UMass Boston

Anxiety Disorders, Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments, Mindfulness and Acceptance

PhD, Pennsylvania State University

• Eustis, E.H., Hayes-Skelton, S. A., Orsillo, S. M., & Roemer, L. (2018). Surviving and Thriving During Stress: A randomized clinical trial comparing a brief web-based therapist assisted acceptance-based behavioral intervention versus waitlist control for college students. Behavior Therapy. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2018.05.009
• Roemer, L., Suyemoto, K. L., Rollins, L. G., & Abdullah, T. (2017, January). Strategies to counter the stress of racist experiences. Retrieved from https://www.anxiety.org/strategies-to-counter-the-anxiety-stress-of-racist-experiences.
• Eustis, E.H., Hayes-Skelton, S. A., Roemer, L., & Orsillo, S.M. (2016). Reductions in experiential avoidance as a mediator of change in symptom outcome and quality of life in acceptance-based behavior therapy and applied relaxation for generalized anxiety disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 87, 188-195. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.09.012
• Fuchs, C. H., West Rollock, L. M., Graham, J. R., Kalill, K. S., Morgan, L. P. K., Hayes-Skelton, S. A., Orsillo, S. M., & Roemer, L. (2016). Reactions to an acceptance-based behavior therapy for GAD: Giving voice to the experiences of clients from marginalized backgrounds. Cognitive Behavioral Practice, 23, 473-484. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2015.09.004
• Orsillo, S. M., & Roemer, L. (2016). Worry less, live more: The mindful way through anxiety workbook. New York: Guilford Press.
• Roemer, L., & Orsillo, S. M. (2014). An acceptance-based behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. In D. H. Barlow (Ed). Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment manual, 5th edition (pp. 206-236). New York: Guilford Press.
• Orsillo, S. M., & Roemer, L. (2011). The mindful way through anxiety: Break free of worry and reclaim your life. New York: The Guilford Press.

Research Website: Click to Visit

Dr. Roemer's research focuses on how people understand, react to, and cope with intense emotional reactions in ways that either promote or inhibit their well-being. She explores this in the context of stress and anxiety disorders, and, with her doctoral students, she explores the relevance of cultural and contextual factors in these phenomena, with a focus on helping people thrive in the face of discrimination and racism.  In collaboration with Dr. Sue Orsillo, Dr. Roemer has developed an acceptance-based behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder that incorporates mindfulness-based  strategies.  Her recent work in this area focuses on adaptations of this intervention, health promotion, and prevention and intervention efforts with people from marginalized and underserved backgrounds, as well as dissemination and training.

Undergraduate: Psychological Trauma, Abnormal Psychology
Graduate: Research Methods in Clinical Psychology, Cognitive-behavioral theory and therapy, Practicum I, Practicum II