Jaclyn Cravens Pickens

Jaclyn Cravens Pickens, Ph.D., LMFT, is an Associate Professor and the Master's Program Director for the Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy (CMFT) program in the Department of Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences at Texas Tech University’s College of Human Sciences. She is actively involved in teaching and research focused on the integration of technology in therapeutic practice and intimate relationships.

• Position: Associate Professor & CMFT Master's Program Director
• Institution: Texas Tech University
• College: College of Human Sciences
• Department: Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences
• Email: Jaclyn.Cravens@ttu.edu
• Office: 166G, Phone: (806) 834-2705

Dr. Pickens’ research centers on technology’s role in intimate relationships and telemental health, including the impact of digital devices on family dynamics (‘technoference’), teletherapy training, and ethical considerations in online therapy. She teaches courses such as Practicing CMFT in the Digital Age and Couples and Sex Therapy, reflecting her expertise in modern clinical challenges.

Her scholarly work spans journals like Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Contemporary Family Therapy, and Computers in Human Behavior. The publications reveal a consistent focus on digital-age clinical practice, including virtual counseling strategies, technology-related conflict in relationships, trauma-informed approaches, and the experiences of marginalized populations such as sex trafficking survivors and bisexual individuals. Many publications include student co-authors, indicating active mentorship.

Scientific contributions include:

• Research on teletherapy implementation and training gaps in CMFT programs
• Studies on technoference and its impact on parenting and marital satisfaction
• Exploration of victim-blaming in social media discourse on domestic violence
• Phenomenological research on human sex trafficking and bi-invisibility
• Book chapters on medical family therapy, family of origin, and sexuality and religion

Dr. Pickens mentors numerous graduate and undergraduate students, as noted in her publications. She has contributed to professional discourse through invited articles in Family Therapy Magazine and has no listed grants in the provided text. She is not part of a named lab or research team, but her work suggests leadership in advancing digital competence in family therapy education.