Dr. Barbara Colombo, Ph.D. Director, Affect & Adaptation Lab (A² Lab)
Dr. Barbara Colombo is a cognitive and health psychologist and Core Faculty member in the Ph.D. in Applied Psychological Science program at Fielding Graduate University. Her work integrates neuropsychology, health psychology, and emotion science to explore how people regulate emotions, adapt to stress, and sustain wellbeing across the lifespan. She is particularly interested in understanding the neural and cognitive mechanisms of affective adaptation — how emotion regulation, self-compassion, and cognitive reserve influence resilience, health behaviors, and quality of life. Her research frequently bridges the gap between laboratory findings and applied interventions, including music-based, art-based, and self-compassion interventions for stress and burnout reduction. Dr. Colombo’s scholarly and clinical work is deeply interdisciplinary, combining experimental methods, psychophysiological measures, and applied health psychology frameworks. She is also the President of the Vermont Psychological Association and collaborates internationally with universities and clinicians on projects exploring cognitive reserve, wellbeing, and emotional regulation. In addition to her research, Dr. Colombo is passionate about mentoring doctoral students and fostering research that connects science with meaningful human experiences. Her teaching emphasizes scientific communication, applied methodology, and translational approaches that turn data into real-world wellbeing outcomes.
Mission and Research Areas
At the A² Lab, we investigate how affective and cognitive mechanisms shape psychological and physical wellbeing. Our interdisciplinary research bridges neuroscience, health psychology, and emotion science to answer questions such as:
How do emotion regulation strategies influence stress, pain, and health behaviors?
What neural and cognitive factors support resilience and adaptation?
How can self-compassion, cognitive reserve, and lifestyle factors promote thriving across the lifespan?
Our goal is to translate scientific knowledge into real-world applications that enhance wellbeing in individuals and communities.
Research Areas
Emotion regulation and health outcomes
Cognitive reserve and neuropsychological adaptability
Self-compassion, mindfulness, and resilience
Music and creative interventions for wellbeing
Psychophysiological correlates of stress and emotion
