Walker Ladd
Walker
Ladd
Department Chair
- Biography
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Dr. Walker Ladd has been a faculty member at Saybrook University since 2018 and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Research. Previously a professional modern dancer with a BA and MFA in dance from UCLA, Walker returned to school to receive an MA in clinical psychology from Antioch University Seattle. She practiced as a Couples and Family Therapist and earned her Ph.D. in psychology from Sofia University/Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.
Her award-winning book "Transformed by Postpartum Depression: Women's Stories of Trauma and Growth" (Praeclarus, 2020) was based on her grounded theory study of the trauma and nature of untreated perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and subsequent posttraumatic growth for 25 women. She has researched the stigma of mental illness for new mothers with bipolar disorder (Ladd, 2018) and the meaning of postpartum depression for women in later life (Ladd, 2021). She co-published a hermeneutic phenomenological study regarding the experience of postpartum anxiety during COVID-19 (Ladd & DeDecker, 2022). She most recently conducted a constructivist grounded theory regarding the experience of compassion for birth doulas practicing in hospitals (DeDecker & Ladd, 2024). She is currently working on a study with Dr. DeDecker regarding the lived experience of provider-recommended induction for nulliparous women over 35. Together with Dr. DeDecker, Walker serves as the co-facilitator of the Saybrook University Maternal Mental Health Professional Learning Community.
She teaches advanced qualitative research methods, including hermeneutic phenomenology, narrative inquiry, autoethnography, heuristic inquiry, constructivist and Straussian grounded theory, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).
Dr. Ladd was awarded the Saybrook Faculty Excellence Award (22-23). In December 2023, Walker completed a postgraduate certificate training in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from Cornell University. She is currently pursuing an Ed.M. in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Graduate School of Education, Policy, and Leadership.
Her most recent contribution to Saybrook University is the advancement of the Specialization in Teaching and Advanced Research (STAR). Launching in Fall 2025, this 15.0-credit specialization will serve students in any program interested in pursuing academic careers in higher education.
Walker has two amazingly talented adult children and lives with her dog, Miss Trixie, in Mobile, Alabama.
- Areas of Expertise
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Area Expertise Child & Adolescent Development Cognitive Development Teratogens Clinical Psychology / Mental Health Anxiety Disorders Anxiety Disorders Mood Affective Disorders / Suicide Trauma/PTSD Cultural Issues Diversity Diversity Issues Gender Issues Identity Development Oppression Racism Sexism Mood Disorders Bipolar Disorder Depression Dysthymia Psychology Clinical Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Humanistic Psychology Marriage and Family Transpersonal Psychology PTSD/Trauma Posttraumatic Growth Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Research Design/Methodology Grounded Theory Heuristic Research Phenomenology Qualitative Inquiry - Education History
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Degree Institution Year BA UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 1989 MFA UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 1994 MA Antioch University, Seattle, WA 2000 PhD Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, CA 2013 Postgraduate Certificate - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Cornell University, New York 2024 EdM University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign current - Professional Memberships
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Role Organization Member International Marce Society of Perinatal Mental Health - Community Involvement
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Role Organization Facilitator Maternal Mental Health Professional Learning Community - Media Exposure
- Curriculum Vitae
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Download 
- Research
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See publications.
- Publications
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Book Ladd, W. (2020). Transformed by Postpartum Depression: Women's Stories of Trauma and Growth. San Antonio, TX: Praeclarus Press.
Journal Ladd, W. & DeDecker, J. (2022). The lived experience of postpartum anxiety during COVID-19: A The Lived Experience of Postpartum Anxiety During COVID-19: a hermeneutic phenomenological study. The Qualitative Report, 27 (7), 1316-1340.
Ladd, W. (2021). Remembering postpartum depression in later life: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. The Qualitative Report, 26 (4), 1291-1308.
Ladd, W. (2018). "Born out of fear": a grounded theory study of the stigma of bipolar disorder for new mothers. The Qualitative Report, 23 (9), 2081-2104.
Karraa, W., & McCaslin, M. (). Karraa, W., & McCaslin, M. (2015). Published: A grounded theory of successful publication for midcareer scholars. The Qualitative Report, 20 (8), 1332 - 1340.
- Professional Skills
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maternal health, maternal mental health, curriculum development, stigma of mental illness, qualitative research, PTSD, DEI, philosophy, pedagogy, dissertation committees, doctoral studies, developmental psychology, feminist theory
