Jaylan Abd Elrahman, Ph.D. (she/her) is a Postdoctoral Clinical Scholar Fellow at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern University, an Ed.M. in Human Development and Psychology (Child Advocacy Concentration) from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. in Psychology from Wellesley College. She completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship at Boston Medical Center and the Boston University School of Medicine’s Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology. Dr. Elrahman’s clinical background equips her to work with clients across the lifespan – from young children to older adults- with diverse mental health concerns. In addition to her clinical training, She has over ten years of experience working with young people – particularly migrant youth and women of color – in community based settings, designing and facilitating healing-oriented programming.
Dr. Elrahman is an Affiliate Faculty Member of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, where she teaches Research Methods. This course is a critical first step for students in the development of their Independent Study Capstone Projects. Dr. Elrahman has been an invaluable teacher and mentor of many of this year’s conference presenters, encouraging them to develop and trust own, diverse voices and perspectives as budding scholars.
We are honored to have Dr. Jaylan Abd Elrahman join us as our Invited Opening Speaker at the 2025 Counseling Capstone Project Conference.
9:00 – 10:20 AM | Please see the schedule at a glance for presenters’ exact times.
Daniel Brandys | Tailor-Making Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy Programs for a Global Citizenry | Handout
Calls in the counseling field to meet the needs of populations worldwide who are subject to post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are growing louder. Further, individuals belonging to vulnerable populations and/or cultures that stigmatize mental health might not know where to begin in starting a therapeutic journey to process their PTSS. The EMPOWER program (Sonderegger et al., 2011) could be used to help answer this call. The presentation will zoom in on the EMPOWER program with Ukrainian adolescent refugees, and zoom out to broadly envision the creation of tailor-made, trauma-focused group therapy programs to meet the needs of a diverse global citizenry.
___
Stephanie Binetti | Somebody’s Watching Me: Supporting Parents’ Mental Health in a Panoptic Society | Handout
Declining parental mental health and increasing parental stress has been identified as an urgent public health issue, generating calls for further research and action (Murthy, 2024). Participants will gain insights into the unique mental health struggles resulting from the “intensive parenting” trend and an unprecedented amount of parental surveillance by the self, society, and technology. Effective assessments and interventions aimed at treating these challenges will be examined, facilitating clinicians in more meaningful client engagement.
Manya Tuteja | Suicidal Behavior Among Women in India: Role of Sociocultural Factors | Handout
The escalating suicide death rate among women in India constitutes an unprecedented public health crisis necessitating an extensive exploration of the sociocultural factors driving these alarming trends. This presentation examines the disproportionately high incidence of suicide among housewives in India, who accounted for 50% or more of the country’s suicide deaths between 2014 and 2020. By analyzing the intersection of marital status, gender-based violence, patriarchal family structures, and the psychological toll of homemaking, this presentation seeks to uncover the complex dynamics shaping the mental well-being of this vulnerable population.
___
Gabriela Koch da Costa Aguiar Alves | Perfectionism with Borderline Personality Disorder | Handout
Maladaptive perfectionism is linked to various mental health issues, including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The overlap of the widespread personality construct of perfectionism with BPD is not commonly considered in research, assessment, or treatment. This educational session will present an understanding of maladaptive perfectionism in the context of BPD and psychodynamic considerations for assessment and intervention. Through expert lecture, participants will be better equipped to work with this population and enhance treatment outcomes.
Maddie Bennett | Consideration of EMDR for Anxiety-Related Injury Risk in Athletes | Handout
Athletic injury rates are on the rise, with Division I football players experiencing approximately 1,340 injuries per year (Chandran et al., 2021). This presentation will explore existing research on the relationship between anxiety and injury risk in athletes, as well as the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in treating various anxiety disorders. Based on these findings, the utilization of EMDR treatment is introduced as a way to reduce injury risk in athletes. Attendees of this presentation will better understand the impact of anxiety on athletic performance and recognize the potential benefits of EMDR for this issue.
