AT THE
Serving Couples, Families & Individuals
Supervisors
All clinical services are provided by graduate student therapists and supervised by senior clinical faculty of the Department of Family Science. Supervisors are experienced Couple & Family Therapists who bring a variety of theoretical approaches and a broad experiential base to the students.
Clinical Faculty Supervisors
Mariana K. Falconier, Ph.D. is a clinical fellow and approved supervisor in AAMFT and Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist in the states of Maryland and Virginia. She is a clinical fellow in AAMFT. Her special interests include diversity issues, stress and couples, immigration and financial stressors, emotion regulation, psycho-education programs. She is the developer of TOGETHER, a couples' program that integrates relationship and financial education. To learn more about Dr. Falconier visit the University of Maryland website.
Mariana K. Falconier Ph.D
Professor, Family Science
Director, Couple and Family Therapy Master's Program
Mona Mittal, Ph.D., is a clinical fellow and approved supervisor in AAMFT, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in NY. Her special interests include psychological trauma, intimate partner violence, and systemic interventions. To learn more about Dr. Mittal visit the University of Maryland website.
Mona Mittal, Ph.D
Associate Professor, Family Science
Amy A. Morgan, Ph.D., is a clinical fellow and approved supervisor in AAMFT and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the states of Washington, Maryland, and Virginia. Amy’s clinical interests include couples, parent-child relationships, trauma, family resilience, and family experiences with the criminal justice system. She is trained in a variety of evidence-based practices including EMDR, parent-child interaction therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy, among others. She strives to be trauma-informed in both her clinical practice, as well as interactions with students, trainees, and colleagues. To learn more about Dr. Morgan visit the University of Maryland website.
Amy A. Morgan, Ph.D
Assistant Professor, Family Science
Tiara Fennell, M.S. MFT, is a professional member and approved supervisor candidate in AAMFT and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the states of North Carolina and Maryland. Tiara's clinical interests include couples and families managing life transitions, anxiety, behavioral concerns, stress and general relationship issues. Tiara has been trained to use integrative therapeutic approaches, which include Narrative Therapy, Emotion-focused therapy, Solution-focused therapy, as well as many others. She strives to be trauma-informed and community centered in both her clinical practice, as well as interactions with students, trainees, and colleagues. To learn more about Ms. Fennell visit the University of Maryland website.
Tiara Fennell, M.S.
Assistant Professor, Family Science
Director, Center for Healthy Families
Clinical Supervisors
Sam is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over a decade of experience supporting children, adolescents, young adults, and adults through individual, couples, and family therapy. She provides teletherapy across five states, offering accessible and compassionate care grounded in trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and gender-affirming principles.
Her clinical approach is rooted in Narrative Therapy, where she helps clients re-author the stories they’ve been told or have internalized; shifting away from problem-saturated narratives toward those that highlight agency, resilience, and meaning. Sam is also a certified Intuitive Eating clinician, passionate about helping clients heal their relationship with food and body. She supports those struggling with disordered eating and body image issues through a non-diet, mind-body framework that promotes self-trust and body respect.
Samantha Congdon
M.S., LCMFT, Supervisor Trainee
Zachary Berman PhD, LCMFT is a Licensed Graduate Marriage and Family Therapist and AAMFT Approved Supervisor 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, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Emotion-focused Therapy (EFT). He often collaborates with clients on impromptu experiential exercises, utilizing a strengths-based stance to empower them to reach their goals.
Zachary Berman
Ph.D. LCMFT, CST
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 Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
Sabrina Cermeno
M.S., LCMFT
Christie 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.
Christie Chorbajian
M.S., LCMFT, DBT-C, Supervisor of Supervision
Vickye Hayter
Ph.D., LCMFT, Supervisor Trainee
Vickye is a licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist and a registered nurse with over 25 years of experience in health care. She is the founder and owner of a private practice in Kensington, MD, where she works with individuals, couples, and families from diverse backgrounds.
Grounded in a client-centered approach, Vickye integrates various evidence-based therapy models— including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and narrative therapy— to help clients navigate challenges related to anxiety, depression, life transitions, and trauma.
Her extensive health care background spans roles as a business consultant, public health nurse, health educator, and maternal-child health specialist in a variety of settings. This broad experience gives her a unique, systemic perspective on healthcare delivery and its impact on health outcomes.
Vickye earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Health Science from the University of Arkansas, a Master’s in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Maryland, and a PhD in Nursing from George Mason University. Her research focuses on trauma-informed care.
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’.
Stella Li
M.S., LCMFT, MMFT
Diana Mayer 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.
Diana Mayer
M.S., LCMFT
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.
Jannel Thomas
M.S., LMFT
