Travis Research Institute

Black Women’s Spirituality Research Team
Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission
The Black Women’s Spirituality Research Team is about creating a space that honors the experiences of Black women and that engages in research from an embodied culturally congruent approach for both the researchers and the participants.
Vision
Our vision is to enhance the quality of life for Black women in our seminary, our state, our nation, and our world!
Values
- Citizen Scholar
- Embodied Spirituality
- Research as Resistance
- Emergent Strategy
- Radical Community & Self-Care
- Centering the Black Experience
- Accessible Research
PROJECT
Phenomenal 7 Study
In 2017, seven Black women graduated with their doctoral degrees from a PWI, Christian institution. This study seeks to understand these women's experiences and the institutional impact on their journey. This study provides an opportunity to inform the practices and systems within such institutions to support and encourage the success of Black women in higher education.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS
- Armstrong, T., Wangugi, A., Scott, S.N. (2022). Unpacking of a legacy: Womanist theology and clinical implications. Journal of Psychology and Theology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00916471211071060
- Abernethy, A. D. (in press). Spirituality as a source of strength and power for African American group therapists. A. Weiss, S. Masselink, Y, I. Kane, (eds)., Women, power, and group psychotherapy leadership. Routledge.
- Black women flourishing: The making of a model. Fuller Missiology Lectures 2021 - Dr. Tina Armstrong
- Armstrong, T. R. (2021). Considerations in culturally modifying psychotherapy. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 40(3), 258-262
- Integration Symposium Lectures 2020
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- Response | Seanita Scott on the Black Superwoman and Self-Definition
https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/response-seanita-scott-on-the-black-superwoman-and-self-definition/ - Response | Dr. Tina Armstrong on Reclaiming Contemplative Practices
https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/response-tina-armstrong-on-reclaiming-contemplative-practices/
- Response | Seanita Scott on the Black Superwoman and Self-Definition
People
Faculty

Alexis D. Abernethy
Professor of Psychology
BS, HOWARD UNIVERSITY
MA, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY

Tina Armstrong
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology
BA IN THEATER, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES
EDM IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOLOGY, HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, CAMBRIDGE, MA
MA IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, PASADENA, CA
MA IN THEOLOGY, FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, PASADENA, CA
PHD IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, PASADENA, CA

Jenny Pak
Associate Professor of Psychology
BA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
MA, FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
PHD, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Students

Anne Wangugi
Anne Wangugi is a third-year Ph.D. student interested in the effects of trauma. My current research focuses on examining the impact of early childhood trauma exposure on PTSD in adult life, and whether spirituality can be a protective factor for cross-cultural ministry workers employed in a non-profit organization. I am also interested in the mental health of African American women, especially in Academia.

Jordan Rollerson
Jordan Rollerson is pursuing a PsyD. in Clinical Psychology and is deeply passionate about the accessibility of mental health and wellness of and for African Americans. His research interest includes examining the relationship between masculine identity and emotional regulation of minority adolescents in marginalized communities.

Jordan Lara
Jordan Lara, M.A., is a third-year PsyD student. Her Mexican heritage and cross-cultural experiences abroad has furthered her passions in bridging the gap between Latinx and United States cultures. Her dissertation work centers on the Latina experience in higher education, highlighting spirituality as a protective factor. She is especially interested in the dynamics of privilege, immigration, and therapy conducted in Spanish.

Contact Us
t. 626.584.5544
email: [email protected]
Staff
Jim Cummings, MDiv, MA
Research Administrator
[email protected]
Office Hours
Monday–Friday
8 am–5 pm
Address
Room 326
180 N. Oakland Ave
Pasadena, CA 91182