___
Olivia Murphy | Emotionally Unavailable and Absent Parents: Risk Factors for Adolescents | Handout
Research has demonstrated the importance of parental figures in normal psychological development, also showing that emotional unavailable and/or absent parental figures during critical phases of development may be associated with adult mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and illicit substance use. The purpose of this presentation is to review the pertinent literature related to this topic, summarize the findings, and propose clinical interventions and community resources for children who experience this factor of risk.
Cate Clark | Utilizing Relational Cultural Theory in The Treatment of Female Survivors With Relational Trauma | Handout
The aim of this presentation is to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) among female survivors of relational trauma. Based on feminist concepts of empowerment, secure attachment, human connection, and critical consciousness, RCT emphasizes a person’s social context, and the power dynamics within relationships (Jordan, 2017). By examining the interconnections between counselor and client, counselors are able to mirror how to form healthy and strong attachments and help abused clients dissolve internalized messaging that survivors should self-blame, devaluate, and isolate.
___
Ella Need | Under Pressure: The Personal Therapy Needs of Counselors-in-Training | Handout
Counselors-in-training (CITs) face unique stressors, such as vicarious traumatization, burnout, and compassion fatigue. These issues, in addition to negatively impacting clinical work, can place a strain upon personal and emotional wellbeing. In an effort to address these difficulties, this presentation explores potential benefits of personal therapy for CITs as well as barriers that might prevent them from seeking their own therapy, despite very little clinical research on the subject. Through research review and qualitative insights from trainees, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of these barriers as well as how individual counseling can support CITs and what common issues may be the focus of treatment.
10:30 – 11:50 AM | Please see the schedule at a glance for presenters’ exact times.
Kennon Moon | Bullying Victimization of Adolescents with ADHD: A Trauma-Informed Lens | Handout
Adolescents with ADHD are at increased risk of bullying, which can significantly affect their self-esteem and mental health (Becker et al., 2017). To address the needs of this population, a trauma-informed approach can target symptoms of bullying and also promote confidence, resilience, and emotion regulation (Nixon & Linke, 2023). Through lecture this presentation will focus on research about ADHD-related vulnerabilities, and discuss strategies for incorporating trauma-sensitive practices in therapy. Participants will gain insight into how bullying impacts self-esteem and learn techniques to foster resilience and a positive self-image.
___
Yibo Peter Pan | Hatching Dragon Eggs: How Tabletop Role Play Games Can Help Kids | Handout
Learning how play-pretend can help promote therapeutic benefits! This presentation focuses on Table-top Roleplaying Games (TRPGs), and particularly how they are used in clinical settings. The presentation will introduce TRPG intervention from a Child-Centered Play Therapy framework, outlining the benefits of TRPG interventions for children and adolescents with a wide variety of presenting concerns. Lastly the presentation will offer a roadmap for clinicians interested in organizing their own TRPG therapy group.
Joey Ruining Ye | Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Psychoanalysis | Handout
This presentation addresses a gap in psychoanalytic research and clinical practice related to multiculturalism and culturally responsive care. Exploring how psychoanalysis, historically rooted in Western individualist frameworks, must evolve to meet the needs of global and collectivist populations, this presentation draws from cross-cultural psychology and mental health stigma literature (Yu et al., 2021; Frie, 2014) to examines how cultural values, stigma, and indigenous healing practices influence the accessibility and effectiveness of psychoanalytic treatment. Attendees will reflect on culturally adapted interventions—such as mindfulness integration in East Asia and family-based approaches in collectivistic cultures—and consider how these adaptations align with the principles of multicultural and social justice counseling competencies.
