psychological and neurodevelopmental assessments. At the WMU Psychology Clinic, I regularly conduct comprehensive behavioral evaluations with children, adolescents, and young adults to clarify diagnostic questions and guide individualized treatment planning. These evaluations often address a multitude of mental health concerns, and are tailored to the referral question, cultural context, and developmental needs of each client. Previously, I have also worked as a Clinical Research Associate for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Multisite Health Study, where I administered a broad battery of neuropsychological assessments to children as part of a national study on early childhood outcomes. 

These experiences have strengthened my understanding of assessments as not only a diagnostic tool, but also a therapeutic process that can foster insight, validation, and meaningful direction for clients and families. I approach each evaluation with a goal of helping families and individuals better understand their strengths, challenges, and potential paths forward. Whether identifying learning needs, evaluating symptom presentations, or offering accommodations, I view assessment as an essential bridge between understanding and effective care. My experiences have also emphasized the importance of communicating results clearly and compassionately, especially when working with families navigating complex or previously misunderstood concerns.

In addition to my clinical and research work, I recently completed interdisciplinary training through the Youth Mental Health Interprofessional Networking and Workforce Development (Y-MIND) program at the Resiliency Center for Families and Children at Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed). As part of this initiative, I worked alongside professionals from various disciplines, received mentorship from experienced clinicians, and contributed to the development of a brochure, manuscript, and poster presentation focused on perinatal mental health. I am also beginning a clinical externship at Bronson Pediatrics, where I will conduct developmental and neuropsychological evaluations with infants and young children, participate in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and engage in behavioral report writing and feedback sessions within a primary care setting.

Following the completion of my doctoral training and licensure, I plan to work in an integrated pediatric or community-based setting serving marginalized youth and families. I am particularly interested in supporting children and caregivers affected by adversity and trauma and in applying trauma-informed, evidence based, and contextual behavioral interventions. Long-term, I hope to contribute to system-level changes through program development, clinical supervision, and applied research. Across all areas of my work, clinical practice, research, and training initiatives, I am guided by a vision of mental health care that is equitable, developmentally and contextually informed, and evidenced based. I hope to contribute to a generation of clinician-researchers committed not only to advancing psychological science but also to reshaping how we support children and families during their most vulnerable moments.

I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Western Michigan University, with an expected graduation date of June 2028. As part of this program, I am also completing a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, expected in August 2025. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2021 from Western Michigan University, and previously completed an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts with Honors in 2019 from Kalamazoo Valley Community College. My education has focused on clinical practice, psychological research, and evidence-based interventions.