Deep Structure in New York (DeStiNY) Lab

The central focus of the DeStiNY lab is human nature, its development, and diagnosis, assessment, and intervention practices in psychotherapy. We understand all of these constructs through the lens of dynamic complex systems neural functions and the emergent neuropsychology that results; this provides a means to relate the human experience with all the natural systems in which it plays out.

While we work on a wide range of topics, a key advantage of the deep structural framework is that it enables us to integrate, augment, and unify across our different areas of interest. We are based in the Counseling and Human Development Department at the University of Rochester.

Lab Members

Aikman, Ingrid (Inga)

Ed.D. Counseling Program

With a background as a flight attendant herself, Inga is currently studying the impact of psychogeographic perceptions caused by layovers on flight attendants' basic psychological needs, self-determination, and well-being.

Boxell, Oliver

Assistant Professor of Counseling and Human Development

Oliver is Principal Investigator of the DeStiNY Lab and focuses on the theoretical and empirical development of deep structure theory and the deep structure psychotherapy model. He is interested in the interfaces between deep structure, biopsychosocial systems, and emergent technological applications. For more information, visit oliverboxell.com.

de la Fuente, Elisa Rose Marie

M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program

Elisa is interested in psychotherapeutic intervention for familial trauma and stress. With a background in cognitive neuropsychology, she is interested in how the family system impacts cognitive development.

Ding, Ye

Ph.D. Counseling Program

Ye investigates challenging clinical practice issues pertaining to cross-cultural counseling, counselor professional development, and client resistance. The aim of her research is to optimize clinical processes.

Esperance, Todd

Ph.D. Counseling Program

Todd conducts research on extrinsic and intrinsic factors that predict well-being among mental health counselors.

Hallman, Ryan

M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program

With a background in the tech industry, Ryan is particularly interested in how software and AI can be leveraged to improve mental health outcomes. He is also interested in group therapy as a modality, exploring how community based collaborative therapeutic environments can enhance individual and collective well-being.

Huang, Yang

Ph.D. Counseling Program

Yang is interested in the cross-cultural application of counseling theories and the underlying mechanisms that contribute to counseling effectiveness across diverse populations, particularly from a neurobiological perspective. She is also interested in how these factors influence counselors' sustainability and motivation, with the goal of promoting long-term well-being and professional fulfillment in the field.

Kannan, Rishika

M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program

Rishika is interested in the gut-brain axis and how mental disorders can be connected to the microbiome and physical health. She is curious about the role of attachment in the emergence of maladaptive traits and how emotional regulation can be used clinically.

Ojuro, Wiljar

Ph.D. Counseling Program

Wiljar's research focuses on the impact of intergenerational trauma and family system resilience factors in the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. She hopes this work can inform targeted clinical interventions.

Realbuto, Evan

M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program

Evan is interested in emotion regulation, parental accommodation, advancing therapeutic modalities for grief, and exploring how diet and exercise can augment psychotherapy outcomes.

Sullivan, Ashley

M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program

Ashley is interested in understanding the effects of our modern-day society on mental health from a deep structural and evolutionary perspective. She is focused on psychotherapy modalities that can be used to treat the root of mental disorder.

Wang, Kaixin (Amber)

M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program

Amber is interested in how early relational experiences shape attachment patterns and contribute to complex post-traumatic stress disorder. She focuses on how attachment theory combined with trauma-informed approaches can support the formation of secure attachment in this population. Currently, Amber is working on longitudinal functionality survival for patients discharged from an intensive inpatient unit.

Weiss, Abigail

M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program

Abigail is interested in the intersection of psychology and philosophy in counseling with a focus on trauma, emotion processing, motivation, and the development of meaning.

Xu, Longchuan

Ph.D. Counseling Program

Chuan is interested in studying the process of change, especially from neurological and psychological perspectives. He focuses on how community activities contribute to and/or damage mental wellness, and his work uses mixed-methods approaches.

Lab publications

Boxell, O. (2025). Deep Structure Psychotherapy. In B. Owens & K. Campbell (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Mental Health Modalities, Trainings, Certifications, and Credentials. Tucson, AZ: ONBLLC Publications.

Roth, A., de la Fuente, E. R. M., & Boxell, O. (2025). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs): Neurobehavioral, families-moving-forward program, and other interventions. In B. Owens & K. Campbell (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Mental Health Modalities, Trainings, Certifications, and Credentials. Tucson, AZ: ONBLLC Publications.