Julie Boydston recently joined the faculty in the department of psychology and the staff in the Psychological Services clinic at Washburn University.

Boydston began her role as lecturer in the department of psychology in August of 2013. She came to Washburn University from Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center in Lawrence, Kan., where she was a research and staff psychologist.

Boydston spent her childhood in both Kansas and Texas. She was born in Kansas but spent most of her childhood in Texas because her father was in the armed forces. Her family moved back to Emporia when she before she started college. She moved back to Texas to receive a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She then went on to receive her M.A. and doctorate of philosophy degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Her work history includes several positions at a community mental health center. She worked as a research and staff psychologist and also as a child and family services team leader at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center for more than 14 years. She also worked at the University of Kansas, where she supervised doctoral level students in their practicums in the clinical psychology department.

Her research interests include cognitive assessment and ADHD assessment. Boydston is especially interested in how ADHD presents itself specifically in college students.

Boydston was hired to teach abnormal psychology and cognitive assessment classes at Washburn. She hopes to be able to teach other psychology courses in the future. In addition to her teaching duties, she was also hired to assist in supervising the Psychological Services clinic. In this position, she specifically supervises master’s degree level students when they are administering ADHD and learning disability assessments. She is assisted in this position by graduate teaching assistants who help her in supervising the students as they administer these assessments.

Boydston resides in Lawrence, Kan. with her husband and two children, ages 8 and 10. Having children has been an experience for her that has really helped her to be able to relate to clients better, since she has been able to learn firsthand what they go through when they have children and are raising a family.

Boydston has found working at Washburn enjoyable so far.

“I have really liked it,” said Boydston. “I have enjoyed teaching the classes I have been assigned to teach. I also enjoy teaching and training professionals to work in the field.”