Trained as a social psychologist, her primary research is in the area of couple and family resilience, relational models of adaptation to chronic illness and the application of strengths based interventions to improve Quality of Life. Previous research has included couple adjustment to a breast cancer diagnosis and a ten year follow-up that demonstrated areas of continuity in adjustment styles. She is currently conducting a pilot study examining the life stories of mid-life couples and is seeking funding for her "Resilient Partners" group, a four week intervention designed to promote couple coping when one partner has a chronic illness.