Sin U Lam, MA

Sin U Lam

Undergraduate School
Peking University (China)

Graduate School
University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

 

Interests & Career Goals

As an international student from Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China, I am passionate about bridging the gaps of services for underrepresented populations (e.g., international students, immigrants, or individuals with cross-cultural backgrounds) through research, training, and clinical work. For my career, I aspire to continue to promote culturally sensitive and equitable practices through active engagement in clinical practice, supervision and training, and research within higher education settings.

Favorite Pastimes

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my guzheng (a traditional Chinese instrument) and my cat. I also enjoy traveling, spending time outdoor (e.g., camping, hiking, kayaking, swimming), painting, and having great food with friends.

Why I Chose Duke

I am attracted to Duke’s internship program for its breadth and depth of clinical training modalities and opportunities. This training philosophy allows me to strengthen my skillsets in comprehensive DBT and refine my clinical capacities as a multicultural and multilingual psychologist in an academic integrated care setting. I am excited to embrace my training in the CBT/DBT, ADHD, and Consultation & Brief Psychotherapy Clinic rotations!

Research Interests

I see research as a powerful tool for psychologists to continually educate ourselves: critically assess existing theories and knowledge while also advocating and driving efficacious interventions and policy changes within our field. Motivated by my identities as a BIPOC, multilingual, international, psychologist-in-training, my research program broadly focuses on a) exploring accessible contemporary interventions in the promotion of human well-being and b) cultivating culturally- and linguistically-inclusive supervision and training practices. Aside from mindfulness-based research, I am interested in topics related to cross-cultural psychology, training, and supervision, as well as the internationalization movement of clinical and counseling psychology.

Publications

  • Xie, Q., Dyer, R. L., Lam, S.U., Frye, C., Dahl C.J., Quanbeck A., Nahum-Shani I., Davidson R.J., Goldberg, S. B. (2023). Understanding the Implementation of Informal Meditation Practice in a Smartphone-Based Intervention: A Qualitative Analysis. Mindfulness, 15(2), 479–490. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02304-x
  • Lam, S.U*., Xie, Q*., & Goldberg, S. B. (2023). Situating Meditation Apps Within the Ecosystem of Meditation Practice: Population-Based Survey Study. JMIR Mental Health, 10, e43565. (*Co-first authors). https://doi.org/10.2196/43565
  • Lam, S.U, Riordan, K. M., Simonsson, O., Davidson, R. J., & Goldberg, S. B. (2023). Who Sticks with Meditation? Rates and Predictors of Persistence in a Population-based Sample in the USA. Mindfulness, 14(1), 66–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-02061-9
  • Riordan, K. M., MacCoon, D., Barrett, B., Rosenkranz, M., Chungyalpa, D., Lam, S.U., Davidson, R. J., Goldberg, S. B. (2022). Does meditation training impact environmental attitudes, environmental behaviors, and sustainable well-being? Results from a cross-sectional comparison and a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 101900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101900
  • Lam, S.U, Kirvin-Quamme, A., & Goldberg, S. B. (2022). Overall and Differential Attrition in Mindfulness-Based Interventions: a Meta-Analysis. Mindfulness, 13(11), 2676–2690. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01970-z
  • Jiwani, Z., Lam, S.U, Davidson, R. J., & Goldberg, S. B. (2022). Motivation for Meditation and Its Association with Meditation Practice in a National Sample of Internet Users. Mindfulness, 13(10), 2641–2651. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01985-6
  • Goldberg, S.B., Lam, S.U, Simonsson O., Torous, J., Sun, S. (2022). Mobile phone-based interventions for mental health: A systematic meta-review of 14 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. PLOS Digital Health. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000002
  • Goldberg, S. B., Lam, S.U, Britton, W. B., & Davidson, R. J. (2021). Prevalence of meditation-related adverse effects in a population-based sample in the United States. Psychotherapy Research, 32(3), 291–305. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2021.1933646

Manuscript under Review

  • Lam, S.U., Goldberg, S.B., Xie, Q., Kim, S., Hsu, W., Xu, H. (2024). Two Sides of One Coin: Reconceptualizing the Challenges of International Student Therapists in the United States from a Dialectical Perspective. The Counseling Psychologist. Manuscript under review.

