The Coping and Relationship Strengthening (CARES) Lab

Mariana K. Falconier (she/her)

Professor, Family Science
Director, Couple and Family Therapy Master's Program

Dr. Mariana Falconier is Director of the Couple and Family Therapy Master’s program at the University of Maryland. She completed her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and her doctoral degree in Family Studies at the University of Maryland. Previously, Dr. Falconier was an associate professor at the Virginia Tech MFT master’s program. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Maryland and Virginia and AAMFT approved supervisor. She has been seeing individuals, couples, and families since 1992, especially immigrant and Latine communities, and Her research focuses on how couples cope with chronic stress, particularly economic, immigration, medical, and minority stress in low-income, Black,  Latine, and LGBTQ+ relationships. She developed TOGETHER, a couples’ program integrating relationship and financial education, and federally funded for over $11 million, and culturally adapted for Latine immigrant couples and for LGBTQ+ relationships. She has taught several courses in the department, including FMSC 745 Gender and Ethnicity Issues in Family Service Delivery, FMSC 641 Couple Therapy, and FMSC 658 Supervised Clinical Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Lab Coordinator

Zeinab (Sarah) Azizi (she/her)

Sarah (Zeinab) Azizi is a doctoral candidate in Family Science at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the effect of stress on couple relationships, particularly among couples managing chronic diseases. She is also deeply interested in developing and evaluating relationship education interventions tailored to couples facing chronic health challenges. Sarah works as a research assistant with Dr. Mariana Falconier in the TOGETHER program, where she oversees data collection, manages data, and evaluates the program’s effectiveness. Her previous work includes adapting and pilot-testing a psychoeducational program for Iranian couples coping with cardiovascular disease. Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in Counseling and a master’s degree in Family Counseling from the University of Tehran. Her strong academic foundation, combined with clinical training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, informs her research and practice, emphasizing the importance of emotional connection in promoting health and well-being in couples. Contact: znbazizi@umd.edu

Graduate Students

Chidinma (Chichi) Nwankwo (she/her)

Chichi is a doctoral student in Family Science at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research explores how social and structural factors influence the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minority families, with a particular focus on the resilience of Black immigrant families. Chichi began her career as an early childhood educator for children ages 0–5, then pursued graduate studies in Maternal and Child Health. Her work since then has helped her understand the many factors that shape family health and well-being. Chichi also works part-time as an Advisory Services Analyst for Mathematica, where she provides programmatic support to several human service agencies. Chichi holds a B.S. in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.P.H in Maternal and Child Health from George Washington University.  Outside of work, Chichi enjoys going on long walks,  exploring new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with friends and family.

SD Murry (they/them)

SD Murry is a doctoral student in Family Science whose research focuses on mental health and substance use disorder treatment design, implementation, and evaluation for LGBTQIA+ people, especially for those with gender minority identities. SD is partnering with Dr. Mariana Falconier on the TOGETHER Program as a Research Assistant and works with Dr. Jessica Fish's Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Health Lab. Before beginning their doctoral studies, they worked as a licensed social worker for over 9 years, providing outpatient mental health treatment and substance use disorder treatment. SD is currently offering telehealth therapy to LGBTQIA+ community members with Chesapeake Behavioral Health, LLC, and is a board-certified supervisor for both mental health and substance use disorders. SD holds an A.A.S. in Human Services from Anne Arundel Community College, a B.S. in Social Work from UMBC, and an M.S. in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Contact: smurry1@umd.edu

Rebecca Foss (she/her)

Rebecca Foss is a Family Science doctoral candidate, whose research focuses on mental health and innovative communication and dissemination methods, particularly in the use of online interventions, social media, and transmedia storytelling. Rebecca has nearly two decades of experience in marketing and communications resulting in a working knowledge of multiple media executions and communication delivery methods. She aims to draw from her past experience and present research to transform public health communication using mixed-media methods based on what resonates most with specific populations. Rebecca has been involved in multiple capacities with the TOGETHER Program at UMD, including marketing and recruitment, research, data management, and case management. 

Heidi Huang (she/they)

Xu “Heidi” Huang (she/they) is a current master's student in the Couple and Family Therapy program at University of Maryland, College Park. Heidi’s main research interest is accessible therapy-informed educational programs, including relationship education programs like TOGETHER that serve diverse communities. With a PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior, Heidi also aspires to bridge research in neuroscience and therapy and develop neuro-education programs for practitioners. Outside of work, Heidi enjoys hanging out with friends and trying out new experiences.