___
Folake Kolade | The Counselor’s Marginalized Identity | Handout
This presentation addresses the gap in counseling research and education in the areas of multiculturalism and social justice which borders on the situation when a marginalized counselor works with a privileged client. Attendees will take a broader look at the different areas of identity, appraise the profession against the MSJCC framework, and discuss the implications of this gap to the delivery of effective client-centered counseling services. The presentation is a call to action for the profession to take a more deliberate approach to developing the competencies that counselors require to function effectively in this space.
Tabitha Knight | Strengthening Families: A Community-Based Approach to Mental Health | Handout
This presentation explores the mental health needs of families during the perinatal period, with a focus on low-income populations in rural and suburban areas. Key topics include common mental health challenges, such as maternal anxiety and depression, and strategies for providing home-based counseling services. Attendees will learn about the legal and logistical aspects of home visits, the emerging role of the mental health doula, and how to include fathers and other children in the counseling process. This session provides counselors with practical, evidence-based approaches to improve access to care, promote family-centered interventions, and enhance outcomes for underserved families.
___
Samantha Worden | Maximizing the Accessibility of Therapeutic Treatment for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder | Handout
Treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adult clients primarily consists of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) based strategies and programs. These programs, though helpful, are limited in accessibility because of location and modality specificity. This presentation, informed by peer-reviewed research and professional experience, will discuss treatment for this population with key considerations for inclusion and access. Participants will learn to recognize areas for improvement in treatment, consider application of non-traditional modalities with this population, and explore their own practice preferences when working with adults with ASD.
Lindsey Olivera | Do Modern Western Values Correlate to a Lack of Respect for Feminine Traits? | Handout
The ability to be respected is an innate human desire that contributes to one’s mental and physical well-being (Huo, 2008). However, not all traits earn respect (Prestwich, 2023). Findings indicating that agentic traits (i.e., masculine traits) in western culture are more highly respected (Prestwich, 2023) may also warrant consideration of whether western values correlate to a lack of respect for feminine traits and well-being of feminine individuals. Through expert lecture, this educational session will present an argument for the presence of an alignment between western values and a lack of respect for feminine traits. Participants will learn to utilize this scholarship to facilitate emotional healing for feminine individuals.
___
Sam Levy | Developing Counseling Competencies for Firearms | Handout
Firearms are an unamenable feature of American society. Dual epidemics of mass shootings and urban violence continue to sweep the country, directly or indirectly traumatizing entire generations of Americans. Counselors, overall, are likely unprepared to effectively counsel clients who own or have been exposed to firearms. To effectively respond, counselors must develop firearm specific skillsets and competencies. Through educational lecture, survey, and hypothetical scenarios, participants will learn about the complex socio-political landscape of firearms in America and the role counselors can play. Participants will investigate their own knowledge, attitudes, and skills to engage with clients on issues involving firearms.
12:30 – 1:50 PM | Please see the schedule at a glance for presenters’ exact times.
Emma Lazar | Impact of Mind-Body and Somatic Interventions on Children Exposed to ACEs and Toxic Stress | Handout
This presentation explores the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress on child development, emphasizing the need for early interventions. Participants will learn how ACEs disrupt emotional regulation and brain development, leading to long-term behavioral challenges. The focus will be on mind-body interventions, like trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness, which help children rebuild emotional regulation and resilience. Research shows these practices reduce stress, improve emotional awareness, and enhance coping strategies. Attendees will gain practical strategies for integrating these techniques into counseling, promoting resilience, and improving developmental outcomes in children exposed to trauma.
___
Tyla Tolbert | Pathways to Resilience: Protective Effects on Developmental Trajectories Among Trauma-Exposed Adolescents | Handout
This presentation examines resilience as a protective factor among trauma-exposed adolescents, aiming to identify the critical pathways through which resilience influences developmental trajectories. The impact of resilience on emotional, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes in trauma-affected youth will be shared, alongside clinical interventions such as normalizing struggle and mistakes and modeling healthy coping mechanisms, in order to foster positive developmental outcomes in trauma-exposed adolescents.
