Lauren Forrest, PhD

Lauren Forrest, PhD

Assistant Professor

University of Oregon

The Forrest Lab

My lab is dedicated to determining how suicide and eating disorders can be effectively predicted, treated, and prevented. We do this work because suicide and eating disorders are devastating. They affect millions of people worldwide. We don’t know enough about why or how these problems develop and how to best treat or prevent them.

My lab works to answer questions like: Which groups, subgroups, and individual people will attempt suicide or develop an eating disorder? What causes a specific person’s risk to increase at a specific moment in time, and why? Suicide and eating disorders are incredibly complex problems. Two people might develop the same outcome, but through two very different paths. Because of this complexity, much of my work uses advanced quantitative methods. The ultimate goal of my lab’s work is to contribute to efforts that lead to suicide and eating disorder interventions that are more effective for more people.

Much of the lab’s current research is dedicated to studying suicide and eating disorders within the LGBTQIA+ community. LGBTQIA+ people have high rates of suicide and eating disorders, yet are rarely included in research studies. Not including LGBTQIA+ people in research studies means that there are major questions that need answered to better prevent and treat suicide and eating disorders in LGBTQIA+ people. The lab’s research works to answer these questions. We believe that more effective prevention and treatment of suicide and eating disorders in LGBTQIA+ people would contribute to more effective prevention and treatment of these problems for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

I will NOT be reviewing clinical psychology PhD applications for Fall 2026 admission. However, the 2026 Applicants section contains info on applying to clinical psych PhD programs in general, which may be applicable beyond my lab.

Interests
  • Eating disorders
  • Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
  • Applying advanced quantitative methods to clinical science
  • Intersectionality
Education
  • PhD in Clinical Psychology, 2020

    Miami University

  • Predoctoral Clinical Internship, 2020

    Yale School of Medicine

  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology, 2012

    University of Utah

Research Overview

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Transdiagnostic risk factors

Transdiagnostic risk factors

Interoception, multifinality

Comorbidity

Comorbidity

Eating disorders & suicide, transdiagnostic approaches

Inequities and disparities

Inequities and disparities

Risk processes for suicide and eating disorders across levels of influence

Machine learning and data-driven models

Machine learning and data-driven models

What does the data tell us about eating disorders?

Network models

Network models

Network models of eating disorders

Current Projects

Systematic review of short-term predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors

Systematic review of short-term predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors

This review summarizes the results of >140 studies investigating factors that predict suicidal thoughts and behaviors in the short-term.

Acute, person-specific suicide risk processes in rural sexual minority adults

Acute, person-specific suicide risk processes in rural sexual minority adults

Group-level, subgroup-level, and individual-level acute suicide risk processes

Advanced quantitative methods and eating disorders

Advanced quantitative methods and eating disorders

Complex stats for complex eating disorder outcomes

Research Team

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Ayla Gioia

Ayla Gioia

Clinical psychology PhD student, Hofstra University

Marley Billman Miller

Marley Billman Miller

Clinical psychology PhD student, Auburn University

Sarah Hauryski

Sarah Hauryski

Psychology PhD student, University of Minnesota

Devon Peterkin, MA

Devon Peterkin, MA

Clinical psychology PhD student

TBD

Research coordinator

2026 Applicants



I am NOT accepting a clinical psychology PhD student to begin at the University of Oregon in Fall 2026 (meaning I will not review applications that are submitted 12/2025).

This section contains important info for prospective students potentially interested in joning the lab. Start at the bottom and work your way up. For information on the University of Oregon’s APA- and PCSAS-accredited clinical psychology PhD program, click here.

Best of luck with the application process, and I genuinely look forward to reviewing your application!

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A core assumption in dialectical behavior therapy is that we are all doing the best we can and yet “people need to do better, try harder, and be more motivated for change” (Linehan, 2015). This dialectical perspective summarizes my approach to incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into my research, teaching, and mentoring.

I am committed to studying and preventing suicidal thoughts and behaviors and eating disorders among minoritized groups (particularly LGBTQIA+ groups through an intersectional lens), with the goal of reducing suicide and eating disorder inequities. I am committed to creating partnerships with people with lived experience of suicide and eating disorders, to ensure that the research I’m leading is aligned with the needs of the communities I’m intending to serve.

This work is more important now than ever before. My team is continuing our work, and we are not stopping.

In my teaching and mentoring, I am committed to participating in and facilitating discussions about privilege, power, and oppression. I am further committed to translating conversations into actions to be better allies.

Diverse perspectives benefit the entire field of psychological science. As such, I believe that the field of psychology as a whole must do better to ensure the training of individuals with identities that have been historically excluded from the field (e.g., BIPOC, LGBTQIA+).

I am committed to always being the best ally I can, and always learning and practicing to be better.

Resources

There is always help available. The resources below are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Dates refer to the date each resource was confirmed/updated.
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Crisis Text Line
Trevor Lifeline (for LGBTQIA+ folks)
Trans Lifeline

Lab Pets

I am a proud mom to two senior pups. They are the loves of my life and a major source of my daily positive emotions. Click on the pictures to learn more about each pup.

I commit to regularly updating this page with students’ pets, because who doesn’t need more pictures of cute animals in their lives?!

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Echo

Echo

Hilarious, diva-licious pit bull-bulldog mix

Jax

Jax

Our three-legged guy who came so far

Mac

Mac

My soul dog