Backed by Research
50/50 Media Left
We hold that science can provide the insight needed to understand our spiritual health and develop practices that lead to a thriving everyday life. We’re researchers and psychologists that live real lives and come face to face with the same questions you have.
Backed by Research
50/50 Media Left
We hold that science can provide the insight needed to understand our spiritual health and develop practices that lead to a thriving everyday life. We’re researchers and psychologists that live real lives and come face to face with the same questions you have.
How it Works
Accordion
Sunt veniam cupidatat eu culpa voluptate esse duis nisi ex ullamco amet voluptate eu. Est irure sint ea deserunt aute laboris commodo minim eu. Ut et dolor excepteur elit nulla aliquip cillum. Laboris labore amet ullamco exercitation eu ipsum exercitation. Aliqua et ullamco elit voluptate aute. Sunt veniam cupidatat eu culpa voluptate esse duis nisi ex ullamco amet voluptate eu.
Sunt veniam cupidatat eu culpa voluptate esse duis nisi ex ullamco amet voluptate eu. Est irure sint ea deserunt aute laboris commodo minim eu.
Sunt veniam cupidatat eu culpa voluptate esse duis nisi ex ullamco amet voluptate eu. Est irure sint ea deserunt aute laboris commodo minim eu. Ut et dolor excepteur elit nulla aliquip cillum. Laboris labore amet ullamco exercitation eu ipsum exercitation. Aliqua et ullamco elit voluptate aute. Sunt veniam cupidatat eu culpa voluptate esse duis nisi ex ullamco amet voluptate eu.
Thrive Center Founder
Banner Block
Pamela Ebstyne King, Ph.D. has worked with the Thrive Center for Human Development since its inception in 2011. In 2021, she was named executive director of the Thrive Center and continues to serve as the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science in Fuller's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.
Devious Semikoli
Card Grid
Our selected studies that touch every corner of what we do. Learn about the fundamentals of thriving sciences with these studies.
Love
Reciprocating Love Scale Project
This project will develop the concept of Reciprocating Love and then develop a scale to measure it.
Spirituality
Study of Spirituality in America – Structural Topic Modeling
Our team uses cutting-edge structural model analysis to understand diverse spirituality in the U.S.
Youth
Adolescent Spirituality and Thriving
Dr. King and her research team continue to explore psychological aspects of spiritual development and the potential psychological resources within religion and spirituality that promote thriving for young people.
Joy
The Joyride Project
This project seeks to integrate the theological and psychological perspectives of joy and flourishing.
Spirituality
Measuring Spirituality Among Adolescents
Pamela King and team test the psychological viability of the MDAS scale among diverse youth.
Gratitude
Shades of Gratitude
Our team seeks to test and develop a theoretical framework to help guide future research on gratitude.
Thriving
The Reciprocating Self: A Telos of Human Development
Pamela King uses teleology to further understand the ends and means of human development and thriving.
Spirituality
Spiritual Exemplars: The Emerging Adult Years
Explore the groundbreaking research by Pam King on young adult spiritual exemplars and their inspiring journeys.
Youth
CI Study of Positive Youth Development
Pamela King and partners study the impact of Compassion International's programs on youth.
Spirituality
The Good Physician Project
Longitudinal study by Sarah Schnitker to explore spirituality and virtue formation in physicians. An Exploration of the Role of Religion and Spirituality on Virtue Formation in Physicians.
Thriving
Self-Narratives and Emotional Health among Elite Athletes
Ben Houltberg and scholars examine the role of self-narrative profiles in elite athletes' wellbeing.
Christian
Love Thy Neighbor Project
Sarah Schnitker examines the connection between intercessory prayer and generosity with student researchers. Examining the Effects of Moral Intuitions and Intercessory Prayer on Generous Behavior.
Youth
Virtue Interventions in Adolescent Athletes
Sarah Schnitker and Ben Houltberg examine the contexts in which teen athletes develop character strengths.
Thriving
Evolutionary Psychology and Christian Views on Human Thriving
Thrive faculty and students engage scholars on evolutionary psychology, spirituality, and thriving.
Research Project
The Science of Intellectual Humility
Thrive scholars measure 3 dimensions of intellectual humility for human thriving.
Youth
Relational Capacity and Ministry Performance
How does the number of personal relationships affect youth workers and ministries? Justin Barrett investigated.
Spirituality
Is Religion Natural? The Chinese Challenge
Justin Barrett leads scholars in exploring cognitive mechanisms that inspire religious thought and action.
