Lamise Shawahin, PhD

Associate Professor

Director of Clinical Training

Introduction

Professor Shawahin serves as Director of Clinical Training for the PsyD and MS Programs in Clinical Psychology. Her teaching, leadership and research is in the area of health and diversity in psychology.

Curriculum Vitae

Research Overview

Professor Shawahin’s research centers on the intersection of health and diversity. Her current work examines the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of an intervention she co-developed to address race-based stress and trauma symptoms among older African American women.

I enjoy painting and doing Palestinian embroidery (tatreez).

Select Publications

Saban, K. L., Motley, D., Shawahin, L., Mathews, H. L., Tell, D., De La Pena, P., & Janusek, L. W. (2021). Preliminary evidence for a race-based stress reduction intervention for Black women at risk for cardiovascular disease. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 58, 102710

Saban, K. L., Joyce, C., Nyembwe, A., Janusek, L., Tell, D., de la Pena, P., Shawahin, L… & Taylor, J. Y. (2025). The Effectiveness of a Race-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on
Improving Stress-Related Symptoms and Inflammation in African American Women at Risk for Cardiometabolic Disease: Protocol for Recruitment and Intervention for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 14(1), e65649.

Lee, S., Janusek, L., Joyce, C., Vasquez Gonzalez, J., Shawahin, L., Taylor, J. Y., & Saban, K. (2026). Sleep Mediates the Relationship Between Stress and Blood Pressure in Older African American Women: A Cross-Sectional RiSE Study. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 1-10.

Teaching Focus

Professor Shawahin uses a Freirean pedagogical lens that empowers students to connect course material to their lived experiences and critically examine systems of power and inequity. She emphasizes dialogue, reflection, and culturally responsive practice in courses including Qualitative Research, Health Psychology and Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Psychology.