Sejal Mehta Barden

Dr. Sejal Mehta Barden is a Professor in the Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology at the University of Central Florida (UCF), and Executive Director of the UCF Marriage and Family Research Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with a minor in Educational Research Methodology, and master’s and specialist degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Florida.

Her research focuses on culturally sensitive interventions for underserved populations, including low-income couples, Latino families, and cancer survivors. She investigates relationship education programs, health interventions for chronically ill individuals, and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on mental and relational health. Dr. Barden is Principal Investigator of Project Harmony (federally funded grant 90FM0078-01-00), a randomized controlled trial evaluating relationship education for economically disadvantaged couples.

Key areas of expertise include counselor education, multicultural competence, and translational research in health disparities. She has authored over 35 peer-reviewed publications and actively engages in service roles such as program development for community partnerships and policy advocacy in family wellness.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Counseling and Education Development (UNC Greensboro)
  • Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy (University of Florida)
  • M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy (University of Florida)
• Current Roles:
  • Executive Director, UCF Marriage and Family Research Institute
  • Professor, Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology
• Grants:
  • Project Harmony (5-year NIH grant): Testing relationship education for low-income couples
• Labs/Teams:
  • Marriage and Family Research Institute (UCF)
  • Cultural Adaptation Research Team