Maitri Jain
PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology
Bridging behavioral science and biology to understand child development and resilience
About Me(Download CV)
I am a 5th-year PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Michigan University, currently pursuing my internship at Denver Health Medical Center in the Child Mental Health Track.
My clinical work focuses on working with children exposed to trauma, adversities, and family conflict. I am especially interested in working with the early childhood population. At Denver Health, I do consultations in the primary care clinic as well as outpatient therapy. Next semester, I will also work in adolescent inpatient psychiatry.
My research focuses on early childhood development, caregiver-child biobehavioral synchrony, and the impact of trauma on mental health.
Working in the Self-Regulation, Early Experiences, and Development (SEED) Lab under Dr. Jamie Lawler, I bridge behavioral science and biology, using methods such as observational coding, cortisol analysis, and community-based participatory research.
Fluent in English and Hindi, I am committed to advancing research, clinical care, and mentoring that support the well-being of children and families from diverse backgrounds.
Research Focus
Early childhood adversity & self-regulation
Clinical Work
Trauma-informed care for children & families
Community
DEI advocacy & mentorship
Recognition
Multiple grants & awards
Postdoctoral Interests
I am seeking a postdoctoral position that combines clinical training toward licensure with research experience. My long-term goal is to work in an academic medical center.
I am especially interested in early childhood, trauma-focused treatment, and caregiver-child relationships, with a focus on working with immigrants and families from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Clinical Experience
Denver Health
Safety Net Hospital
Clinical Psychology Internship · Child Mental Health Track
- Integrated Behavioral Health Team in Primary Care Child Clinic
- Outpatient Child and Adolescent Therapy
Michigan Medicine
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Ambulatory psychiatric hospital with multiprovider teams
Treatment Modalities
Individual Therapy
- • Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)
- • Trauma-Focused CBT
- • Unified Protocol (UP-C/A)
- • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Group Therapy & Assessment
- • Perinatal DBT
- • Mom Power trauma-focused intervention
- • SMART Skills for self-regulation
- • Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments
- • ADHD, autism, and learning disorder evaluations
- • Ages served: 0-18 years
Research Projects
Caregiver-Child Synchrony
Dissertation ResearchExploring behavioral and biological synchrony in caregiver-child dyads, examining cortisol patterns and emotion regulation through longitudinal study design.
Self-Regulation in Preschoolers
SEED Lab StudyUnderstanding the development of cognitive, behavioral and emotion regulation in 3-4 year olds and its association with early adversities.
Emotionality Stigma & Adolescent Resilience
Clinical ResearchInvestigating the association between emotionality stigma in parents of adolescents with substance use concerns and adolescent resilience, including cultural differences in emotionality stigma.
Emotion Regulation in Children & Caregivers
Treatment EvaluationEvaluating the treatment efficacy of a group therapy aimed at improving emotion regulation in 8–12-year-old children and their caregivers.
Foster Care Youth Experiences
Community-Based ResearchMixed-methods participatory research exploring lived experiences of youth who graduated from foster care in Michigan.
Publications & Presentations(Google Scholar)
Selected Publications
Parent-child salivary cortisol synchrony in early childhood: A systematic review
Jain, M., Sokol, E., Freehling, E., Kamath, S., Lajiness-O’Neill, R., Staples, A. D., & Lawler, J. M. (2026).
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 184, 107693.
Telomere erosion and depressive symptoms across development
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2023
Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2025
Recent Presentations
Enhancing Parental Mind-Mindedness: The Michigan Model for Infant Mental Health Home Visiting
Poster presentation · World Association for Infant Mental Health 2026 World Congress, Toronto, ON, Canada
Teaching & Mentoring
Students Taught
Child Psychology & General Psychology courses
Students Mentored
Research projects & graduate applications
Mentorship Programs
NPSP & SCCAP programs
Grant Awards
Research Grant, EMU
Sep 2024
Lived Experiences of Foster Care Youth
Taylor Memorial Scholarship
2020-2021
Academic excellence award (discontinued)
Community Engagement
Commitment to Equity & Social Justice
I am dedicated to fostering an environment where all individuals—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, or background—are respected, valued, and supported.
Community Outreach Coordinator
Psychologists of Color at EMU - organizing events promoting DEI
Inclusive Clinical Practice
Culturally responsive care for underserved communities
DEI Representative
Doctoral Training Committee - advocating for diversity in education
Research with DEI Lens
Addressing systemic adversity and social determinants of health
Get in Touch
Feel free to reach out for collaboration, mentorship, or clinical inquiries