Stemming from her experience as an independently licensed trauma therapist, Russell specializes in research focused on the potential for healing and growth from the harmful effects of childhood adversity, prevention and intervention program development, and evaluation of existing programming. Much of her work has focused on adolescent dating violence (ADV), intimate partner violence (IPV), and other forms of youth interpersonal violence, including the evaluation of existing violence intervention programs using community-based participatory action research (CBPAR). Her ultimate research goal is to inform the development of healing-centered intervention programming to foster resilient developmental trajectories for youth and young adults.