Gratitude
Goal Sanctification & Prayer on Virtues
Sarah Schnitker and student researchers study the impact of goal sanctification on gratitude, generosity, and thrift.
Youth
Thriving Conversations in Clinical Practice
This pilot program by James Furrow promotes initiative and self-confidence in at-risk youth.
Spirituality
Spiritual Strivings, Goal Satisfaction, Virtue, and Well-Being
Does goal satisfaction increase goal achievement? Sarah Schnitker examines personality dynamics.
Youth
Spiritual Transformation and Virtue Development in Adolescents in Young Life
Research by Sarah Schnitker and Justin Barrett indicates when and why camp experiences bring spiritual transformation.
Devious Semikoli
Latest Articles Card Slider
And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her. Far far away, behind the word mountains.
Habits & Rhythms
What is the Advent season?
What is the advent season all about? We’ll tell you all about the history, when it starts, and how it’s celebrated.
Habits & Rhythms
Fourth Sunday of Advent: Love
The fourth Sunday of Advent represents love. Discover the history, relevant scripture, and how it fits into the Advent season.
Habits & Rhythms
Third Sunday of Advent: Joy
The third Sunday of Advent represents joy. Discover the history, relevant scripture, and how it fits into the Advent season.
Habits & Rhythms
Second Sunday of Advent: Peace
The second Sunday of Advent represents peace. Discover the history, relevant scripture, and how it fits into the Advent season.
Habits & Rhythms
First Sunday of Advent: Hope
The first Sunday of Advent represents hope. Discover the history, relevant scripture, and how it fits into the Advent season.
Identity & Narrative
The Secret Power of Rumination
You Didn’t Know You Were a Genius! Humans are brilliant at story-telling, but sometimes we tell ourselves stories on repeat. Here's what helps.
Ethics & Virtues
Hope Outside of Religion (Part 2)
Practical Questions to Promote Conversations About Hope
Ethics & Virtues
Hope Outside of Religion (Part 1)
How Can We Help Those Who Have Left the Church Find Their Hope?
Ethics & Virtues
A Practice: Questions to Build Hope
Questions That Promote Hopeful Conversations about Existential Thoughts
10 Articles
Devious Semikoli
Latest News Card Slider
And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her. Far far away, behind the word mountains.
Telos, Technology and Thriving
In a post with Fuller Studio, Pam King discusses whether the our relationship with technology is helping or impeding thriving and offers ideas for guidance.
Dr. Pam King on Prospera Podcast
Listen to Pam King talk with host P.J. Simmons about what Christians can learn from Psychology on the Prospera podcast.
Christian Flourishing in a Secular Age: Challenges and Opportunities Post-Conference Workshop
Pam spoke at one of the Post-Conference Workshops of the 'Realigned' conference by Christian Association for Psychological Studies on March 23rd, 2024.
Thrive Fellowship 2024-2025
Thrive Fellowships are for clinical doctoral students who aspire to serve and lead in the academic study, teaching, training, and/or practice of integrative approaches to human thriving. Students completing their second, third, or fourth year may apply (though exceptional first-year students will be considered with faculty referral) The Thrive Center for Human Development is an applied research center that conducts research and develops resources to inspire, inform, and equip people to thrive. Thrive Fellowships are intended for students who seek experience and mentorship in theoretically-informed research and/or in translating research for practical applications related to spiritual health and thriving. Interested applicants must discuss their desire to apply with Dr. Pam King and their faculty advisor. Each fellowship comes with a total of $15,000 for the academic year ($5,000 for each: Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters). If you are interested in applying to Thrive fellowship, there are two steps. First,…
Pam King on The Purposeful Lab Podcast
With evolutionary psychology and theology as a guide, Dr. Pam King offers tools and inspiration to find purpose and thrive in today's world.
Pam on Asking Why with Clint Davis Podcast
Clint Davis talks with Pam in this episode about about understanding what individual strengths and environments enable humans to thrive and become all God created them to be.
What Does Spirituality Mean to Us? A Study of Spirituality in the United States Since COVID
Study: Spirituality boosts mental health during isolation and despair
Pam King on Liberty Road Podcast
In this episode, Liberty Road's Nada Jones sits down with Pam to discuss her work at the THRIVE Center, where the science of psychology and the practice of spirituality collide. Pam desires to catalyze a movement of human thriving through research and resource development. To help us get there, she explains the three pillars of thriving and how they get reassessed in mid-life.
