Mission
The Relationships and Psychotherapy (RAP) Lab seeks to understand the psychological complexities involved in navigating and healing from romantic relationships. Guided by Attachment Theory, our research focuses on how psychotherapy serves as a means of healing both during and after relationships. Our work is primarily survey-based, utilizing mixed methods analysis—both qualitative and quantitative—to gain a comprehensive understanding of individual experiences and therapeutic processes.
Rachel Cherner, LMSW
Rachel Cherner, LMSW, is a second-year doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Teachers College. She leads the Relationships and Psychotherapy (RAP) Lab, where her research focuses on understanding attachment in the context of psychotherapy and romantic relationships. She holds a master's degree in social work from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree from Cornell University. Prior to beginning doctoral studies, Rachel worked as a school counselor at a DOE public school, as a child and family therapist in the Child and Family Outpatient Department at Mt. Sinai, and as a program manager and clinical staff member in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at the New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University Medical Center.
Rachel can be reached at rc3382@tc.columbia.edu.
Hannah Ades
My name is Hannah, I was born in NYC but raised between New York, Argentina (where my family is from), and Uruguay (I grew up going to school in Punta del Este during summer breaks here). I graduated from Harvard in 2018 with a concentration in Psychology and a secondary in Theatre. Recently, I completed my master’s in clinical psychology at TC. Before pursuing my master’s, I worked at various advertising agencies as a producer for several years. While at TC, I worked for Dr. Barry Farber as an RA for Shana Dickstein, looking at the impact of self-disclosure of identity on the therapeutic alliance. I also worked with Dr. Christine Cha, exploring patterns related to future thinking, suicidality, and disclosure in suicidal and non-suicidal adolescents. In pursuit of my Integrative Project, I sought to identify variations in suicidal ideation, disclosure patterns, and help-seeking tendencies among ethnically and racially minoritized adolescents. As a first-year doctoral candidate, I hope to shift my focus toward examining romantic relationships, their nature, impact, and dissolution, among college age and young adults. In my free time, I love to cook, read, and go to the gym, and always spend winter break with family and friends in Argentina and Uruguay.
Tiana Allen
Tiana Allen (she/her) is a recent graduate of the M.A. program in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Originally from a small town in Mississippi, Tiana grew up immersed in the unique cultural landscape of the rural South, which shaped her passion for understanding how systemic factors and intersectional identities influence mental health. She earned her B.A. in Spanish and Chemistry from the University of Mississippi, where she developed a deep interest in language, culture, and their roles in shaping mental health experiences. Following graduation, Tiana taught English in Madrid, Spain, working with immigrant children from diverse cultural backgrounds, further solidifying her commitment to providing culturally attuned and accessible therapy interventions.
At Teachers College, Tiana’s research focused on the intersection of therapeutic effectiveness, disclosure, and attachment styles, as well as mental health accessibility for underserved and veteran populations. For her integrative project, she developed a therapy manual for adolescents with ADHD, combining cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques to improve executive functioning among underserved students. Her professional and research interests also include trauma-informed care, particularly for individuals affected by gender-based violence, and the integration of mindfulness and somatic practices into therapy. Outside of academics, Tiana is a certified yoga teacher and an advocate for holistic mental health approaches. She is dedicated to combining her skills and passions to make therapy more inclusive and accessible, particularly for rural and marginalized communities. After earning her master’s degree, Tiana plans to pursue a doctorate in Psychology, continuing her work in trauma-informed care and systemic mental health disparities.
Niklas Kei Nyblom
Niklas Kei Nyblom is a second-year student in the Psychology in Education (Clinical Psychology) M.A. Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Niklas was brought up in Stockholm, Sweden, in a multicultural household, including his Swedish father, Japanese mother, and two younger sisters. As a prior professional swimmer, he started to pursue his academic career at Keiser University as a collegiate athlete, where he earned his B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in human services. His research interests include the dynamics of relationships, explicitly understanding factors that affect inter- and intrapersonal conflicts and the outcomes that form the qualities of relationships and individual well-being. In his free time, Niklas competes in triathlon, reads, and loves playing sudoku. After obtaining his Master's Degree, he intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, continuing his research interests on a global scale.
