Dr. Waggy Zeleke
Director, The HEARTFUL Lab
Associate Professor
Phone: 804-205-0955
Email: zelekew@vcu.edu
The HEARTFUL lab focuses on exploring mental health, equity, and access, particularly for underserved and under-resourced communities affected by intergenerational trauma. It uses community-based action research to improve access to and quality of care for diverse, low-resource, and underserved populations such as immigrants neurologically diverse (e.g., Autism) affected by trauma-induced mental health issues.
Dr. Waggy Zeleke leads the lab in collaboration with colleagues, students, and research team members worldwide. She currently has research projects in the US and Ethiopia.
The Lab integrates several domains: psychology, mental health, community wellness, Compassionate Inquiry, Community-Based participatory approach, and culture and system model
Our research team aims to advance culturally and contextually responsive and integrated approaches in the context of trauma-informed psychotherapeutic care for underserved populations, including immigrant children with autism.
This research addresses access to and utilizing care issues in two main ways:
We aim to serve at-risk and underrecognized groups, such as those who have been exposed to historical trauma, intergenerational trauma, interpersonal traumas, have disabling life experiences, and/or may be experiencing psychosociocultural oppression.
The HEARTFUL lab is accepting applications for volunteer undergraduate and graduate research assistants. Application is ongoing throughout the year. Interested students should email Dr. Waggy Zeleke at zelekew@vcu.edu with a statement of intent that includes research interests, research experience, and career and academic goals.
Director, The HEARTFUL Lab
Associate Professor
Phone: 804-205-0955
Email: zelekew@vcu.edu
Graduate Research Student
Email: misghinara@vcu.edu
Full bio for Rewina Misghina »
Affiliated Department(s): Department of Rehabilitation Counseling
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