Restoration Psychology Institute™
Advancing the Science of Restoration
The Restoration Psychology Institute advances the scientific study of restoration following adversity. Building upon established scholarship in positive psychology, resilience, trauma, developmental psychology, and related areas of psychological science, the Institute explores the psychological, relational, and environmental processes that support movement toward restoration and human flourishing.
Research Areas
Current Research Agenda
The Restoration Psychology Institute is actively advancing a growing program of scholarship focused on understanding the processes through which individuals move from adversity toward restoration and human flourishing. Current research priorities include theory development, conceptual integration, assessment development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the translation of research into educational and practical application across diverse settings.
Foundational Research
The scholarly foundation of the Restoration Psychology Institute began with Dr. Shannon Imhof-Clark's doctoral research examining caregiving experiences, adversity, and resilience during late adolescence. While this initial work focused on a specific developmental context, it established the foundation for a broader program of scholarship exploring the psychological, relational, and environmental processes through which individuals move from adversity toward restoration and human flourishing.
Publications
The Restoration Psychology Institute is committed to advancing Restoration Psychology® through scholarly publications, conference presentations, and ongoing research. As the Institute grows, this section will feature peer-reviewed publications, conceptual papers, educational resources, and other scholarly contributions that support the scientific study of restoration.
Research Collaboration
The Restoration Psychology Institute welcomes opportunities for scholarly collaboration with researchers, educators, graduate students, clinicians, and organizations interested in advancing the scientific study of restoration. Collaborative efforts may include interdisciplinary research, conference presentations, scholarly publications, assessment development, validation studies, and other initiatives that contribute to the continued development of Restoration Psychology®.
Research Questions
The Restoration Psychology Institute is committed to exploring questions that deepen our understanding of restoration following adversity. These guiding questions shape the Institute's ongoing scholarship and help inform future research, theory development, assessment development, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• How do individuals move from adversity toward restoration and human flourishing?
• What psychological, relational, and environmental processes contribute to restoration?
• How can restoration be understood, measured, and intentionally cultivated?
• How do restorative processes differ across developmental stages, life experiences, and diverse populations?
• How can Restoration Psychology® inform research, education, leadership, human services, and professional practice?
• What conditions best support long-term restoration and sustained human flourishing?