Christian Association for the Psychology of Faith in Hong Kong
Lecture: How Christians deal with life’s uncertainty Date & Time: 13 January 2024 (Sat, HK time), 9:00am – 6:00pm Where: Room 11.18, 11/F, Jockey Club Teaching Building, University of Hong Kong, physical, no online meeting How to participate: Click the link https://forms.gle/4hN3mQ9oGTzxGzAS8 or scan the poster to register online with QR code. Welcome to free dedication. In human growth, whether health, education, career, marriage or family, there are many variables in themselves or in the environment, many of which may not be certain. Hong Kong people have experienced social unrest and the swings of the epidemic over the years, and social and group divisions have been torn apart; outside Hong Kong, there are economic and political tensions, and we…
Pam on Conversing with Mark Labberton Podcast
What does it mean to thrive in this modern world? Pam discusses her research and work on the topic of thriving, as well as her new podcast, With & For.
10 News Stories
Devious Semikoli
Custom Card Slider
And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her. Far far away, behind the word mountains.
3 Content Resources
Devious Semikoli
Latest Podcast Episodes Card Slider
And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her. Far far away, behind the word mountains.
Alignment: Connecting Our Experience with Our Values
“When our life is aligned to what truly matters, that is when we experience the most enduring joy.” In this episode, Dr. Pam King explains the 3rd step in the 5 A’s of Agility for Spiritual Health. Alignment is the process of becoming more reflective, drawing connections between our thoughts and emotions—and our beliefs, values, habits, and the experiences that shape us. This is the step where we look for our intentions and expectations and hold them up to our raw experiences and the possible meanings associated with them. We begin by identifying what’s true or what’s false in our feelings and thoughts so we can more clearly move toward our purposes. ANNOUNCEMENT: With & For Season 2 launches on January 6, 2025!…
Awareness: Non-Judgmental Reflection on Our Emotions and Thoughts
It’s not easy to reflect on our emotions without judging them or running away from them. It’s difficult to stay with challenging or frightening feelings and thoughts. But to cultivate awareness means taking an open, curious, and non-judgmental approach to observing our minds. More than simple or immediate observation (like Attunement), awareness asks us to get curious and reflect on our feelings, emotions, thoughts, and the landscape of experience we discovered in step one of attunement. What emotions are coming up for us? What thoughts keep coming into our consciousness? In this second step of the 5 A’s of Agility for Spiritual Health, Pam King explains how we can become more emotionally aware and open-minded about our psychological reality. The key to observing our thoughts and feelings is to simply look, and not judge yourself. Let the emotions come and go, and learn from they provide information to us. ANNOUNCEMENT:…
Attunement: Paying Attention to Our Feelings, Thoughts, and Sensations
What’s happening right now? What do you feel? What physical sensations are present from head to toe? The first step in practicing the 5 A’s of Spiritual Health is Attunement—a simple, direct process of connecting to reality, perceiving your experience of the present moment, and paying attention to our physical sensations. It’s as simple as a clear-eyed consciousness: listening, feeling, acknowledging, being aware of basic sensations. In this episode, Dr. Pam King explains attunement and the foundation it lays for cultivating greater agility and adaptivity. She oconsiders theological and psychological grounding for the benefits of attunement, and offers practical techniques, including a body scan and breath exercises. ANNOUNCEMENT: With & For Season 2 launches on January 6, 2025!…
Habits & Rhythms
Agility and Adaptation through the 5 A’s of Spiritual Health
How can we cultivate agility and adaptivity in our chaotic, shifting times? Dr. Pam King offers a research-backed cycle of practices to incorporate into the rhythms of your daily life—helping you navigate change and work through life’s obstacles. She calls them the 5 A’s of Spiritual Health: Attunement, Awareness, Alignment, Activation, and Assessment.
