Tara Signs

Contact Information

Tara Signs

College: JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences

Department: Social & Psychological Sciences

tsigns@nu.edu

(866)776-0331


Education

Texas Woman's University - PHD - Family Therapy
Tara Signs is an associate professor in the department of marriage and family therapy at National University. With extensive experience in systemic couple and family therapy, she plays a key role in the department as clinical faculty, where she supports the academic community by mentoring and supervising student therapists. In addition to her teaching and clinical supervision responsibilities, she also serves as a faculty mentor, offering guidance to part-time faculty and their students. Tara Signs received her PhD from Texas Woman’s University, where she was recognized for her academic excellence as the sole college recipient of the Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award. Her dissertation work earned her the 2017 Dissertation Award from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), highlighting her significant contributions to the field. Over the years, she has been dedicated to fostering the development of future therapists, offering critical feedback and evaluations in both classroom and clinical settings. Before joining National University full-time, she served for six years as the clinical director of the marriage and family therapy program at Oklahoma Baptist University, where she also taught and supervised clinical master students. During her tenure, she collaborated with a colleague to successfully secure a grant to establish a community mental health clinic within the department, which provided much-needed services to individuals and families in the local community. As a clinician at heart, Tara's research focuses on demonstrating the important connections between family relationships and health, with an emphasis on evidence-based care. She has published her findings in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals and presented at multiple state and national conferences. Recently, she secured a contract with Routledge to publish a book that explores a systemic approach to helping parents heal from trauma and develop healthy family relationships. Her work has made significant contributions to the field of marriage and family therapy, and she continues to engage in research that informs and improves clinical practices. In her current role at National University, Tara provides clinical supervision to Master’s students and engages supervisees in experiential and meaningful ways to enhance their clinical competencies, with a focus on interprofessional collaboration and evidence-based, biopsychosocial care. Through her dedication to mentoring and her commitment to fostering a supportive and dynamic learning environment, she strives to equip her students with the skills and confidence needed to excel in their professional careers and contribute meaningfully to the field of marriage and family therapy.

Memberships

  • American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Oklahoma Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Publications

  • Tara Signs. (January 01, 2022). Historical Overview of Family Systems Theory.

  • Signs, T.L, & Woods, S.B.. (January 01, 2020). Linking family and intimate partner relationships to chronic pain: An application of the Biobehavioral Family Model..

  • Tara Signs. (January 01, 2020). Rivers of Grief: The Ripple Effects of Loss & Grief. In S. B. Woods & C. Cornwell (Eds.)Case studies in couple & family therapy: Through the lens of early career professionals..

  • Woods, S.B., Priest, J. B., Kuhn, V., & Signs, T.L.. (January 01, 2019). Close relationships as a contributor to chronic pain pathogenesis: Predicting pain etiology and persistence..

  • Woods, S.B., Priest, J.B., Signs, T.L., & Maier, C.A.. (January 01, 2019). In sickness and in health: A longitudinal of the actor-partner effects of physical health, depression, and marital distress..

  • Tara Signs. (January 06, 2015). ALS: The uninvited family member. Retrieved from http://www.cfha.net/blogpost/753286/205930/ALS-The-Uninvited-Family-Member.

  • Priest, J.B., Woods, S.B., Maier, C.A., Parker, E., & Roush, T.L.. (January 01, 2015). The Biobehavioral Family Model: Close relationships and allostatic load..

  • Tara Signs. (January 01, 2015). The art of letter writing in medical family therapy..

  • Woods, S.B., Priest, J. B., & Roush, T.L.. (January 01, 2014). The Biobehavioral Family Model: Testing social support as an additional exogenous variable..