Helen Romero (she/her)

Helen Romero (she/her) is a graduate student in the Couple and Family Therapy program at the University of Maryland, College Park. She hopes to work toward expanding access to mental health resources for minority communities, with an emphasis on culturally informed care. Through her work with the TOGETHER Program in marketing, data analysis, and workshop facilitation, Helen helps deliver relationship education that supports healthy partnerships in both English- and Spanish-speaking communities.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Camellia Kia (she/her)

Camellia Kia graduated from the Psychology program at the  University of Maryland, College Park, in May 2024. She joined the Coping and Relationship Strengthening (CARES) Lab to contribute to research and deepen her understanding of research methods. She is passionate about developing research that enhances couple and family well-being and supports community-centered interventions. She is eager to expand her skills in survey distribution, participant engagement, data collection, and data analysis. Camellia is currently applying to graduate programs in Social Psychology to advance her research on stress, coping, judgment, decision-making, and related psychological processes across diverse populations. In her free time, she usually works out, reads, and bakes sourdough bread.  

Kayla Fu (she/her)

Kayla Fu is a student at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Science in preparation to attend medical school. She has a strong passion for women's health and equitable access to care, and hopes to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology. As a research assistant with the Cares Lab, she supports data analysis for the TOGETHER program and other related projects. In her free time, Kayla enjoys baking, ballet dancing, volunteering, and spending time with her loved ones.

Maria Pascual (she/her)

Maria Pascual is a junior at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health, majoring in Family Science with a minor in Human Development. Her academic interests center on parenting styles, child advocacy, the impact of social media on youth and families, and strengthening healthy family dynamics. At the CARES Research Lab, Maria supports outreach and communications by developing media content and research materials that connect the lab’s work to the broader community. Outside the lab, she serves as a Nutrition and Health Instructor with Kids Kitchen Inc., a nonprofit devoted to nutrition education, activities, and resources to prevent obesity and promote healthy eating and exercise behaviors for children and their families in the DMV. Additionally, she works as a behavior technician at Within Me Therapy, providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to children with autism. She also serves as Mental Health Subcommittee Chair for the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC), where she promotes mental health awareness and campus resources. Maria aspires to become a culturally responsive child and family therapist, with a particular focus on supporting Filipino immigrant families, addressing generational trauma,  and destigmatizing mental health. 

Stina Chen (she/her) 

Stina Chen is an undergraduate student at the Public Health Science program at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is excited to learn about community engagement and its effects on underserved communities. She is also interested in learning more about the factors that contribute to strengthening these relationships within these communities. As an intern, she hopes to gain hands-on experience with new research techniques in the lab. Outside of school, she enjoys dancing, spending time with friends and family, and exploring new restaurants. 

CARES Lab Affiliates

Martha Yumiseva, PhD, Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland College Park

Alexandra Wojda-Burlij, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Mental Illness Research & Treatment

Jessica Fish, PhD, Professor, Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Jinhee Kim, PhD,  Associate Dean, Extension, University of Maryland College Park

Rabiatu Barrie, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Science, University of Maryland College Park 

Norman Epstein, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Department of Family Science, University of Maryland College Park (We honor the legacy of Dr. Epstein, whose leadership, mentorship, and commitment to this field continue to shape the spirit and work of this lab.)

International CARES Lab Affiliates

Dr. Diana Rivera, Faculty, School of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile

Dr. Gertrud Stadler, Professor, Institute Gender in Medicine Director, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

Nancy Yu, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Tamas Martos, PhD, Professor and Chair, Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Hungary.

Viola Sallay, PhD, Professor, Sigmund Freud Private University, Paris, France, and Associate Professor, Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Hungary.

