Faculty, Supervisors and Staff: MS, Couple and Family Therapy

Program Director

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

View Dr. Falconier's CV.

Dr. Mariana Falconier (she/her) is a Professor in the Department of Family Science and has been the CFT Program Director since May 2020, a year after joining the University of Maryland, College Park. She completed her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) and her doctoral degree in the same department. Before joining the University of Maryland, she was an Associate Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, serving first as Director of the Center for Family Services (2008-2016) and later as Director of the Master's Program in Marriage and Family Therapy (2017-2019). She has also served as director of outpatient mental health clinics at Washington Assessment and Therapy Services and Vesta, Inc. before joining Virginia Tech. Dr. Falconier, originally from Argentina, is a licensed psychologist in her home country and a licensed MFT both Maryland and Virginia. She has worked as a therapist for over 30 years and currently maintains a small private practice. Her clinical work in the U.S. has been dedicated to Latinx individuals, couples, and families and immigrants over a wide range of issues. Dr. Falconier has been an approved supervisor by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy since 2007. She holds a master’s degree in teaching and has been an educator since 1989. She has taught in several universities’ courses on developmental psychology, multicultural and diversity issues in MFT, couple therapy, and MFT theories and techniques, particularly postmodern approaches. Her research focuses on how couples cope with stress, primarily economic stress among low-income couples and immigration stress in Latinx couples. She has developed the evidence-based program TOGETHER, designed to help couples improve their communication, coping, and financial management skills and that has received federal funding of over $11 million dollars. Dr. Falconier has made a linguistic and cultural adaptation of the TOGETHER program for Latinx couples and has also led the adaptation of the program for LGBTQ+ couples, which she is currently pilot-testing and evaluating with Dr. Jessica Fish. These programs have enrolled over 1,300 couples, primarily low-income Black/African American and Latinx. Dr. Falconier’s work for these programs has been recognized in 2021 as recipient of the Excellence in Professional/Clinical Practice Award from the National Council for Family Relations (NCFR) and the George F. Kramer Practitioner of the Year Award from UMD School of Public Health. Dr. Falconier is also leading a research project on the Emotional Map of the Home with colleagues from the University of Szeged. Dr. Falconier has published and presented nationally and internationally, including an invitation to present on families’ stress and coping for Pope Francis and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences at the Vatican City. She is the leading editor of the book Couples Coping with Stress: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (2016), recipient of the 2018 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award and co-author of the book Treatment Plans and Interventions in Couple Therapy: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach (in press). She has been involved in multiple international collaborations with colleagues in Switzerland, Rumania, Italy, Hungary, Argentina, Pakistan, Hong Kong, and Chile among others and has served as editor of international journals. She is a member of COAMFTE Standards Review Committee.

Education and Training

2005    Ph.D., Family Studies     
            Department of Family Studies, University of Maryland, College Park 

2002    M.S., Marriage and Family Therapy 
            Department of Family Studies, University of Maryland, College Park 

1994    National Professor of English 
            Superior National Institute of Professorship Dr. J. V. Gonzalez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1992    Licenciate in Psychology (equivalent to MA in Psychology) 
            School of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Courses

• FMSC 641 - Couples Therapy: Theory and Techniques
• FMSC 658 - Supervised Clinical Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy
• FMSC 745 - Gender and Ethnicity in Family Therapy and Service Delivery

Tiara Fennell, M.S., LMFT

Assistant Professor, Family Science
Director, Center for Healthy Families

View Tiara Fennell's CV.

Tiara Fennell (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Couple and Family Therapy in the Department of Family Science in University of Maryland’s School of Public Health and the Clinic Director for the Center for Healthy Families. She is a PhD candidate in the Human Development and Family Science: Marriage and Family Therapy from Virginia Tech, and has received her master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern University. As a scholar, Tiara is engaged in  research focusing on the experiences of burnout for community mental health clinicians and developing clinical trainings to support African American families in therapy. More specifically, Tiara's research aims to apply a systemic focus to these different clinical areas in order to develop interventions that can better support clinicians and improve the quality of mental health care for all. Tiara Fennell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and an AAMFT-approved clinical supervisor candidate. 

Education and Training

M.S., Marriage and Family Therapy, Northwestern University
Ph.D. Candidate, Human Development and Family Science: Marriage and Family Therapy, Virginia Tech
 

Courses

• FMSC 640 Family Therapy: Theory and Techniques
• FMSC 642 Normal and Abnormal Individual and Family Development
• FMSC 658 Supervised Clinical Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy
• FMSC 485 Introduction to Family Therapy

Mona Mittal, PhD
Associate Professor, Family Science

View Dr. Mittal's CV.

