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Varshini Kakarla
Varshini has been a STEM Content Contributor at Research Girl since November 2024.
About
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Languages: English, Telugu
Varshini Kakarla has always had passion for the mind: in terms of why people are the way they are, and the biological processes behind it. This drove her passion towards mental health, and the diverse array of the mind-body relationship, in terms of numerous medical and health related intricacies. With this passion, Varshini pursued a B.S in Psychology as a Pre-med concentration at Georgia State University.
While at Georgia State University, Varshini was a part of a cognitive-behavioral psychology research lan (FEELINGs) lab; this lab focused on the parent-child relationship, in terms of social contexts of positive and negative empathy. She presented this work at the Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference. She was also a part of the Nia project, via Emory School of Medicine. This research project focused on women with trauma and depression, and therapy related interventional procedures.
She completed a mental health internship with Mental Health America of Georgia, and founded a local chapter of American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative at Georgia State University. Currently, she works as a Medical Assistant at Axion Spine and Neurosurgery where she assists with running the Physician’s clinic and helping in the surgery center.
Varshini’s love for the psychological and neurological mind, has brought her to new experiences and curiosity towards the psychosomatic interlinks of health and primary care and specialized care. As she continues to pursue an MD, specifically a pediatrician, she continues to dive into her passion of contributing towards psychological and physical intervention methods.
Selected Works:
1. Bunnell, J., Kakarla, V., Roberts, T., Buote, K., Farris, K., Tully, E. C., (To Be Presented: 2025, April). Relationship Between Children's Affective and Cognitive Empathy in Parent-Child Behavioral Dynamics. 71st Annual Convention of the Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA). Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
2. Kakarla, V., Vodovoz, S., Tully, E. C., McKee, L., (2024 April). (SHAPEJOY: A New Program that Teaches Parenting Strategies for Increasing Children’s Empathic Happiness) Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference. Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.