Manuscripts in Progress

  • Lam, S.U., Gao, S., Caroline, S., Hoyt, W., Goldberg, S.B. (2024). The Crossover Effects of Mindfulness in Couple Relationships. Manuscript in preparation.
  • Lam, S.U., Gaus, Hinojosa, Hsu, W., G., Graham, S., Goldberg, S. B. (2024). The Decision-Making Process and Barriers of Multilingual Training at APA Training Sites: Perspectives from Administrators. Manuscript in preparation.
  • Lam, S.U., Gaus, Hinojosa, Hsu, W., G., Graham, S., Goldberg, S. B. (2024). Exploring Multilingual Training Opportunities and Strategies among U.S. Psychology Training Clinics and University Counseling Centers. Manuscript in preparation.
  • Jiwani, Z., Lam, S.U., Dyer, R., Walsh, T., Davidson, R., Goldberg, S.B. (2024). 'I found myself connected and mindful': A Qualitative Exploration of BIPOC Students’ Experiences in a Human Flourishing Class. Manuscript in preparation.

Academic Presentations

  • Lam, S.U., Gao, S., Swords, C., Hoyt, W., Goldberg, S. B. (2024, June). The Crossover Effects of Mindfulness in Couple Relationships. In Goldberg, S. B. (Chair), In Client, therapist, and relational predictors and processes of psychotherapy: A closer examination of therapeutic skills, interpersonal factors, and personalization. Panel conducted at the international annual meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research in Ottawa, Canada. 
  • Lam, S.U., Gaus, Hinojosa, G., Hsu, W., Graham, S., Goldberg, S. B. (2024, August). Utilizing Multilingual Supervision and Training to Address Global Mental Health Crisis: A Qualitative Study. Poster conducted at the international annual meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research in Ottawa, Canada. 
  • Lam, S.U., Hsu, W., Gaus, Hinojosa, G., Graham, S., Goldberg, S. B. (2024, August). Sharing Training Director’s Voices: Issues of Multilingual Supervision and Training in the United States. Presentation at the annual national conference American Psychological Association Conference, Seattle, WA.
  • Lam, S.U., Hsu, W., Gaus, Hinojosa, G., Graham, S., Goldberg, S. B. (2023, August). Critical Conversation: Exploring Multilingual Training Opportunities among APA Training Sites. Presentation at the annual national conference American Psychological Association Conference, Washington, D.C.
  • Lam, S.U., Hsu, W., Kim, S., Xu, H., Goldberg, S. B. (2023, August). Reconceptualizing the Challenges of International Student Therapists in the US: From A Dialectical Perspective. Poster presentation at the annual national conference American Psychological Association Conference, Washington, D.C.
  • Lam, S.U., Goldberg, S. B., Kim, S., Hsu, W., Xu, H. (2023, June). Reconceptualizing the Challenges of International Student Therapists in the US: From A Dialectical Perspective. Poster presentation at the international annual meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research in Dublin, Ireland. 
  • Lam, S.U. (2023, March). Cultivating A Successful Training Environment for Future International Scholars in the US. Roundtable presentation conducted at the 2023 EPS Conference: Social Justice and Education. In Madison, WI.
  • Lam, S.U., Xie Q., Goldberg, S. B. (2023, February). Situating meditation apps within the ecosystem of meditation practice: A population-based survey study in the United States. Panel conducted at the International Society of Contemplative Research (ISCR) conference in San Diego, CA. 
  • Gaus, Hinojosa, G*., Rivera, N.*, Lam, S.U., Deole, G., Ramirez-Stege, A., Graham, S., Quintana, S. (August 2022). Linguistic Hegemony in US Psychology: Demand for increased linguistically sensitive training and services. Critical Conversation presented at the American Psychological Association Convention, Minneapolis, MN (*co-authors). Contributed from an International Student Trainee Perspective.
  • Lam, S.U., Quintana, S.S., Goldberg, S.B. (2022, August). International Student Therapists in the US: Their Strengths, Challenges, and Training Needs. Award Poster presented at the annual national conference American Psychological Association Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Lam, S.U., Sun, S., Simonsson O., Torous J., Goldberg, S. B. (2022, August). Mobile phone-based interventions for mental health: A systematic meta-review of 14 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Poster presentation at the annual national conference American Psychological Association Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Lam, S.U., Goldberg, S.B. (2022, July). Who Sticks with Meditation Practice? Correlates of Meditation Practice Persistence in a Population-based Sample in the United States. In Goldberg, S. B. (Chair), Meditation as Psychological Intervention. Panel conducted at the international annual meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research meeting in Denver, CO. 
  • Goldberg, S.B., Lam, S.U., Britton, W.B., & Davidson R. J. (2022, July). Prevalence of meditation-related adverse effects in a population-based sample in the United States. In J. Rosendahl (Chair), Negative effects and adverse events in psychotherapy: The bad and the ugly. Panel conducted at the Society for Psychotherapy Research meeting in Denver, CO. 
  • Lam, S.U., Simonsson O., Sun, S., Goldberg, S. B. (2022, June). Mobile phone-based interventions for mental health: A systematic meta-review of 14 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Poster presentation at the Society for Digital Mental Health Annual Meeting. Online.
  • Lam, S.U., Xie Q., Goldberg, S. B. (2022, June). Assessing the Relationship between Perceived Barriers of Meditation, Exposure to Meditation Teacher, and Meditation Practice. Poster presentation at the Mind and Life Summer Research Institute 2022. Online.
  • Lam, S.U. (2021, Jun 8). Prevalence of meditation-related adverse effects in a population-based sample. Poster presentation at the Mind and Life Summer Research Institute 2021. Online.
  • Lam, S.U. (2020, Dec 9). Personality disorder? Case conceptualization using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Clinical presentation at the Counseling Psychology Training Clinic at UW-Madison, Madison, WI.
  • Lam, S.U., Kirvin-Quamme, A., & Goldberg, S. B. (2020, November). Attrition in mindfulness-based interventions. Poster presentation at the Mind and Life Contemplative Research Conference, Madison, WI.
  • Lam, S.U., & Lee, K.C (2020, August). Note, Know, Choose: A treatment protocol based on Buddhist teachings. Poster presentation at the annual national conference American Psychological Association Conference, Washington D.C.
  • Lam, S.U. (2018, May). The interaction of facial expressions and gaze in social anxiety. Oral presentation conducted at the annual conference of Academic Psychology Conference for Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland college students, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
  • Lam, S.U. (2017, May). Why are you single: the relationship attribution scale for Chinese college students. Oral presentation conducted at the annual conference of Academic Psychology Conference for Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland college students, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Invited Talks