Transcendence & Spirituality
A Psychology-Backed Framework for Healthy Spirituality
“Spirituality is deeply rooted in love, enables us to receive and experience love from beyond ourselves, and enables us and invigorates us to live out love as ourselves.” The precarious times we live in fill us with anxiety. The rifts and shifts of culture, politics, and religion are leaving us feeling unmoored, disconnected, and alienated from ourselves and each other. And a psychologically informed approach to spirituality is the antidote. In this episode, Dr. Pam King discusses why spirituality is so essential to the human experience, and how it operates as the antidote to the culture of anxiety and despair around us. She works through the Thrive Center’s 6 Facets of Spiritual Health (T.H.R.I.V.E). 1. Transcendence & Spirituality 2. Habits & Rhythms 3. Relationships & Community 4. Identity & Narrative 5. Vocation & Purpose 6. Ethics & Virtues Learn more about the 6 Facets of…
The Six Facets of Spiritual Health with Pam King & Dan Koch (You Have Permission)
Pam King joins licensed therapist Dan Koch on his podcast, You Have Permission, for a discussion of the six facets of spiritual health. Announcement! With & For Season 2 is dropping on January 5, 2025! And until then, every Monday from September to December, we’re sharing some shorter clips, practical features, and other talks or interviews featuring Dr. Pam King, to offer insight into what it means to thrive and pursue spiritual health.
A Practice: Dr. Cynthia Eriksson Body Scan for Awareness
Dr. Eriksson guides you through a practice of scanning the body to cultivate awareness of sensation present there. This technique is an important first step – regulation – of building a resilience practice.
A Practice: Dr. Lisa Miller on Closing Doors so Others Can Open
Dr. Miller leads you through a practice where you imagine two doors – one red and one yellow. The red door is closed to you and the yellow door is open. How can you use this practice to understand opportunities and direction for your life? How can you identify how you have been guided along the way?…
A Practice: Dr. Richard Davidson on Gaining Insight
Dr. Davidson leads a brief meditation on gaining insight into a struggle present in your life. Envision how things might be different with a different set of beliefs and expectations about the situation.
A Practice: Dr. Lisa Miller and Your Table of Spiritual Companions
Dr. Miller leads a brief meditation where you set a table before you with those who love you and ask them to tell you what you need to know now. This practice helps develop a connection to a deep kind of spirituality that is intuitive and imaginative and helps one to feel loved, held, guided, and never alone.
10 Podcast Episodes
Content Buckets
Quis at sociosqu ac suspendisse diam himenaeos est est diam parturient dictumst dui a nisi iaculis aliquam scelerisque parturient.
Lorem Ipsum
Quis at sociosqu ac suspendisse.
Lorem Ipsum
Quis at sociosqu ac suspendisse.
Side by side CTA
Generous contributions allow us to continue our intentional work and maintain resources that help others move from becoming to being. Our blogs, research, podcasts, and more can be accessed for free, so there’s no pressure to give if you’re not in a position to.
Standard CTA
The mind behind the method
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Parturient tristique etiam mollis consequat, neque est, mauris. Enim risus, augue turpis fusce. Pharetra enim pellentesque egestas euismod egestas amet sagittis pulvinar.
Terracotta
CTA Grid
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli.
Dark Green
See what we're doing
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli.
Chartreuse
CTA Grid
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli.
Match Background
See what we're doing
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli.
White
CTA Grid
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli.
Light Green
See what we're doing
The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli.
Subscribe to our newsletter and get our Thrive Practices for Spiritual Health PDF!
You Got It!
Practices to Begin Your Journey
Facets Example
We’ve collected and curated articles, videos, podcasts, and research specifically tailored to help you discover sunlight to grow towards.
Ethics & Virtues
Our beliefs about love and how we live out love through values, views of right and wrong, and cultivating virtuous habits.
Learn More
Transcendence & Spirituality
Awareness of and connection to a source of invigorating love offers meaning and inspires purpose. For many this is God, for others it may be a higher power or nature.
Learn More
Identity & Narrative
Growing in clarity about who we are as a beloved, unique, embodied person and how we are related to others and the greater world.
Learn More
Relationships & Community
Connections provide a space of belonging where we can be fully known to ourselves and others and learn to give and receive love.
Learn More
Transcendence & Spirituality
Awareness of and connection to a source of invigorating love offers meaning and inspires purpose. For many this is God, for others it may be a higher power or nature.
Learn More
Habits & Rhythms
Healthy spiritual practices and regular rhythms allow us to slow down to gain insight, connect to love, and energize into purposeful endeavors.
Learn More
Relationships & Community
Connections provide a space of belonging where we can be fully known to ourselves and others and learn to give and receive love.
Learn More
Identity & Narrative
Growing in clarity about who we are as a beloved, unique, embodied person and how we are related to others and the greater world.
Learn More
Vocation & Purpose
Contributing our strengths to the world by living out our response to love.
