Welcome to the Targeting Health disparities through Research, Innovation, and Equity (THRIVE) Lab!

The THRIVE Lab is co-directed by Cynthia M. Navarro Flores, Ph.D. and Alejandro L. Vázquez, Ph.D. The THRIVE Lab is comprised of graduate students in the Counseling Psychology doctoral program and undergraduate students in the Department of Psychology & Neurosciece at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The lab focuses on (a) improving access to mental health services, (b) identifying youth at-risk for developing mental health problems following exposure to adversity, (c) understanding mechanism of resilience after trauma exposure, and (d) leveraging community strengths to promote the wellbeing of marginalized youths and families.

Lab Focus

Mental Health Disparities

Marginalized Youth and Families

Latinx/Spanish-Speaking Families

Service Utilization

Adversity/Trauma

Resilience

Advanced Statistical Methods

Advocacy

Lab News!

September 2025

We will be reviewing Applications for Fall 2026 Admission to the counseling psychology Phd program at UTK!

Drs. Cynthia Navarro Flores and Alejandro Vázquez will be reviewing applications for Fall 2026 admission to the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Program at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). Please see the flyer below for more information. Application due December 1st, 2025.

We will also be holding virtual information sessions for the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Program at UTK on October 1 and November 7. Please join us to learn more about the program. See the flyers below for details about the program, our lab, and registration information for the virtual sessions.

Application: https://tiny.utk.edu/psycapply

UTK Counseling Psychology PhD Program Virtual Information Session Registration Links

Oct 1, 2025 01:00 PM EST: https://tennesseehipaa.zoom.us/meeting/register/48SCH43ORJeA6Ju14iDkXw#/registration
Nov 7, 2025 03:00 PM EST: https://tennesseehipaa.zoom.us/meeting/register/mvKg5Bg_RPSUPLDQw0LDSA#/registration

AUgust 2025

Welcome to the new grad students in the THRIVE Lab: Araceli and Roberto!

The THRIVE @ Tennessee is excited to have Araceli Garcia and Roberto Obregon Garcia joining the lab and the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program this fall :).

July 2025

Welcome to the World Sofía Vázquez Navarro (The First Lab Baby!)

Drs. Navarro Flores and Vázquez welcome their daughter Sofía Gabriela Vázquez Navarro on 07/23/2025.

October 2024

National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA) Conference 2024

Drs. Navarro Flores and Vázquez, and Shari Linares attend and present at the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA) conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

September 2024

UT Grand Challenge Grants Awarded

Dr. Navarro Flores receives type 1 grant award ($100,000) for research study conducted with Drs. Ji Youn Yoo (PI, College of Nursing), Kristen Ravi (Co-PI, College of Social Work), Anujit Sarkar (Co-PI, College of Nursing), and Hyunhee Kim (Co-PI, Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling).

Study: Machine Learning Approach to Studying the Intersection of SDoH, Physiological Psychological Well-being, and Academic Performance, and Subsequent Holistic Intervention Development (TennWell) https://grandchallenges.tennessee.edu/2024-ut-grants/awarded-and-advancing/

AUgust 2024

THRIVE Joins the Latinx Immigrant Health Alliance

Drs. Navarro Flores and Vázquez are excited to announce that they have joined the Latinx Immigrant Health Alliance (LIHA), which is a group of Latinx scholars collaborating to advance research, policy, and effective interventions to improve immigrant mental health and inform effective policy. More information on LIHA can be found through the following link: https://www.latinximmigranthealthalliance.org/

Welcome to the new grad students in the THRIVE Lab: Jimena and Shari!

The THRIVE @ Tennessee is excited to have Jimena Mendoza and Shari Linares joining the lab and the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program this fall :).

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