Emily Purcell is a current doctoral student in clinical psychology at Regent University and serves as the research coordinator for the Abundant Life Flourishing Program. Her prior experiences directed her interests toward the biopsychosocial study of eudaimonia in individuals, mainly through relationships, faith, and neuroscience. She seeks to apply her research in clinical settings to assist individuals with intellectual disabilities and within the geriatric population in learning to thrive in their environment.
Before her doctoral studies, Emily worked in diverse settings, interacting with various populations. She worked in a drug and addiction center, providing assessments and group therapy to individuals within detox and rehabilitation programs. She worked with undergraduate students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, assisting them in developing skills necessary for career development. Emily also volunteered with survivors of human trafficking, providing them with resources for stability during recovery. Emily’s prior research includes understanding Biblical forgiveness narratives, a conceptualization of the Fruits of the Spirit, and birth order studies. Emily received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Roberts Wesleyan University.
Publications
Counted, V., Long, K., Purcell, E., Cowden, R., Witvliet, C., Cortright, A., Gibson, C., Walsh, J., Hathaway, W., Garzon, F., Johnson, B., VanderWeele, T., (2025). Seeds of Hope: A Cross-National Analysis of Childhood Predictors of Hope in 22 Countries. Applies Research in Quality of Life, 1-27
Counted, V., Purcell, E., Netz, D., Waldheim, D., Stephens, R., Baum, L., Fogleman, A., Garzon, F., Gilbert, L., Douglass, C., Harris, J., Schultz, L., Sheets, A., Smith, R., Sutherland, S., Williams, S. (2025) Holy Spirit Attachment: Theologizing and Operationalizing the Third Person of The Trinity as the Immediate Divine Attachment Figure. Journal of Psychology and Theology
Presentations
Coddington, K. S., Kuschel, S.G., Ord, A. S., Swiatek, S. R., Israel, J., Purcell, E., Greven, N., Netz, D., Oliver, M. (2025, April 4-5). The intersection between psychology, neurology, and gerontology: Older adult clinical neuropsychology for the general practitioner [Conference presentation]. Virginia Association of Clinical Psychologists 2025 Spring Conference. Williamsburg, VA, United States.
Coddington, K., Washburn, D., Cooper, A., Eldridge, A., Maksad, G., Ord, A., Kuschel, S., Braud, S., Magnante, A., Purcell, E., Israel, J., & Sautter, S. (April, 2024). Mental health and cognitive functioning in older adults with chronic pain: The role of pain management in promoting healthy aging. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southern Gerontological Society, Greenville, South Carolina.
DiFonzo, N., Abdulrahman, A., Bertram, H. E., Carlton, S. K., Jordan, A. L., Nguyen, K. N., Painting, S. E., Purcell, E. J., Saia, J. R. Jr., & Taylor, A. N. (2023, Mar.) Transforming the researcher: Using Christian-Transformational Empirical Research (CTER) to develop a guide for therapeutic self-reflection about the Fruit of the Spirit. [Poster Presentation]. Annual Meeting of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, Louisville, KY.
DiFonzo, N., Kahlenbeck, J. D., & Purcell, E. J. (2022, Nov. 5). Forgiveness Narratives for Relational Beings: Stories that Teach us How to Forgive. Paper to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Christian Association of Psychological Studies East Regional Conference, Lancaster, PA.
Netz, D., Purcell, E., Waldheim, D. (2025, Aug.) Perceived Threat to Life, Anxiety & Depression: Is Hope a Buffering Virtue Across 22 Countries? [Poster Presentation]. International Association of Psychology and Religion, Birmingham, UK
Contact
E: emilpur[at]mail.regent.edu