Liam Gelling | Behind Closed Doors: What Happened and What Happens Now | Handout
Sexual violence often happens behind closed doors in secrecy, occurring not only to the innocent but also to the guilty when they were once innocent. A case study approach may offer the profession insights into the experiences of sex offenders, revealing new pathways for treatment conceptualization. This presentation will expose the chain of sexual violence through examination of case study material and application of Object Relations and Psychodynamic theories, identifying new goals and treatment modalities to address the prevalence and crisis of sexual assault and sexual abuse. Participants will learn more about sex offenders and have the opportunity to develop empathy for clients who present with such persecutory behaviors.
___
Christine Castorino | Loss of the Mother and the Self: An Introduction to the Dead Mother Complex | Handout
This presentation delves into André Green’s (1983) psychoanalytic theory of the Dead Mother Complex. Participants will explore the experience of emotionally unavailable mothering in childhood and the related impact on intimate relationships, identity development, and grief in adulthood. Participants will also learn how to apply this theory to their own clinical practice and how to best serve those who experience this phenomenon.
Ziling Ni | Premarital Cohabitation and Couples’ Sense of Intimacy: Exploring Emotional Dynamics | Handout
This presentation examines how premarital cohabitation impacts emotional and sexual intimacy in long-term relationships. While prior indicates a link between premarital cohabitation and marital dissolution (e.g., Mu, 2024), this presentation shifts the focus to intimacy as a measure of relationship success. Distinctions between cohabitants with and without marriage plans will be reviewed, providing insights into relational stability. Attendees will gain theoretical understanding, research insights, and practical counseling strategies to address cohabitation-related challenges in therapy.
___
Rae Qiuchen Shen | Bridging the Distance: Counseling Strategies and Mental Health in Long-Distance Relationships | Handout
Long-distance relationships (LDRs) present unique challenges and opportunities for relational growth. This presentation explores how attachment styles, relationship maintenance behaviors (RMBs), and emotion regulation strategies positively impact relationship satisfaction and mental health in LDRs. Attendees will gain practical counseling interventions to support clients navigating LDRs, focusing on enhancing emotional intimacy, managing stress, and fostering relational resilience. Case examples will illustrate how to apply these strategies in clinical practice.
Churan Wu | Healing Through Accepting: Using Internal Family Systems to Treat Asian Clients with Attachment Trauma | Handout
This presentation explores how attachment trauma from family of origin shapes adult relationships in Asian clients, leading to repetitive emotional patterns and relational distress. Using Internal Family Systems Theory (IFS; Schwartz, 1997), we will examine how therapeutic relationships can help clients recognize, process, and transform attachment wounds. Attendees will gain practical interventions to support clients in breaking maladaptive cycles and fostering secure connections. The session also includes a self-reflective exercise to help clinicians deepen their self-awareness and enhance their therapeutic presence.
___
Ryan Lin | Decolonizing the Mental Health Field | Handout
The call for decolonization resonates across disciplines, workplaces, education, and political spaces. In the mental health field, this call includes the need for critical reflection on systems that perpetuate colonial ideology while diminishing Indigenous voices. Discussions around decolonizing mental health provide this important context. However, the liberal use of decolonization oversimplifies, universalizes, and generalizes the everyday struggles and embodiments of Indigenous peoples who have historically been invisibilized (Lechuga & Aswad, 2024). Through lecture, participants will learn about different definitions of decolonization, ways clinicians practice decolonizing therapy, and examine whether therapy can be truly decolonized. Participants will also explore their own thoughts, feelings, and reactions to decolonization.
2:00 – 3:20 PM | Please see the schedule at a glance for presenters’ exact times.
Cole Philippou | The Monetization of College Sports: NIL’s Impact on Student-Athlete Mental Health | Handout
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) policies on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) have transformed the collegiate athlete experience. This presentation examines the influence of NIL on student-athlete health through the lens of three psychological variables: motivation, social media use, and role overload. Understanding this impact is critical for identifying athlete needs and implementing proactive interventions. Practical strategies for clinicians and key stakeholders to help support student-athletes in the NIL era are explored.