Learn More
Ethics & Virtues
Our beliefs about love and how we live out love through values, views of right and wrong, and cultivating virtuous habits.
Learn More
Logos Block
Devious Semikoli
Our People
Parturient tristique etiam mollis consequat, neque est, mauris. Enim risus, augue turpis fusce.
Shaya Aguilar
Thrive Fellow / Writer
Shaya Aguilar is a second year Psy.D. student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology Program, being advised by Dr. David Wang. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in ministry from Pepperdine University. She is particularly interested in researching the impact of traumatic events on individuals from a psychological, theological, and neurobiological perspective. When she is not studying, writing, or in clinical training, you can find Shaya spending time with family and friends, running, or cooking.
Rebecca Baer
Thrive Fellow
Rebecca Baer is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology program. As a doctoral candidate, she is pursuing her dissertation, funded by the Travis Research Institute, that seeks to operationalize a definition of adult relationality called Reciprocating Love and a scale that measures this. Rebecca holds an M.A. in Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary and an M.A. in Systems Theory Counseling from the Internationale Hochschule Liebenzell, Germany. Rebecca’s passion lies in pursuing research and clinical work that focuses on the mechanisms of healing and empowering relationships – between diverse peoples and with God. When she is not reading, writing, or pursuing her clinical training, you can find Rebecca enjoying time out in nature with her husband and two beautiful little girls.
Leanne Bishara
Former Thrive Student Researcher
Leanne is a fifth year PhD student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology program, studying parenting and moral development. She has presented her research at various psychological research conferences. Leanne also has a fellowship with the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center; is being intensively trained in British Object Relations theory and psychotherapy at the Psychoanalytic Center of California; and offers depth-oriented psychoanalytic psychotherapy and supervises therapists-in-training at Fuller Psychological and Family Services.
Abbey Craigg
Former Thrive Student Researcher
Abbey is a Ph.D. student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology Program. She holds a Master of Arts in psychology from Fuller’s Graduate School of Psychology. In her clinical work, she is passionate about helping children overcome obstacles to become thriving young people. She has also worked with young and emerging adults as a Resident Director at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and as a student chaplain at Fuller Theological Seminary. Her research interests include spirituality, identity, and purpose among emerging adults. Her recent and current work involves validating the use of the Measure of Diverse Adolescent Spirituality in emerging adult populations.
Frederic Defoy
PhD student in the Psychological Science program at Fuller Theological Seminary. He served as a Thrive Scholars Fellow from 2018-2020
Frederic Defoy is a PhD student in the Psychological Science program at Fuller Theological Seminary. He served as a Thrive Scholars Fellow from 2018-2020. He holds an MA from Wheaton College in Christian Formation and Ministry and is a professional vocational coach. Fred is actively involved in the Thrive Center’s Joyride Project and Spiritual Exemplars Project. He hopes to contribute to the discussion of helping others embrace their vocation and connect them to their purpose.
Cynthia Eriksson
Dean of the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy ; PSYD Program Chair and Professor of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Department
Cynthia Eriksson has been a core member of Fuller Seminary’s psychology faculty since 2003 and was named dean of the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy as of September 1, 2023. Dr. Eriksson’s research and teaching expertise focus on trauma, posttraumatic stress, spirituality, culture, burnout, resilience, and diversity. Much of her work explores the needs of cross-cultural aid or mission workers and the interaction of trauma and spirituality. Through Fuller SoPMFT’s Headington Program, she has developed research and consultation partnerships in Cambodia, Guatemala, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Liberia, the Netherlands, Spain, Uganda, and elsewhere. Eriksson is a member of the American Psychological Association, the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, and the National Council of Schools of Professional Psychology, and she has presented internationally at psychology and trauma conferences. In addition to authoring several book chapters, she has been published in The Journal of Traumatic Stress; Traumatology; Mental Health, Religion & Culture; Journal of Psychology and Theology; PLoS ONE, and many others.
Rabbi Sherre Hirsch
Rabbi Sherre Hirsch is an author and spirituality expert with a mission to empower individuals to become more in tune with their wellbeing, more intentional in their way of life, and more confident in their ability to impact the world. She currently serves as the Senior Rabbinic Scholar for Hillel International and is a frequent speaker at Canyon Ranch. Her publications include We Plan, God Laughs, a top 100 in all books, and Thresholds.
