Her Ph.D. is in Clinical Psychology. Early in her career, she worked as a ward aide and then as a social worker in the state hospital in Nebraska. After attaining her Ph.D., she worked as a psychologist in the Alcohol and Drug Dependency Department at CIGNA Health Plan. During this time, she completed a two volume work on alcoholism. Having been intrigued by the connections between mind and body, she pursued a Masters in Biology (Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry) while on faculty at Georgia State. Much of her class work and laboratory experience was focused on Immunology. She has published various papers on the links between behavior, disease, and immune system function as well as on the efficacy of antidepressants. Littrell writes on research updates related to medications, diagnoses, ways to support natural resilience, and various trends in the mental health field.