Dr. Caruso joined the Psychology Department full time in 2021 after teaching masters courses as an adjunct professor at SEU since 2015 - PSY620 Helping Relationship in Counseling, PSY633 Counseling Theory and Methods I, PSY641 Psychopathology and Diagnosis. She also taught SEU230 Healthy Living: Mindfulness Wellbeing at the undergraduate level and helped co-develop the course into the present focus on positive psychology.
Dr. Caruso earned a B.A. in Psychology from William Paterson University and an M.A. in School Psychology from Montclair State University. She earned her Psy.D. from SEU in 2017 in the first cohort.
Prior to earning her doctorate, Dr. Caruso was a Regional Analyst with a business/marketing focus and worked as a school psychologist for 10 years, focusing on the mental health, learning and behavior of children and adolescents. Most recently, she was a director in a group counseling practice for past five years, counseling children, adolescents and adults, training staff members on working in the clinical field, as well as completing neuropsychological batteries for children and neurocognitive-deficit testing in adults.
Research Interests
- Twice exceptional children/adolescents learning styles/behaviors
- Mindfulness in academic and workplace settings
- Positive psychology and the focus on strengths
- Resilience and social justice for underprivileged populations