Mona Mittal (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas Tech University and a Masters in Clinical Investigation from the University of Rochester. As a clinical researcher, Dr. Mittal is engaged in prevention and intervention research aimed at improving the health outcomes of women with experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). Her research interests include the physical, emotional, and sexual health of women with a specific focus on psychological trauma, interruption of the intergenerational cycle of violence, and physiological mechanisms linking IPV and adverse health outcomes across the lifespan. She is the recipient of a K01 Research Scientist Career Development Award funded by NIMH aimed at developing and testing an integrated HIV-IPV risk reduction intervention for women with experiences of IPV. Most recently, she has received NIH funding to extend the focus of her research to include couples. In her new project, Dr. Mittal is addressing the synergistic interactions between substance use, violence, and HIV/AIDS (SAVA syndemic) that have been closely linked with HIV acquisition in the African American population.

Education and Training

M.A., Clinical Investigation, University of Rochester Medical Center, 2014
Ph.D., Marriage and Family Therapy, Texas Tech University, 2002
M.A., Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS),1998
B.S., Home Science, Lady Irwin College, Delhi University, 1996

Courses

• FMSC 432 Adult Development and Aging in Families 
• FMSC 610 Research Methods in Family Science
• FMSC 651 Psychopathology in the Family Context
• FMSC 658 Supervised Clinical Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy

Amy Morgan, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Family Science

View Dr. Morgan's CV.

Dr. Amy Morgan (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Couple and Family Therapy in the Department of Family Science in University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. She also serves as a supervisor for our current CFT students in The Center for Healthy Families. She received her PhD in Human Development and Family Science: Marriage and Family Therapy from Virginia Tech, and a master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of New Hampshire. As a scholar, Dr. Morgan is engaged in family science research focusing on the health, well-being, and resilience of families experiencing parental incarceration. In particular, Dr. Morgan’s research agenda seeks to understand factors that promote family resilience during parental incarceration in order to develop supportive interventions for formerly incarcerated individuals and their families. Most recently, Dr. Morgan was awarded grant funding from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Research and Education Foundation to investigate resilience processes after incarceration. Dr. Morgan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and an AAMFT-approved clinical supervisor. Dr. Morgan is also heavily involved in policy work, advancing research that explores mental healthcare policy and serving as a statewide legislative policy leader for organizations including AAMFT and the National Council for Behavioral Health. 

Education and Training

Ph.D., Human Development and Family Science: Marriage and Family Therapy, Virginia Tech, 2020 
M.S., Human Development and Family Science: Marriage and Family Therapy, University of New Hampshire, 2012
B.A., Psychology, University of New Hampshire, 2010

Courses

• FMSC 330 - Family Theories & Patterns
• FMSC 340 - Mental Health and Healing in Families
• FMSC 610 - Research Methods in Family Science
• FMSC 651 - Treatment of Emotional and Mental Disorders in Family Systems
• FMSC 658 - Supervised Clinical Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy

Adjunct Faculty 

Alex Chan, PhD is a Family and Consumer Sciences Specialist for the University of Maryland Extension. He brings specialized knowledge and real-world experience in the fields of mental health, family relations, and adolescent development. His current work is focused in the following areas:

Farm Stress Management - Addressing mental health among the agricultural community. Statewide collaboration between UME's Family & Consumer Sciences Program and UME's Agriculture and Food Systems Program

Maryland Reinforcing Overdose Prevention through Training and Advocacy - Coordinating education and outreach efforts across the state related to the opioid crisis

Relationship Education - Implementing youth- and adult-focused, evidence-based programs designed to build healthy relationship skills

Prior to taking on the FCS Specialist role, Alex worked as the 4-H Youth Development Agent for Prince George's County, where he gained a reputation for his work promoting healthy dating and relationship behaviors for adolescents. He holds master's and doctoral degrees in Human Development and Family Studies from Auburn University. Alex is also a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in the District of Columbia and Maryland, where he maintains an active clinical practice outside of his work with UME. 

Émilie Ellis, PhD, LMFT, is a couple and family therapist and instructor in the couple and family therapy. A graduate of the doctoral program in human development with emphasis in couple and family therapy at the University of Georgia, Dr. Ellis specializes in working with sexual and gender minority individuals, couples, and families with traumatic stress. Dr. Ellis’s research on related topics can be found in American Psychologist, Journal of Homosexuality, and Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma. 

Jasmine Ferrill, PhD (she/her) is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor in AAMFT and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, and Illinois. Dr. Ferrill owns a virtual private practice where she provides culturally attuned services to couples and individuals employing evidence-based, systemic, and integrative approaches. She also serves as a supervisor for our current CFT students in The Center for Healthy Families. She is a graduate of Hampton University, Northwestern University, and Florida State University. 

Erica R. Turner, MS (she/her) is the Associate Clinical Director in the Virginia Tech Marriage and Family Therapy Program in Falls Church, VA. Ms. Turner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and an AAMFT Supervisor Candidate. She supervises therapist interns in the Center for Family Services, the program’s onsite clinic, and also provides supervision for interns in offsite placements. Her clinical interests include working with couples who want to improve their connection and communication; adults who want to heal from highly difficult or abusive relationships; and providing tools to children and adults to manage anxiety. Ms. Turner is the owner of a private psychotherapy practice in Northern Virginia. She is passionate about advancing the mental health field and increasing public engagement in mental health and relationship topics. To that end, she is the co-founder of Therapy is Not a Dirty Word, an events and advocacy program that works to bridge the gap between therapists and the public. Ms. Turner lives in Washington, DC with her husband, their two cats, and their dog. 