Benjamin Houltberg
Benjamin Houltberg was the former associate professor of human development at the Thrive Center. As a developmental scientist, his research centers on relational factors that impact emotional health within high-stress environments. Much of his work is on the role of identity development and character virtues in sport as they relate to emotional health and athletic performance. He currently serves as the president and CEO of the Search Institute.
Lauren Kim
Operations and Project Manager
With over 10 years of operational & admin experience, Lauren Kim joined the Thrive Center in 2022 to utilize her passion for faith-based creativity and witnessing others’ ability to be joyously renewed. With an innate interest in different cultures and being born & raised in Seoul, Korea, Lauren hopes to connect a bridge between students of various backgrounds and their spirit’s capability to thrive as He intended. In her intimate pursuit of God while cultivating the artistic passions of her heart, Lauren takes pride in being part of a team that brings forth the fruit of encouragement and spiritual joy in all.
Sung Kim
Professor of Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary
Sung H. (Seong-Hyeon) Kim, Ph.D. joined Fuller’s faculty in 2009, bringing his passion for psychological assessment and advanced statistics and psychometrics, such as topic modeling and structural equation modeling, to Fuller’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.
As a faculty affiliate at the Thrive Center for Human Development, Dr. Kim has been providing statistical consulting and data analysis services to the Center’s research projects, including the Shades of Gratitude Project.
Pamela Ebstyne King
Executive Director, Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science
Pamela Ebstyne King, Ph.D. has worked with the Thrive Center for Human Development since its inception in 2011. In 2021, she was named executive director of the Thrive Center and continues to serve as the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science in Fuller’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.
Her primary academic interests are applied research at the intersection of human thriving and spiritual development. She is passionate about understanding what individual strengths and environments enable humans to thrive and become all God created them to be. She holds particular interest in understanding the role of faith, spirituality, religion, virtues in this process.
Dr. King’s work combines theology, empirical research, and community engagement to further understand what contexts and settings enable people to thrive. She has conducted research funded by Biologos Foundation and John Templeton Foundation, among others.
Susan Mangan
Susan Mangan, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Thrive Center. As a Positive Developmental Psychologist, Dr. Mangan is interested in how we, as individuals and as a society, can lead happier and more fulfilling lives. As a scholar more broadly, her research focuses on positive psychology interventions, well-being, and emerging adulthood. She also has a strong background in evaluation, statistics, and community program development.
Sean Noe
Former Thrive Fellow
Sean Noe is a third year Ph.D. student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology Program. He completed his bachelor’s in psychology at Point Loma Nazarene University. He also has experience as an educator and tutor, working with middle school and high school students in San Diego, California. His research interests lie in examining how aspects of religiosity and spiritual experience relate to youth and adolescent development. He has a particular interest in understanding religious experience and how this can help youth and adolescents develop and thrive.
Tasneem Noor
Tasneem Noor is the author of the best-selling book, The Faith Connection. As an emerging faith leader, her mission is to establish thriving, peaceful communities where conversations of faith build bridges of compassion and collaboration. She is the founder of Noor Enterprises: SOULful Transformation, and serves as the program co-director for NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change and Interfaith Minister-in-Residence.
Norma Ramirez
Norma Ramirez is DACA recipient and doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology Program at Fuller Theological Seminary
Born in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, Norma Ramirez is DACA recipient and doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology Program at Fuller Theological Seminary. It wasn’t until attending graduate school that she realized crossing the border was a traumatic experience that continues to shape every part of her life. Norma is both an advocate for her therapy clients within the system and an activist in the greater socio-political context for Latino/a immigrant youth and families.
Harlan Redmond
Harlan Redmond is the former executive director of Harambee Ministries. During his time as executive director, he restored an organization that has been the force of systemic change in the struggling Northwest Pasadena area. His work includes forming a transitional home for single mothers, a community garden and feeding program, and The PUSH Catering. He has also spoken at local churches and communities about racial reconciliation.
Rodrigo Riveras
Rodrigo Riveros is a postdoctoral researcher at the USC Center of Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education. He holds a Ph.D. in brain and cognitive science from USC. His research interest focuses on how adolescents construct abstract, generative, and moral visions for their adulthood, and how these general capabilities are expressed in life goals and civic participation, among other pursuits of self-transcendence. Rodrigo uses interdisciplinary research on life narratives and goal setting to uncover the neuropsychological mechanisms contributing to identity, intrinsic motivation, and purposeful thinking.