  • Lam, S.U. (2024, March). Focus Group for International Students in APA programs. Facilitator of the focus group at AAPA Division on International Students & Professionals. Online.
  • Lam, S.U. (2022, May). Cultivating a Mental Wellbeing Lifestyle under the Pandemic. Invited speaker for Chinese college students at Shenzhen University, China. Online.
  • Lam, S.U., Xie, Q. (2022, April). Mindfulness and Stress Reduction. Outreach presentation for the Chinese Student Scholar Association (CSSA) at UW-Madison. Online.
  • Lam, S.U., Glenn, H. (2021, November). What is Counseling Psychology? Invited Graduate Panel for the Chinese Psychelogos Association at UW-Madison, WI.
  • Lam, S.U., Matsui, A.C., Hsu, W. (2021, November). How to Take care of yourself when facing racism and bias. Outreach presentation for the UW University Health Service and the Chinese Student Scholar Association (CSSA) at UW-Madison. Online.
  • Lotta, C.C., Glenn, H., Lam, S.U. (2021, October). Academic Talk: The Ins and Outs of Counseling Psychology. Invited speaker for the Chinese Psychelogos Association at UW-Madison, Madison, WI
  • Lam, S.U. (2020, November). Cultivate a mindful lifestyle for tolerating emotional distress under COVID. Invited speaker for the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) at UW-Madison, Madison, WI.       
  • Lam, S.U. (2020, May). Self-care under the COVID pandemic. Invited speaker for the Mental Health Scholars Talk Series at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Invited Guest Lectures

  • Lam, S.U. (2024, April). Issues of Transference and Countertransference in Clinical Relationships. UW-Madison, Madison, WI
  • Lam, S.U. (2023, October). Working with Immigrants and Newcomers in the US. UW-Madison, Madison, WI
  • Lam, S.U. (2023, October). Building Therapeutic Relationships Through Empathy and Validation. UW-Madison, Madison, WI
  • Lam, S.U. (2022, May). Cultivating a Mental Wellbeing Lifestyle under the Pandemic. UW-Madison, Madison, WI
  • Lam, S.U. (2022, March). Multicultural Orientation Skills in Group Therapy Setting. UW-Madison, Madison, WI
  • Lam, S.U. (2021, November). Things to Consider when Working with Immigrants and Newcomers in the Clinical Setting. UW-Madison, Madison, WI
  • Lam, S.U. (2021, October). Diversity Dialogue: Reflect on Our Bias. UW-Madison, Madison, WI