Adjunct Faculty / Clinical Supervisors

Zachary Berman, MS, LCMFT, CST (he/him) is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist, a certified sex therapist by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, and AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidate who sees clients in Bethesda, MD as a member of a private group practice. After working for five years as a rehabilitation counselor supporting clients with severe mental illness diagnoses in a community mental health setting, Zack graduated from the University of Maryland's Couple and Family Therapy program and is currently completing his Ph.D. in the Department of Family Science. His clinical interests center on couple and sex therapy and he has extensive experience working with clientele in LGBTQ+, consensually non-monogamous, and kink communities. Zack's preferred models are Bowen Family Systems, Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Couple Therapy. He often collaborates with clients on impromptu experiential exercises, utilizing a strengths-based stance to empower them to reach their goals.

Diana Mayer, MS, LCMFT (she/her) is an AAMFT Clinical Fellow and supervisor candidate with over twenty years of experience working with children and families. Diana owns a private practice in Bethesda, MD where she specializes in childhood and adolescence anxiety and depression, parenting, and acculturation. She also works for the World Bank Counseling Unit. Diana’s preferred models are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative, and Structural Family Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology in Venezuela, and her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy by the University of Rochester, NY.

Liann Seiter, MS, LCMFT (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Maryland and District of Columbia who works with clients in private practice. She is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and an AAMFT supervisor candidate. She also serves as a supervisor for our current CFT students in The Center for Healthy Families. Ms. Seiter received a bachelor’s degree in marriage, family, and human development from Brigham Young University (BYU) a master’s degree in Sociology from BYU, and a master’s degree in couples and family therapy from the University of Maryland at College Park. Ms. Seiter is also trained as a massage therapist, yoga teacher, and birth doula. She enjoys working with children, adolescents, and emerging adults struggling with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, and grief. 

Clinical Supervisors 

Sabrina Cermeno, (she/her), is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist in MD and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidate. Sabrina graduated from UMD’s CFT program in 2021 and fondly remembers her time there. Sabrina has worked in private practice in Bethesda, as well as group therapy workshops in various MCPS schools through Identity. Sabrina is passionate about working with recently arrived immigrant youth and families, the BIPOC community, and the LGBTQ+ community in English and Spanish. Sabrina specializes in attachment-based interventions,  life transitions, acculturation, trauma, anxiety, and couples counseling. Sabrina enjoys using a strengths-based approach, narrative, experiential, and EFT.  

Christie Chorbajian, LCMFT, DBT-C (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT) who has 10 years experience working with individuals, children, and families in English and in Spanish. She is a Clinical Fellow, an AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidate, and Board Approved Supervisor. She is also certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Christie has extensive experience providing community-based mental health services and has recently transitioned into private practice. She is the former Director of the State's first Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program to be offered to clients with Medical Assistance. Christie is especially interested in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a means of incorporating values into one's everyday life. Christie strives for a genuine relationship with Colleagues, and Supervisees through the use of direct communication and transparency. Christie hopes to assist Supervisees in seeing the growth within themselves, feeling confident in their clinical skills, and promoting culturally sensitive treatment to clients.

Stella Li, MMFT, LCMFT (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidate in Maryland. Stella graduated from Converse College’s Marriage and Family Therapy program; she has experience collaborating with co-therapists in high school, carceral, and community clinic settings. Stella currently works with individuals and couples in a private practice. Her areas of interests include neurodivergence, LGBTQ+ populations, and deconstructing dominant narratives that negatively impact relationships. Stella enjoys using experiential and narrative models to help clients identify the ‘shoulds’ in their lives, and shift their focus to ‘wants' and 'needs’.

Jannel Thomas, MS, LCMFT, (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist, an AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidate, and a Board Approved Supervisor. She completed her studies at the University of Maryland-College Park with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and Family Science and a Master of Science degree in Couples and Family Therapy. Jannel currently sees children, adolescents, and families at a local behavioral health clinic in Montgomery County, Maryland. Jannel also sees clients in Columbia, MD as a member of a private group practice. Her clinical interests include anxiety, grief, depression, infidelity, couples’ communication, emotion regulation, and working with those in the LGBTQ+ community. Jannel’s preferred models are cognitive behavioral therapy and emotion focused therapy, but will use a collaborative, strengths-based approach to help clients achieve their goals and overcome challenges.

Staff

Sarah Walker (she/her) is the Program Administrative Specialist for the MS, Couple and Family Therapy program and The Center for Healthy Families clinic at the University of Maryland, College Park. She holds a Master's degree in Psychology from Purdue University Global, a Bachelor's degree in Journalism/Communication from Ole Miss, and an Associate's degree from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. She began her career in higher education administration in 2017 and is passionate about student success. She is a native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and enjoys reading, board games, and traveling with her spouse, her teenager, and her dog.

Please contact scwalk@umd.edu with any questions about the program.