Rodrigo Riveros is a postdoctoral researcher at the USC Center of Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education. He holds a Ph.D. in brain and cognitive science from USC. His research interest focuses on how adolescents construct abstract, generative, and moral visions for their adulthood, and how these general capabilities are expressed in life goals and civic participation, among other pursuits of self-transcendence. Rodrigo uses interdisciplinary research on life narratives and goal setting to uncover the neuropsychological mechanisms contributing to identity, intrinsic motivation, and purposeful thinking.
Lisseth Rojas-Flores
Professor of Clinical Psychology, Clinical Psychology Department, School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy
Lisseth Rojas-Flores is Professor of Clinical Psychology, Department of Doctoral Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Rojas-Flores’ research centers on immigrant children’s well-being with particular focus on how trauma, community violence, and socio-structural adversity impacts the child and family unit. With funding from the Foundation for Child Development Young Scholars Program, Rojas-Flores examined the impact of immigration enforcement on Latino citizen—children’s psychological and academic well-being in the U.S. In an international context, she conducts collaborative research to examine the impact of community violence and trauma on adolescents, parents, and teachers living in El Salvador. In Colombia, as part of a multidisciplinary research team, she examines the challenges caused by forced migration and works to mobilize local religious communities to support people in situations of internal displacement (IDPs) recover and flourish.
Rojas-Flores’s teaching, research, and scholarship are deeply informed by culture, context, developmental science, and research-practice partnerships with legal, advocacy, and faith-based organizations. She is also interested in examining how clinical and community-based interventions mitigate the impact of trauma and cumulative adversity. As a bilingual/bicultural licensed clinical psychologist, she takes a special interest in addressing the interrelationships between family, mental health, faith, and social justice.
Rojas-Flores is a member of several organizations, including the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD), and the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA).
Abigail Schmidt
Thrive Fellow
Abby Schmidt is a fourth year Psy.D. student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology Program, being advised by Dr. Eriksson. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Point Loma Nazarene University. Growing up overseas has shaped her passion for working with humanitarian workers, particularly those who have experienced traumatic or stressful events. She is particularly interested in researching the impact of these events on the family unit and the ways a family can learn to be resilient and thrive in these types of settings. When she is not working on school or clinical training, you can find Abby spending time with family and friends, thrifting, crafting, or cooking.
Sarah Schnitker
Sarah Schnitker is the former associate professor of psychology at the Thrive Center. She specializes in the study of patience, self-control, gratitude, and thrift. Dr. Schnitker has procured more than $3.5 million in funding as a principle investigator on multiple research grants, and she has published in a variety of scientific journals and edited volumes. She currently serves as associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University.
Abigail Shepherd
Abigail Shepherd served as a Thrive Scholars Fellow from 2014-2016. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. She has contributed to many research studies at the Thrive Center including “Spiritual Transformation and Virtue Development in Adolescents” and “Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself.”
Alize Spencer
Thrive Fellow
Alize is the Progra, Assistant with Fuller Pannell Center, and can manages the Pannell Center Social Media and student engagement. Alize is pursuing her PsyD in SOPMFT at Fuller Theological Seminary, studying Clinical Psychology. She was also an Emerging Black Scholar at the William E. Pannell Center for Black Church Studies and is the Founder of the Pasadena Black Student Union Student Group here at Fuller Seminary.
Connor Stephenson
Thrive Fellow
Connor Stephenson is a second year PhD student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology program. He is working with children through the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health as a practicum trainee. Connor received a BA in Theology with an emphasis in Leadership and Pastoral Ministry from Vanguard University. Prior to entering the psychology program, Connor spent the last seven years working with adults experiencing homelessness. He currently serves on the board of directors for the National Human Services Data Consortium, and he previously worked as a research assistant through the Thrive Center on analyzing data from the Fetzer Institute’s study of Spirituality in the United States. When he is not working on research, school, or clinical training, you can find him walking his dog, baking sourdough, and spending quality time with his wife.
Esther Tan
Former Thrive Student Researcher
Esther is a Ph.D. student in Fuller’s Psychological Science Program. She holds a Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is also an experienced educator who has helped to pioneer a few new nation-wide projects in the field of social-emotional development and career development and guidance in Singapore. On several occasions she has brought together research, practitioners, and policy to bridge the gap from conceptualization to implementation.
Her research interests include socio-emotional well-being, career and purpose, and identity development. She has a particular interest in understanding how Third Culture kids and adults thrive in a globalized world and how their vocational calling and decisions are formed.