Sydney Lee
Sydney Lee is a first-year M.A. student in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Raised in Las Vegas, she is a Chinese-Korean American who earned a B.A. in Psychology and Dramatic Arts from Vassar College. Sydney has a diverse professional background as a former ballet dancer with the American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey Ballet, as well as a professional actor trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Sydney is passionate about exploring the mental health impact of stress in high-performance professions, focusing on how social media, public scrutiny, and performance demands shape identity and relationships. Her research integrates evidence-based practices with mindfulness, meditation, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to address career-related stress. As an RA in the RAP Lab, Sydney is interested in the effects of social stress on attachment and intimacy. With clinical interests in mood disorders, OCD, perfectionism, rumination, and eating disorders, Sydney plans to pursue a Ph.D. and is dedicated to advocating for comprehensive mental health support in the entertainment and sports sectors.
Katherine Blazeby
Katherine Blazeby is a first-year master’s student in the Clinical Psychology program at Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Born and raised in NYC, she’s the daughter of two immigrants, an English father and a Lao refugee mother. She began her studies by earning a B.A. in Psychological and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Cambridge. Her research interests revolve around the determinants of psychotherapy efficacy and therapeutic alliances as well as the impacts of intersectionality and culture on the communication of psychopathology. After graduation, Katherine plans on pursuing a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gaming, and journaling.
Vincente (Vinnie) Gonzalez
Vincente (Vinnie) C. Gonzalez Jr. (they/them) is a second-year graduate student at Teachers College of Columbia University, where they are pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and an Advanced Certificate in Sexuality, Women, and Gender. A proud Latine first-generation college student, Vincente earned their undergraduate degrees in psychology and kinesiology from San Francisco State University, giving them a holistic understanding of human behavior, wellness, and the intersections of mental/physical health. Vincente’s research interests center on mental health disparities within marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ+ populations, with a focus on how interpersonal relationships and systemic factors influence mental well-being. They bring experience in qualitative data analysis, systematic reviews, and participant recruitment and have worked across multiple labs examining topics such as trauma, resilience, coping mechanisms, and emotion regulation. After graduating, Vincente plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to further their commitment to community-based research addressing health inequities and fostering resilience in underserved populations.
We are investigating how therapy patients share information about their therapy sessions with their significant others and the impact of these disclosures on their romantic and therapeutic relationships.
We are currently recruiting (see below)
We are looking for participants who meet the following criteria:
18+ years old
Currently seeing a licensed clinician for individual therapy (in-person or telehealth) for at least six months
Currently in a committed, romantic relationship with one individual for at least six months
Have stable internet access
Participants will be asked to complete an online survey that takes about 25 minutes. The survey includes questions about their demographics, relationship experiences, therapy sessions, and attachment styles. As an incentive, participants will have a chance to win a $50 e-gift card.
We would greatly appreciate it if you could share this opportunity with your patients who meet the criteria and might be interested in participating. For any questions, please contact Rachel Cherner at rc3382@tc.columbia.edu.
Survey Link: https://tccolumbia.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9n4H4bsc1x0KPga
Representation of Past Significant Others (ROPSO) is an ongoing research endeavor that explores how individuals continue to think about/represent internally past significant relationships. In 2022, a sample of 1897 individuals who had experienced a breakup with a significant other completed a survey with Likert-scale items and open-ended questions about this experience. We are currently in the process of analyzing the data.
Article:
“After the Thrill Is Gone”: The Role of Psychotherapy in Coping With Romantic Breakups
The research findings indicated that psychotherapy is predominantly regarded as an effective mechanism for individuals aiming to attain closure following a romantic breakup. A significant number of participants reported that therapeutic interventions were beneficial in their journey toward closure, particularly those who had engaged in more committed relationships, such as marriages or long-term partnerships.
