Dr. van der Laat holds a BA from Florida State University with a double major in psychology and music. She also holds MS and PhD degrees in clinical psychology from Purdue University. Dr. van der Laat’s research interests include personality assessment in individuals with psychopathology. Dr. van der Laat has been teaching at FSU Panama since 2006. Since 2010 she has been working on developing a Wellness Office devoted to the promotion of the physical and psychological well being among members of the FSU Panamá community.