Meet the new faculty in the College of Psychology and Counseling
Learn more about the new faculty members in the College of Psychology and Counseling!
FDU: Other than your academic work, what sparks your curiosity?
Lauren Lipner: Part of what drew me to psychology in general is being curious about how people think, especially when that thinking is different from my own. In particular, I find myself drawn to the extremes that our thoughts can bring us to. In the most serious sense, I am curious about how difference in opinion has led to our current polarized political landscape, how different religions function to bring us a sense of purpose, and how similar experiences can result in many different pathways. Less seriously, I find things like conspiracy theories and true crime fascinating, in much the same way. Even less seriously, I love trying to understand how different TV show characters set in the same world, reacting to the same stimuli, respond in such different ways (“The Walking Dead” is a favorite for this). All of this to say, I guess I love to think about how people think!
FDU: What bucket list item do you most want to check off in the next year?
LL: I welcomed my first baby, a son named Theo Drew, this past May. As a result, when I think about what I hope to accomplish this year, much of it revolves around him! A few things at the top of this list:transitioning him to solid foods, teaching him to talk, and getting him to sleep through the night. Aside from baby-related items, I hope to publish the last few results from my dissertation, which focused on different ways to identify ruptures in the therapeutic alliance. I feel strongly that this work would be beneficial for researchers and clinicians alike, and I hope to get it out there soon!
FDU: What brought you to FDU?
LL: The clinical psychology Ph.D. program at FDU offers a unique balance between top-notch clinical training and cutting-edge research mentorship. I am someone who does not look at research and clinical work as two separate entities. As someone who develops new research ideas from challenging clinical work, and who applies research findings to future clinical sessions, I view research and clinical work as mutually informative. This value is squarely reflected in the training model at FDU, and I couldn’t imagine a better fit! It doesn’t hurt that my husband also works as a professor at FDU.
FDU: What do you see as the most pressing issue facing our world today?
Sarah Schaaf: As a psychologist, I’m especially concerned about mental health and community well-being. When people feel alienated or devalued, it reinforces cycles of mistrust and isolation. I believe that addressing this requires intentional efforts to foster dialogue, empathy, and inclusion, creating spaces where people feel seen and valued, even when their experiences or beliefs differ.
FDU: What is your favorite film or television series, and why?
SS: I don’t think I have a single favorite, but in line with the forensic psychologist cliché, I do enjoy true crime documentaries. That said, the genre has become a bit oversaturated and, at times, overly sensationalized. I still appreciate the well-crafted documentaries that focus on the human and systemic complexities behind each case rather than those that rely on pure shock value.
FDU: What brought you to FDU?
SS: That’s a bit of a longer story. I came to FDU as an international student from Germany to complete my PhD in clinical psychology. I initially came to the United States to complete a research internship for my forensic psychology master’s thesis in Europe, ended up applying for PhD programs and got accepted at FDU. I started teaching at FDU as a doctoral student and continued teaching as an adjunct in the Clinical Forensic Psychology MA program after graduation. When the opportunity arose to become full-time faculty in the program, I jumped at it and am excited to continue my academic path here. The program is quite unique — smaller class sizes allow for in-depth discussion and knowledge exchange with students, which I find very rewarding.