The research primarily consisted of a sample that was largely White, heterosexual, and female from the United States. Specific aspects of psychotherapy were recognized as particularly beneficial. These encompassed normalizing emotional responses, promoting emotional awareness, promoting forward movement in life, reminding individuals of their capabilities, examining the relational dynamics and the breakup narrative, and confronting self-deprecating thoughts.
The research highlighted that individuals displaying greater emotional investment in their relationships, or those who had experienced prolonged partnerships, were more inclined to perceive psychotherapy as beneficial. This implies that the depth and longevity of the relationship significantly influence the perceived efficacy of therapeutic interventions.
In addition to psychotherapy, alternative strategies such as the passage of time, engaging in discussions with friends, severing ties with the ex-partner, and participating in sports or hobbies were also rated highly for aiding in the pursuit of closure. This suggests that while therapeutic approaches are advantageous, they do not constitute the sole avenue for recovery following a breakup. The analysis highlighted several limitations, including the absence of a common outcome assessment for closure and the demand for a more extensive interpretation of closure.
This study investigated patterns of disclosure by psychotherapy patients about their own therapy to confidants. A total of 135 patients (M age = 29.4; 18 male; 117 female) currently in individual psychotherapy completed the Disclosure About Therapy Inventory (DATI), a questionnaire of 90 Likert-type items designed to investigate patients' experiences of disclosing aspects of their therapy to their spouses, significant others, or best friends. Findings indicate that most patients are moderately self-disclosing to their confidants about their therapy, endorse highly positive attitudes regarding such disclosure, and report primarily positive feelings after disclosing personal information about their therapy to their confidants. In addition, a significant relationship was found between the extent to which patients disclose about their therapy to their confidants and the extent to which they disclose to their therapists. Therapists, it is suggested, might well glean important clinical data from attending to their patients' patterns of disclosing the details of their treatment to others.
Disclosure to Spouses – What Patients Reveal About Their Individual Psychotherapy
The primary aim of this study was to investigate the content and extent of psychotherapy patients’ disclosures to their spouses or significant others about their experiences in therapy, the perceived impact of disclosure about therapy on the spousal relationship, and its perceived impact on the therapeutic relationship and on treatment satisfaction. Adult psychotherapy patients (N = 84) in individual treatment, who identified themselves as either married or in a significant romantic relationship completed the Disclosure About Therapy Inventory – Revised (DATI-R; Khurgin-Bott & Farber, 2014), a revision of the Disclosure About Therapy Inventory (see Khurgin-Bott & Farber, 2011). This 52-question survey was designed to explore the extent and content of patients’ disclosures to their therapists, and the extent and content of their disclosures about therapy to their spouses or significant others (“partners”). The DATI-R also includes three outcome measures: the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS; Busby, Christensen, Crand, & Larson, 1995) measures the quality of participants’ relationships with their partners, the Working Alliance Inventory – Short Revised (WAI-SR; Hatcher & Gillaspy, 2006) assesses the quality of their relationships (alliances) with their therapists, and the outcome items of the Disclosure to Therapist Inventory-III (DTI-III) assess their satisfaction with their treatment.
Findings indicate that overall, patients were very disclosing to their therapists and moderately disclosing to their partners about their therapy. No demographic variables (including gender, marital status, duration of psychotherapy, and duration of marriage/relationship) were significantly associated with or predictive of the extent of patients’ self-disclosure about therapy. A significant positive association was found between the extent of disclosure to partners about therapy and the extent of self-disclosure to therapists. Greater extent of disclosure about therapy to partners was also associated with better quality of therapeutic alliances and with higher relationship satisfaction (with partners). Additionally, the quality of therapeutic alliances was strongly predictive of better treatment outcomes.
These findings suggest that married (or coupled) patients in individual psychotherapy may benefit from the open discussion of their experiences in therapy with their spouses or significant others, or at least that such openness is characteristic of patients in satisfactory relationships (both therapeutic and marital). These findings are discussed in the context of the methodological limitations of the current study and the particular characteristics of the sample, and clinical implications and directions for future research are explored.