Eric Crawford
Credentials: WCER Fellow
Eric L. Crawford is a third-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology Department and graduate research assistant in the Thomas Youth Resilience Lab
(https://thomaslab.sohe.wisc.edu/). He completed his foundational and advanced clinical training in a community mental health setting, primarily working with young children and families experiencing trauma in individual and group counseling.
Additionally, Eric has provided consultation and training to educators, school administrators, and parents on topics related to the impact of trauma, child development, and positive intervention.
Before attending UW, Eric studied Psychology at Morehouse College and received a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Mercer University. Prior to beginning his Ph.D., Eric spent five years counseling primarily African American males and families. Eric’s research interests have evolved to include curiosity about the existential concerns of children and the application of existential psychotherapy in child therapy. More broadly he is interested understanding the promotive ability of parents/parenting, especially in Black communities; the role of emotional and racial socialization processes in psychosocial adjustment, focusing on Black male development; and normalizing conversations about mental health, emotions, and
traumatic experiences in African American families/communities. He received an Education Graduate Research Scholars (Ed-GRS) Fellowship and Wisconsin Center for Education Research Fellowship to support his education and research.
Proudly, Eric is married with two kids, loves discovering new things, and equally enjoys meeting new people and spending time alone.
Awards
2024 Dr. Jennifer Olson Mandel Scholarship
Publications
2023 Thomas, A., Jing, M., Chen, H. Y., & Crawford, E. L. (2023). Taking the good with the bad?:Social Media and Online Racial Discrimination Influences on Psychological and
Academic Functioning in Black and Hispanic Youth. Journal of youth and adolescence,
52(2), 245–257. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/10.1007/s10964-022-01689-z
Research
2022-2024 Co-producer, with Dr. Alvin Thomas. The Black Fatherhood Podcast. Ethnic Youth and Resiliency Lab, University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Human Ecology.