___
Jiapei Sun | Understanding the Impact of Parental Differential Treatment on Adolescents | Handout
Parental Differential Treatment (PDT) significantly impacts children’s emotional and behavioral development (Scholte et al., 2006), influencing self-esteem, sibling relationships, and delinquency. Adolescents who feel like the least favored child often struggle with anxiety, rejection, and risky behaviors, while favored siblings may develop entitlement, worsening family dynamics. Long-term effects include difficulties in trust, relationships, and success in school and work. This presentation explores psychological impact, assessment tools, and therapeutic interventions for PDT. Attendees will learn strategies to help clients process favoritism, strengthen self-worth, and improve family relationships for healthier emotional development.
Jordan Nielsen | From Distress to Digest: Utilizing Clinical Hypnosis for Functional Gut Interaction Disorders in Female Adolescent Eating Disorders | Handout
This presentation targets the critical gap in eating disorder treatment protocol by addressing Functional Gut Interaction Disorders (FGIDs) experienced by female adolescent patients. The proposed addition of gut focused hypnotherapy (GFH), traditionally used for gastrointestinal disorders, alongside Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E), the standard treatment for eating disorders, may result in a reduction of eating disorder symptoms and an improvement in quality of life and recovery. Participants will gain an understanding of key assessment and treatment considerations for using clinical hypnosis with female adolescent clients who experience comorbid FGIDs and eating disorders.
___
Marelena Halikias | Breaking Cycles: Can Cyclical Psychodynamics Help Clients Who Present as People-Pleasers? | Handout
Interest in the term “people-pleasing” has surged over the past decade (Google Analytics, 2025). As cultural shifts emphasize self-care and personal boundaries, a growing number of self-identified people-pleasers are entering therapy seeking support. However, there is a lack of research on the most effective therapeutic approaches for helping this population. This presentation introduces cyclical psychodynamics as an effective theoretical approach for addressing people-pleasing within psychotherapy. Attendees will gain an understanding of cyclical psychodynamic therapy and how it may help clients shift away from this maladaptive relational pattern.
Molly Mullen | Strength in Numbers: Why Cognitive Group and Individual Therapy May Be the Key to Veteran Success | Handout
Veterans’ mental health continues to be a pressing concern that is accompanied by an ever-growing base of research. This capstone presentation aims to examine barriers and faciliatory factors around veteran use of mental health services, with a particular focus on an approach that combines individual and group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This presentation is an aspirational guidepost for future interventions to better the lives of individuals from the Vietnam era to present day who have served in the United States military.
___
Ruchica Mishra | Honoring Culture & Healing Together: Reimagining Therapy with South Asian Clients | Handout
Western psychotherapy often overlooks the collectivist values, familial expectations, and spirituality central to South Asian identity, leading to barriers in therapy engagement and retention (Gupta et al., 2020). This presentation explores evidence-based strategies to enhance cultural responsiveness in psychotherapy, ensuring therapy is more accessible and effective for South Asian clients. Through case study applications and best practices, clinicians will learn how to adapt interventions, build cultural alignment, and improve therapeutic outcomes in diverse settings. Attendees will leave with practical tools to integrate cultural competence into their clinical practice.
Yuzhen Lin | When Words Matter: How Language Shapes Therapy for Bilingual Clients | Handout
This presentation examines factors that influence the forming effective therapeutic alliances with Asian clients, including the roles of language switching and acculturation, that can foster deeper emotional connections and enhance client engagement. Additional considerations will include how clients’ acculturation stages influence their therapeutic interactions. Through a blend of lecture and participatory activities, attendees will gain insights into integrating linguistic and cultural sensitivities into their clinical practice.
