Saint Louis University (SLU)
I am a marriage and family researcher-practitioner specializing in translational research on the intergenerational transmission of trauma. My work centers on understanding how the effects of trauma are passed down within family systems through complex mechanisms, often intertwined with social inequalities. Specifically, I investigate the psychosocial and biological pathways—such as epigenetics, intergenerational emotional processes, and maladaptive family dynamics—through which trauma and stress are transmitted across generations. Guided by a biopsychosocial framework, my goal is to uncover systemic mechanisms underlying the transmission of adversity and to inform the development of effective, systemic clinical interventions.