Vaida Kazlauskaite

Assistant Professor, Couple and Family Therapy Program
Expertise: Medical family therapy, Medical communication, Parents with cancer, Mental health training, Bereavement and grief, Marital/family conflict and communication, Anxiety and depression

Biography

Vaida Kazlauskaite is an assistant professor in the Couple and Family Therapy program, housed within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. Her research focuses on medical family therapy, exploring how families cope when a member is diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness.

In particular, Kazlauskaite's work aims to understand how medical and mental health providers can engage all members of the family in communication about the illness. She also explores the needs of families while adjusting their lifestyles to adapt to having an ill family member. The objective is to provide training modules for medical and mental health providers in these areas.

Kazlauskaite is published in several peer-reviewed journals that are centered around this research area. Additionally, she has been interviewed by media outlets such as Nevada Public Radio on topics including navigating relationships and anxiety.

Education

  • B.S., Psychology, Towson University
  • M.S., Marriage and Family Therapy, UNLV
  • Ph.D., Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Vaida Kazlauskaite In The News

Everyday Health
No matter where you are in your treatment journey, you may feel as if metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) is taking a toll on your mental health. Research shows that anxiety and depression are common among people who are living with metastatic cancer, which can not only hamper the effects of treatment and halt their recovery, but also interfere with people’s ability to plan out their future care.
K.N.P.R. News
Vegas is fast-paced, 24 hours, and places to meet can be pretty unconventional — we still have a transient population. Our economy means schedules don’t always match up. At the same time, many of us embrace the diversity of our population, we welcome the idiosyncrasies and differences. So given all of that, how do we make relationships work?
In Sickness Podcast
When one member of a family has an accident or receives a diagnosis, every person feels the impact. In this episode, Allison and Justin interview Dr. Vaida Kazlauskaite, a medical family therapist, about how we can recognize and care for the needs of every family member.
K.N.P.R. News
With Thanksgiving upon us, most of us are preparing to gather with loved ones. And some of us … may not be looking forward to it.

Articles Featuring Vaida Kazlauskaite

Undergrad researcher Benjamin Sabir helps H. Jeremy Cho examine an atmospheric water harvesting device. (Jeff Scheid/UNLV)
Campus News | October 1, 2024

A monthly roundup of the top news stories featuring UNLV staff and students.

The Las Vegas skyline (Josh Hawkins, UNLV).
Campus News | December 4, 2023

A collection of news stories highlighting UNLV’s dedication to community and research.