Presentations
Publications
Couple and family therapist, professor, researcher, and social justice advocate
My overall research focuses on three broad areas: adolescents, Black mental health, and social justice within the field of marriage and family therapy and is guided by the following questions: (1) what are the relationships between contextual factors (e.g. environment, historical trauma), familial processes (e.g. parent-child relationship), and youth outcomes (e.g. pro-social behavior, delinquency, mental health), (2) how can therapeutic services be more beneficial for Black clients, and (3) how can marriage and family therapists continue to incorporate the macrosystem into systemic thinking. Overall, I strive for my qualitative and quantitative research to be a resource to and for the community.
DeAnna Harris-McKoy, PhD, LMFT
Henry, R. Harris-McKoy, D. & Strachan-Louidor, T. (in press). Shut up and do therapy: Balancing community obligation and self preservation. Family Process.
Harris-McKoy, D., Henry, R., & Strachan, T. (2024). Navigating client generated prejudice (K. Brown, Ed.). AAMFT Ethics Textbook (p 123-135). American Association for Marriage and Family therapy.
Lancit-Harmon, A., Ilkmen, N., & Harris-McKoy, D. (2023, November/December). Increasing belongingness for the future of MFT program, the filed, and our association. Family Therapy Magazine. https://ftm.aamft.org/increasing-belongingness-for-the-future-of-mft-programs-the-field-and-our-association/
Harris-McKoy, D., Henry, R., & Strachan, T. (2021, November/December). Navigating client generated prejudice. Family Therapy Magazine, 26-29.
Jackson, L., Ford, J, James, B., Schleiden, C., Harris-McKoy, D., & Holcomb, J. (2020). Expect the best: The impact of parental expectation on Black males’ academics. Journal of Black Studies, 51(8), 767-789. Doi:10.1177/0021934720946427
Jackson, L., Ford, J., Randolph, C., Schleiden, C., & Harris-McKoy, D., & McWey, L. (2020). School climate as a link between high school black males’ math identity and outcomes. Education and Urban Society, 1-9, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0013124520931453
Harris-McKoy, D. & Okafor, E. (2020). Adolescent substance use. In The opioid epidemic: Medical, nursing and behavioral treatment. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Harris-McKoy, D. & McNeil Smith, S. (2020). Improving culturally-sensitive interventions for youth and parent-child relationships. In K. S. Wampler & L. McWey (Eds.), The handbook of systemic family therapy: Volume 2. Systemic family therapy with children and adolescents. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Harris-McKoy, D., Washingston, Y. & Wilson, L. (2020, March/April). Contextualizing our work with families in varying levels of poverty. Family Therapy Magazine.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Strachan, T (2019, March/April). Removing the cape: Black superwomen and depression. Family Therapy Magazine.
Harris-McKoy, D., Gutierrez, D.*, Strachan, T.*, & Winley, D.* (2017). Women of color in marriage and family therapy programs. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 29, 28-44.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2016). Adolescent delinquency: Is too much or too little parental control a problem?. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, 2079-2088.
Harris-McKoy, D.Woods, S., Brantley, C. W., & Farineau, H. M. (2015) Ethical decision-making for marriage and family therapist working with at-risk families. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 41, 192-204.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Wilkins, E. (2014, July/August). Individual responsibility: Marriage and family therapy as a way of life. Family Therapy Magazine, 40-44.
Harris-McKoy, D., Meyer, A., McWey, L., Henderson T., & McKendrick, W. (2014). Substance use, policy, and foster care. Journal of Family Issues, 35, 1298-1321.
McNeil, S., Harris-McKoy, D., Brantely, C.W., Fincham, F., & Beach, S. R. H. (2014). Middle class African American Mothers’ depressive symptoms mediate perceived discrimination and reported child externalizing behaviors. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23, 381-388.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Cui, M. (2013). Parental control, adolescent delinquency, and young adult criminal behavior. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22, 836-843.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2024, April). Tired, yet hopeful: Resilience in the context of Oppression. PowerPoint presented at the Illinois Council on Family Relations Annual Conference.
Ilkmen, N. & Harris-McKoy, D. (2024, April). Attending to issues of social justice in clinical supervision. PowerPoint presented at the International Family Therapy Association’s 2024 World Family Therapy Congress.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Strachan-Louidor, T. (2023, February). Being culturally informed: Translating concepts to actions. Webinar presented at The California Training Institute, virtual.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2020, October). The time is now: Social justice, clinical practice, and advocacy. PowerPoint presented at the 17th Annual Armor Family Therapy Lecture Series, virtual.
Strachan-Louidor, T. & Harris-McKoy, D. (2020, November). Predictors of anxiety and depression in African American emerging adults. Poster presented at the annual conference for the National Council on Family Relations, virtual.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Strachan, T (2019, November). Exploring Black women and depression. Poster presented at the annual conference for the National Council on Family Relations, Forth Worth, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Strachan T. (2019, September). Understanding Black women and depression. Research discussion presented at the annual conference for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Austin, TX.