Luisa Ellenbogen | Understanding Emerging Adulthood: Why It Matters for Parents | Handout
Emerging adulthood is conceptualized as a distinctive life stage defining the period between 18-29 years of age. Uncertainty in relationships, work, and habitation characterizes the lives of emerging adults (Lane, 2025). However, some parents perceive the uncertainty in and instability as an indication that their child will not achieve independence. Failure to understand the life stage of emerging adulthood accounts for some of the stress parents of emerging adults experience and can lead to conflicts between parents and children. Increasing parents’ understanding of emerging adulthood as a developmental stage can strengthen the parent-child relationship and support the emerging adult.
3:30 – 4:10 AM | Please see the schedule at a glance for presenters’ exact times.
Emily Matisko | Are You There, God? Evaluating the Use of Emotionally-Focused Therapy with Religious Disaffiliates | Handout
Around 18% of the current U.S. population identifies as a religious disaffiliate, having left a religious tradition after previously being aligned with one (PRRI, 2024). Research has indicated that exiting a religion can lead to distinct mental health outcomes, including social disconnectedness and lack of belonging. However, there are very few recommendations or guidelines for counselors on how to conceptualize and support clients who might be struggling following a religious exit. Drawing from the religion-as-attachment model and other concepts from attachment theory, this presentation proposes Emotionally-Focused Therapy as an effective form of treatment for religious disaffiliates.
Mario Bravante | Feeling Better Together: Interpersonal Group Therapy as a Potential Treatment for Idiopathic Chronic Pain | Handout
Current treatments for chronic pain are relatively unsuccessful (e.g., Hsu et al., 2010), leaving hundreds of millions of people around the world feeling like they are trapped for life with unbearable pain symptoms. However, as our understanding of pain evolves, so too does our understanding of how to potentially treat it. In this presentation, we will explore interpersonal group therapy as a new way to aid in the fight against non-organic chronic pain, using a therapy that focuses more on interpersonal style and distress rather than the development of coping skills. By focusing on interpersonal distress, therapists can help patients struggling with chronic pain shift their nervous systems into the ventral vagal state, where they feel safe and secure.
Lee Teufel-Prida (she/her), LPCC, LMHC, NCC | Department Chair
“Capstone showcases how intentional the program is about training clinical mental health counselors who are scholar practitioners. Northwestern Counseling students produce knowledge and are agents of change. Capstone marks a students’ transition towards entering the profession and career search. Capstone is also a scholarly transition. Students learn from us. The faculty is tremendously excited to now learn from the students!”
Dr. Teufel-Prida (she/her), leads the Master of Arts in Counseling Program at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. Since beginning her career in 2000, Teufel-Prida has gained clinical experience in community mental health for children and families, juvenile justice facilities, and private practice focusing on children and families. Teufel-Prida’s current research focuses on children and families, and has resulted in a volume by Cognella Press, Homeschooling and Mental Health. Specifically, her interest centers on advocating for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and how counselors and counselor educators may best increase services and initiatives for children and families impacted by neurodevelopmental disorders.
Jessica Rohlfing Pryor (she/her), PhD, LCP | Clinical Assistant Professor
“Capstone is my favorite event of the academic year. I vacillate between tears and goosebumps all day as I watch our soon-to-be graduates transform into the world-class scholars and clinicians they’ve worked so hard to become during their time at Northwestern. The future of Clinical Mental Health Counseling is in incredibly capable hands.”
In addition to her work as Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling Core Faculty at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Dr. Pryor is the Principal Investigator of the grant-funded Perfectly Imperfect Lab. Dr. Pryor specializes in research and treatment of high-achieving individuals who struggle with perfectionistic thoughts and behaviors like crippling self-doubt, chronic disappointment in personal performance, self-sabotage and interpersonal difficulties. She has presented and published both nationally and internationally on these topics, and is solicited as an expert on the unique mental health needs of perfectionistic university students and high-achieving professionals in particularly demanding disciplines such as law, academia, and medicine.