Casey Taylor
Former Thrive Student Researcher
Casey Taylor is a doctoral candidate at the Fuller’s Graduate School of Psychology, where she has engaged in research as a member of the Thrive Lab. Her interest in adolescent development and thriving began during her undergraduate studies. As a member of the Thrive Lab, she has had the opportunity to further study adolescent thriving and the importance of caring adult relationships as developmental assets. She learned about the significant qualities of effective caring adult relationships during her master’s thesis research titled, The Effects of Mentoring on Adolescent Thriving. Inspired by the catalytic potential of caring adult relationships in the lives of youth, Casey has continued to pursue her interest by pursuing her dissertation focusing on caring adult relationships in thriving youth, who have faced great adversity and live in diverse contexts. Her current research aligns with her clinical passion, and she aims to work with youth and families affected by trauma. Casey aspires to continue growing in her knowledge of adolescent thriving, and hopes to build her clinical career by supporting resilience and aiding the thriving of youth overcoming risk and adversity.
Thrive Center
Lauren Van Vranken
Thrive Fellow
Lauren Van Vranken is a second year Psy.D. student in Fuller’s Clinical Psychology Program. She received her bachelor’s degree in human development and family sciences from Oregon State University. She has spent the past decade working in prison, jail and juvenile hall settings in Los Angeles and Ecuador as a volunteer chaplain, creative writing instructor, and facilitator of art therapy groups. This sparked her research interests in resilience, restorative justice practices, and collective thriving in the aftermath of trauma. Dedicated to research and clinical work that promote thriving through allyship with adolescents and adults affected by incarceration, she is particularly interested in researching how spirituality and hospitality promote resilience, kinship, and thriving for returning citizens.
Jennifer Vaughn
Thrive Research Assistant
Jennifer Vaughn is a doctoral candidate in Psychological Science and a research fellow at Fuller’s Graduate School of Psychology. She has a broad background in psychology, with specific training in the study of immigration and social determinism, and several years of direct counseling experience with underserved children and adolescents. As research fellow, Jennifer’s research has focused on examining hope, spirituality, and positive youth development among Salvadoran and Rwandan adolescents through the Compassion International Study of Positive Youth Development. As a co-investigator in the Faith and Thriving in Poverty Project, Jennifer is studying the influence of spirituality and faith-based youth sponsorship on positive youth development through in-depth interviews with spiritual exemplars in El Salvador.
Kenneth Wang
Professor of Psychology and PhD Program Chair, Clinical Psychology Department
Kenneth T. Wang is a Professor in Clinical Psychology at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy, and a fellow of the American Psychological Association. He is also a practicing psychologist in the Los Angeles area, licensed in California & Illinois. He received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Penn State University. Prior to Fuller, Kenneth taught at University of Missouri and worked as a staff psychologist at the University of Illinois and a counselor at National Dong-Hwa University in Taiwan. Kenneth’s research focuses on perfectionism, psychological measurement, and cross-cultural psychological adjustment. Dr. Wang has published around 70 empirical research articles in SSCI journals on these topic areas. He also coauthored the textbook Research Design in Counseling 4th Edition. In 2023, Kenneth received the Excellent Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association in the International Section of the Society of Counseling Psychology.
Jilleen Westbrook
Senior Director of Content
Jilleen Westbrook, Ph.D. joined the staff of the Thrive Center for Human Development in 2022. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Claremont Graduate University and has taught at Temple University, University of Southern California (USC), and the Claremont Colleges.
Her academic work involved empirical investigations of psychological effects on markets that result from policy decisions. Before joining, the Thrive Center, she worked as a consultant. Dr. Westbrook has long been interested in issues of faith and well-being, particularly in the practices that encourage mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Rich Text Overline
Rich Text Headline
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Dr. David Goatley
President of Fuller Theological Seminary
Dr. Pam King weaves threads of her life as parent, pastor, and professor with psychological, spiritual, and practical insights in conversation with experienced leaders from a vibrant variety of vocations and perspectives to offer hope and help for today and tomorrow.
Dr. David Goatley
President of Fuller Theological Seminary
Dr. Pam King weaves threads of her life as parent, pastor, and professor with psychological, spiritual, and practical insights in conversation with experienced leaders from a vibrant variety of vocations and perspectives to offer hope and help for today and tomorrow.
Video with line
And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her. Far far away, behind the word mountains.
Video without line
And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her. Far far away, behind the word mountains.