* Graduate Student

• *Azizi, Z., Falconier, M. K., & Lachowicz, M. J. (2025). Evaluation of the online TOGETHER relationship and financial education program for couples. Family Relations.
• *Berman, Z. L., Mittal, M., Falconier, M. K., & Fish, J. N. (2025). Are we ready to serve? Couple and family therapists’ attitudes toward BDSM and their perceived competence to help BDSM practitioners. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2025.2507105
• Hou, J., Falconier, M. K., Tam, W., Cheung, M. W. L., Fu, R., Bu, H., & Yu, N. X. (2025). Dyadic coping and relationship satisfaction among couples with a chronic illness: A meta-analytical actor–partner interdependence model. Clinical Psychology Review, 102587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102587
• *Yumiseva, M., Falconier, M., & *Azizi, Z. (2025). Pilot test of JUNTOS EN PAREJA: Enhancing relationship and financial well‐being in Latine couples. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 51(1), e12752. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12752
• Falconier, M. K., Wojda-Burlij, A. K., & Conway, C. A. (2024). Dyadic coping moderates the association between economic strain and psychological distress in low-income couples. International Journal of Stress Management. https://doi.org/10.1037/str0000338
• Conway, C. A., Falconier, M. K., & Kim, J. (2024). The relationships among parents’ anxious and avoidant attachment, emotion dysregulation, and parenting. Contemporary Family Therapy, 46(3), 294-311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-023-09681-w
• Falconier, M. K., *Foss, R., Lachowicz, M. J., & Kim, J. (2023). Evaluation of the 14‐h together relationship and financial education program for couples. Personal Relationships, 30(2), 660-680.  https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12466
• Kim, J., Falconier, M. K., & Conway, C. A. (2023). Relationships among emotion regulation, financial self-efficacy, and financial management behaviors of couples. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 44(2), 342-355. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-022-09827-2
• Falconier, M. K., Wojda‐Burlij, A. K., Conway, C. A., & Kim, J. (2023). The role of emotion regulation in couples’ stress communication and dyadic coping responses. Stress and Health, 39(2), 309-322. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3186
• Randall, A. K., Donato, S., Neff, L. A., Totenhagen, C. J., Bodenmann, G., & Falconier, M. (2023). A scoping review on couples’ stress and coping literature: Recognizing the need for inclusivity. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(3), 812-855. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221101904
• Falconier, M. K., Kim, J., & Lachowicz, M. J. (2023). Together–A couples’ program integrating relationship and financial education: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(1), 333-359. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221118816
• Falconier, M. K., & Jackson, J. B. (2020). Economic strain and couple relationship functioning: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Stress Management, 27(4), 311.
• Falconier, M. K., Rusu, P. P., & Bodenmann, G. (2019). Initial validation of the dyadic coping inventory for financial stress. Stress and Health, 35(4), 367-381.  https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2862
• Bodenmann, G., Falconier, M. K., & Randall, A. K. (2019). Dyadic coping. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1498. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01498
• Escobar, J., Falconier, M., & Muruthi, B. (2019). ‘Se llevaron el padre de mis hijos’: Latina mothers coping with the deportation of their partner. Journal of family therapy, 41(2), 277-301. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6427.12227
• Falconier, M. K., & Kuhn, R. (2019). Dyadic coping in couples: A conceptual integration and a review of the empirical literature. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 571. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00571

Books and Book Chapters

• Epstein, N. B., & Falconier, M. K. (2024). Treatment Plans and Interventions in Couple Therapy. Guilford Publications.
• Falconier, M. K., & Epstein, N. B. (2019). Contingency Contracting in Couple and Family Therapy. In Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy (pp. 583-585). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
• Epstein, N. B., & Falconier, M. K. (2018). Communication training in couple and family therapy. In Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy (pp. 1-3). Springer, Cham.
• Epstein, N. B., & Falconier, M. K. (2017). Shame in couple relationships. In Foundations for Couples' Therapy (pp. 374-383). Routledge.
• Bodenmann, G., Randall, A. K., & Falconier, M. K. (2016). Coping in couples: the systemic transactional model (STM). In Couples coping with stress (pp. 5-22). Routledge.
• Falconier, M. K., Randall, A. K., & Bodenmann, G. (Eds.). (2016). Couples coping with stress: A cross-cultural perspective. Routledge.
• Falconier, M. K. (2016). Dyadic Coping in Latino Couples in the US. In Couples Coping with Stress (pp. 70-85). Routledge.
• Falconier, M. K., Randall, A. K., & Bodenmann, G. (2016). Cultural considerations in understanding dyadic coping across cultures. In Couples Coping with Stress (pp. 23-35). Routledge.
• Epstein, N. B., & Falconier, M. K. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral therapies for couples and families. In An introduction to marriage and family therapy (pp. 259-318). Routledge.

Graduate and undergraduate students interested in exploring stress and coping in relationships are encouraged to join the CARES lab. We offer both volunteer and credit-based research assistantship opportunities. To express your interest in joining, please complete this form. 

Prospective graduate students interested in collaborating with CARES Lab are encouraged to reach out at marianak@umd.edu.