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Francesca Lord

Ph.D.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Works With

Rates

Areas Of Focus

Groups Offered

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist offering individual therapy for children, adolescents, and young adults, with family therapy and parenting support incorporated when clinically appropriate. I specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, major life transitions, and parenting support and have a strong interest in working with LGBTQ+ youth and their families.

I also lead the Coping Resource Center’s DBT Skills Group for Adolescents. If you are looking for supportive, evidence-based care for your child or teen, I bring a warm and collaborative approach to helping young people and their families navigate some of their most difficult moments.

Anxiety & Depression

I am especially passionate about helping teens and young adults during times of change, whether adjusting to high school, preparing for college, or coping with the emotional challenges that often emerge during adolescence. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I help young people build practical skills for managing difficult emotions, improving relationships, and developing a greater sense of control and resilience.

Trauma & Grief

I am trained in Trauma and Grief Component Therapy (TGCT), an evidence-based approach specifically designed for children and adolescents who have experienced loss or trauma. I strive to create a space where young people and their families feel understood, supported, and equipped to process even the most painful experiences.

LGBTQ+ Youth & Families

I have a strong interest in working with LGBTQ+ youth and their families, providing affirming, compassionate care that honors each young person’s identity and supports their emotional well-being.

Parenting Support

I work with parents who are navigating the challenges of raising children and adolescents with anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, or behavioral concerns. Drawing on my training in Mothering from the Inside Out and other evidence-based approaches, I help parents better understand their child’s inner world, strengthen the parent-child relationship, and develop practical strategies for supporting their child’s emotional and behavioral well-being.

DBT Skills Group for Adolescents

I lead the Coping Resource Center’s DBT Skills Group for Adolescents, a structured group experience that teaches teens practical skills for managing difficult emotions, improving relationships, and building distress tolerance. Please contact us for current group availability.

If you’re thinking about starting therapy, I offer a free, 15-minute consultation to answer any questions you may have. I look forward to connecting with you.

Therapy Modalities

Training & Experience

B.A., English, University of Chicago
M.Ed., Child Studies, Vanderbilt University
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Houston
Predoctoral Internship, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Yale Child Study Center
Assistant Professor, Psychology & Neuroscience, Baylor University
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Yale Child Study Center
Mothering from the Inside Out
Working with Anxious Youth: Clinical Strategies within Empirically Supported Treatment
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - Foundational
Extensively trained in DBT: completed Psychwire’s DBT Foundational course, trained in two full-model DBT clinics.
Trauma and Grief Component Therapy (TGCT)
Specialized training in youth trauma and grief: trained in Trauma and Grief Component Therapy and Multidimensional Grief Therapy through Trauma and Grief Center of Houston.
Additional focus on pregnancy and postpartum: Perinatal Mood Disorders and Advanced Perinatal Psychotherapy training through Postpartum Support International.
I am also a researcher and Assistant Professor at Baylor University. My work focuses on parent-child relationships and mental health risk in families, especially during adolescence, young adulthood, and the transition to parenthood (pregnancy and postpartum). My research has been funded through the NIH and foundation grants and has resulted in more than 50 peer-reviewed publications.

Professional Affiliations

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Yale Child Study Center
Director, Parenting and Intergenerational Resilience (PAIR) Lab
American Psychological Association (APA)
Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (APA Division 53)
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)
PSYPACT Authorized Provider

Selected Works

Penner, F. & Rutherford, H.J.V. (2022). Emotion regulation during pregnancy: A call to action for increased research, screening, and intervention. Archives of Women’s Mental Health.
Penner, F., Bunderson, M., Bartz, C., Brooker, R.J., & Rutherford, H.J.V. (2022). Emotion regulation strategies and perceived stress during pregnancy in expectant mothers and fathers. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology.
Penner, F., Khoury, J.E., Bosquet Enlow, M., & Lyons-Ruth, K. (2023). Threat versus deprivation in mother’s childhood: Differential relations to hair cortisol and psychopathology in pregnancy. Child Abuse & Neglect.
Penner, F., Elzaki, Y., Contreras, H.T., Santos, R.P., & Sarver, D.E. (2022). Behavioral, affective, and cognitive parenting mechanisms of child internalizing and externalizing problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology.
Wall, K.M., Penner, F., Dell, J., Armstrong, K., Lowell, A., Potenza, M.N., Mayes, L.C., & Rutherford, H.J.V. (2025). Investigating associations between maternal neural responsivity and infant developmental outcomes. Developmental Psychology.

States Licensed In

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas

Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma

Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Media & Features

Features:

Life Outside Of Work

I have two young daughters and most of my time outside of work is spent with them, usually including weekly trips to the zoo. I also enjoy reading, running, hiking, and being outside.

More About Francesca:

Francesca is originally from northern California and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago before working in education for several years. That experience drew her to child psychology, and she went on to earn her Master’s in Child Studies at Vanderbilt and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Houston.

During her doctoral training, Francesca trained at the Adolescent Development Assessment Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) Center at the University of Houston, the Trauma and Grief Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, and the DBT Center of Houston. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, with rotations in outpatient child psychology, inpatient child psychiatry, neuropsychology, and pediatric psychology. She then moved to Connecticut for a research postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center, where she also worked in a DBT private practice.

Francesca has received several research grants including NIH funding and has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles. She serves as an Assistant Professor at Baylor University, where she directs a research lab and teaches and mentors graduate and undergraduate students.