Sarah Grace Frary, M.A.
Doctoral Candidate, Clinical-Community Psychology | The University of South Carolina
I am a clinical-community psychology doctoral candidate with a program of research focused on identifying resources for resilience in communities that face persistent barriers to health equity due to stigmatization or marginalization. My goals are to partner with communities to design research practices that suit their values and needs and support tailored community-based interventions to promote sustainable efforts to support well-being. I aim to use the knowledge gained through community partnership to work directly with community organizations that are empowered to make tangible change. Through my work, my team and I offer resources and guidance on promoting supportive efforts that align with the values of organizations and the values of the groups they seek to reach. I have a particular passion for supporting rural and under-resourced communities, unhoused people, Queer and Trans* communities, people living with HIV, and people who use drugs. Whether it be working with local coalitions, faith communities, cultural organizations, or other teams of community researchers, I am eager to support individuals and organizations in taking action for the well-being of their communities.
I am also a mental health clinician offering health services psychology intervention and assessment in a diversity of settings. My primary treatment modalities align with third-wave cognitive behavioral therapies like ACT and DBT-informed care. I also take an integrative approach to case conceptualization and clinical intervention through introducing experiential components of humanistic, existential, and spiritually- and culturally-informed care, based on the goals of the clients with whom I work. I ground my practice in an approach that is collaborative and rooted in the many values and experiences of the people with whom I work. I am deeply passionate about de-stigmatizing and de-pathologizing the many paths through pain and suffering, and moving with others through their search for self-compassion. I also have a background in general psychodiagnostic assessment, as well as health psychology assessment for the purpose of drafting pre-surgical letters of support. I am currently a pre-doctoral psychology intern, with an anticipated graduation from internship in July of 2026.
My values as a clinical-community psychologist motivate and inspire my continued research and clinical practice. I take a critical eye to psychological practice. I love playing the role of a mentor or teacher, while also holding perpetually to the mindset of a student. I believe in the healing power of radical acceptance while holding firm to convictions about promoting radical change.
Thank you for taking time to learn about my work. Please find news and updates about my work and that of my collaborators below. I welcome any inquiries or requests for partnership at this link or the contact button above.
Recent publications
News
Hospitality and Harm Reduction Team’s Community Research Featured in the University of South Carolina’s McCausland College of Arts and Sciences’s news page:
Psychology Ph.D. Students Tap Bartenders, Musicians to Help Address Opioid Misuse
Photo credit: Lynn Luc @curatedwithlynn
I’d like to extend gratitude to the National Register of Health Services Psychologists for their support in relocating for my pre-doctoral internship:
Site last updated 10.30.2025
Sarah Grace Frary, M.A. 