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Biography

Dr. Sarah Grace Frary is an Assistant Professor of Psychology with a background in Applied Community Psychology and Clinical Psychology Practice. Dr. Frary's interests include supporting the well-being of communities facing social and health-related stigma through community-engaged research and engagement with influential community institutions, including faith communities, cultural collectives, and advocacy organizations.<br><br>Dr. Frary received their MA and Ph.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Frary has served as a mental health clinician within integrated care systems and hospital settings serving adults living with HIV, people who use drugs, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Dr. Frary completed her doctoral internship at the Maine VA Healthcare System, with focused training in the Maine Moral Injury Syndrome Treatment & Training Center, health psychology, and geriatrics and extended care.<br><br>A native of Southwest Virginia, serving an Appalachian institution is one of the great privileges in Dr. Frary’s life. When not at the McKee Clinic or teaching, you can find them hiking or backpacking, birdwatching, or at live music events.

Education

• MA, University of South Carolina-Columbia
• BS, College of William And Mary

Teaching Interests

Dr. Frary teaches undergraduate coursework in introductory psychology, psychopathology and resilience science, and community psychology, and teaches clinical psychotherapy practice coursework to MA and PsyD student clinicians. Dr. Frary’s teaching interests include biopsychosocial understandings of substance use, psychology of religion and spirituality, qualitative research methodology and philosophy of science, and integrative, culturally-informed psychotherapy practice.

Research Interests

Dr. Frary’s research includes a focus on developing holistic health promotion interventions supporting well-being among communities experiencing health disparities – including among gender expansive people, people who use drugs, and people living with HIV – through partnership with these communities throughout the entirety of their research process. Using Community-Based Participatory Research, Dr. Frary works with existing community assets for resilience, including faith communities, hospitality professionals, and health systems, to implement health promotion interventions, including mental health promotion and harm reduction for substance use and HIV prevention, to promote health equity. See Dr. Frary’s website to learn more about their current research initiatives and recent work.