Okafor, E. & Harris-McKoy, D. (2019, September). Peer influence for Black youth dealing with racial trauma. Panel presentation at the annual conference for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Austin, TX
Harris-McKoy, D. ( 2019, February). Black women and depression. PowerPoint presented at 2019 Black History Month Lecture Series at Texas A&M University Central Texas, Killeen, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2018, May). Black women and depression. Poster presented at 2018 Re-Imagining Black Girls' and Women's Health Symposium, Towson, MD
Harris-McKoy, D., Lancit, A., Henry, R. (2018, May). Superwoman: Black Women, the workplace, and mental health. Panel presentation at 2018 Re-Imagining Black Girls' and Women's Health Symposium, Towson, MD
Harris-McKoy, D., Strachan, T., & Trussell, S. (2018, February). Reclaiming my time: Black women and self-care. PowerPoint presented at NAAAS & Affiliates 26th Annual Joint Conference, Dallas, TX.
McNeil Smith, S. & Harris-McKoy, D(2017, October). Black youth and therapy: Bridging research and practice. PowerPoint presented at the annual conference for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Atlanta, GA.
Strachan, T. & Harris-McKoy, D. (2017, October). Post traumatic slave syndrome and the Black family. PowerPoint presented at the annual conference for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Atlanta, GA.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2017, March). Removing the mask: Black women and depression. PowerPoint presented at 76thSouthwestern Regional Conference for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated.
Harris-McKoy, D.,Gutierrez, D., Strachan, T., & Winley, D. (2017, February). Women of color in marriage and family therapy programs. PowerPoint presented at the NAAAS & Affiliates 25thAnnual Joint Conference, Dallas, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2016, July). Being an evidenced based clinician. Webinar presented to American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Minority Fellowship Program.
Strachan, T. & Harris-McKoy, D. (2016, June). An integrated approach to healing the scars of post-traumatic slave syndrome (PTSS). Poster presented at the American Family Therapy Academy 38thAnnual Meeting and Open Conference, Denver, CO.
Gomez-Horton, L. & Harris-McKoy, D. (2016, April). Equity and access: Understanding the hidden social barriers. PowerPoint presented at the Slave Free City Summit, Austin, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, November). Mental health awareness. PowerPoint presented at Health 360: Total Lifestyle Transformation Conference .
Gomez-Horton, L. & Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, August). Eliminating racism: A multidimensional community endeavor. PowerPoint present at the 2015 Cross-Systems Summit: Collaborating to Achieve Equity, Austin, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, May). Saving supergirl. PowerPoint presented at the annual Healthy Youth Partnership Conference, Austin, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, March). Building a therapeutic relationship with Black youth engaged in delinquent behavior. PowerPoint presented at the International Family Therapy Association’s 23rdWorld Family Therapy Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, March). Living a legacy: Your work does matter. PowerPoint presented at the International Family Therapy Association’s 23rdWorld Family Therapy Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Maurer, A. (2015, February). Working with youth that identify as LGBTQ. PowerPoint presented at the annual conference of the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Austin, TX.
Michelle, M.& Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, February). The influence of paternal postpartum depression on children. Poster presented at the annual conference of the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Austin, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, February). Building a relationship with female adolescents with delinquent behavior. PowerPoint presented to the Austin Section of the National Council of Negro Women Inc.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2013, November). Adolescent delinquency: Is too much or too little parental control a problem. Poster presented at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations, San Antonio, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2013, October). Parent-adolescent relationship, parental control and Black youth. Poster presented at the annual conference for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Portland, OR.
McNeil, S., Brantley, C., &,Harris-McKoy, D. (2012, February). African-American maternal depression and child outcomes. PowerPoint presented at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Minority Fellowship Winter Think Tank, Arlington, VA.
Harris-McKoy, D. & Cui, M. (2011, November). Parental control and delinquent behavior: A longitudinal study from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Poster presented at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Orlando, FL.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2011, September). Perception is reality: Parents, self-esteem, and gangs. Poster presented at the annual conference for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Fort-Worth, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D., Meyer, A., McWey, L., Henderson, T., & McKendrick, W. (2010, November). The adoption and safe families act, substance using parents, and foster care. Poster presented at the annual conference for the National Council on Family Relations, Minneapolis, MN.
Community Presentations
Harris-McKoy, D. (2023, April). The struggle is real: Youth mental health challenges. PowerPoint presented at Elevating Youth Voices Workshop hosted by the Hoffman Estates (IL) Chapter of The, Links Incorporated.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2020, September). Maintaining a healthy me. PowerPoint presented to Pi Omega Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, virtual.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2018, April). Reclaiming my time: Black women and mental health. PowerPoint presented at Mental Health Awareness Seminar hosted by Mu Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Killeen, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2017, March). Removing the mask: Black women and depression. PowerPoint presented at 76thSouthwestern Regional Conference for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, Austin, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, November). Mental health awareness. PowerPoint presented at Health 360: Total Lifestyle Transformation Conference, Austin, TX.
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, September). Surviving and thriving while working with youth. PowerPoint presented to African American Youth Harvest Foundation, Austin, TX
Harris-McKoy, D. (2015, February). Building a relationship with female adolescents with delinquent behavior. PowerPoint presented to the Austin Section of the National Council of Negro Women Incorporated, Austin TX.