Jessica Cerniak

Dr. Jessica Cerniak serves as an Associate Professor in the Master of Arts in Psychology Department at The Chicago School, where she has taught for over 17 years since joining in 2006. A licensed clinical psychologist, she specializes in online and on-campus instruction across clinical psychology, child development, and family therapy, drawing from extensive clinical experience with diverse child and adolescent populations.

Education:

• Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Denver
• M.A. in Clinical Psychology, University of Denver
• M.A. in Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Marriage & Family Therapy, Pepperdine University
• B.A. in Psychology & Communication Studies, University of Michigan

Research Focus: Dr. Cerniak's work bridges clinical practice and pedagogical innovation, with emphasis on cross-cultural child development, trauma-informed family therapy, and diversity integration in psychology education. Her expertise spans developmental psychology, family systems theory, and trauma psychology, informed by specialized certificates in maternal mental health and global education.

Publication Trends: Recent works (2016-2023) demonstrate consistent focus on psychology education innovation, particularly online teaching methodologies, diversity incorporation across curricula, and student development frameworks. Her publications reveal strong thematic continuity in applying clinical expertise to pedagogical challenges.

Professional Contributions:

• Editor-in-Chief of e-books for Society for Teaching of Psychology (APA Division 2)
• Consulting Editor for APA's Teaching of Psychology journal
• Co-Chair and Voting Member, County Maternal/Child/Adolescent Health Advisory Board
• Faculty Mentor for Society for Teaching of Psychology and University of Michigan alumni network

Community Engagement: Dr. Cerniak actively mentors undergraduate/graduate students and new faculty while volunteering in local school reading programs. Her professional service includes designing frameworks for managing student self-disclosure in online courses and presenting at international conferences on psychology education.