About
Dr. Franz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Licensed Psychologist in the state of Maryland. She joined the UMBC faculty in 2021 after receiving her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her research focuses on (1) understanding the effects of PTSD and trauma-related distress on survivors’ family relationships, and (2) identifying and promoting sources of strength and resilience among individuals coping with trauma-related distress.
Research interests
The overarching aims of Dr. Franz’s research are to (1) understand the effects of PTSD and trauma-related psychopathology on survivors’ family relationships, particularly intimate partner and parent-child relationships, and (2) reinforce and strengthen family support networks to aid in the prevention and treatment of trauma-related psychopathology and comorbid family dysfunction. Dr. Franz is particularly interested in examining emotional and behavioral patterns as they unfold on a moment-to-moment basis among trauma-exposed families, with the ultimate goal of targeting these processes in interventions to help families thrive.
Teaching interests
Dr. Franz teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate level for the Psychology Department at UMBC. These courses focus on the etiology, course, and treatment of psychological disorders, designing and critically evaluating psychological research, and developing clinical skills to treat mental health problems. Dr. Franz also provides clinical supervision to doctoral students seeing clients in the UMBC Psychology Clinic.
Undergraduate-Level
Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 285)
Graduate-Level
Research Methods in Psychology (PSYC 710)
Clinical Interventions II (PSYC 623)
Clinical Supervision of doctoral students
Education
- Postdoc, Traumatic Stress Disorders — Boston University School of Medicine (2020)
- Ph D, Clinical Psychology — University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2019)
- MA, Clinical Psychology — University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2015)
- BA, Psychology — Boston University (2010)