Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence, Professor of Child & Family Services
Welcome!
I'm Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence—most people call me Dr. Darbi.
I joined WKU in 2003 and became part of the Department of Applied Human Sciences in 2004. I’m a faculty member in the Child & Family Services program, director of the Family Home Visiting Certificate, and serve as the Faculty Mentor for New Students for Child & Family Services.
I absolutely love my work at WKU—our students are truly my pride and joy! In addition to teaching and conducting research, one of my favorite aspects of this role is collaborating with students on research projects. I especially enjoy designing studies, writing, and publishing alongside them.
If you're new to WKU and have a topic you’re passionate about studying, I encourage you to reach out! There are exciting grant opportunities available—such as the FUSE Grant—that support faculty-student research partnerships.
Whether you're a prospective student exploring your options or a current student with questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Just complete the form on the right, and I’ll respond as soon as I receive your message!
As Faculty Mentor for New Students (FMNS), my role is to support you through all things
new!
Whether you need help with your courses, exploring career options, or just want to
have a quick (or long) chat, I’m here for you. I can assist with problem-solving,
connecting you to helpful resources, or simply offering a listening ear. My goal is
to help you succeed at WKU—and I’m just an email message away!
You can locate the course descriptions by searching here.
- FACS-180 Foundations in Family and Consumer Sciences
- FACS-292 Diversity in Early Childhood Programs
- FACS-395 Child and Family Stress
- FACS-494 Parenting Strategies
- FACS-496 Addressing Challenging Behavior in Young Children
- FACS-497 Family Home Visiting
Some of my research interests include:
- Families with Multiple Sclerosis
- Service dogs and families
- Gardening and preschool children
- Benefits of childrens books in explaining chronic illnesses
- Parenting styles and strategies
One of my favorite things is to write and publish research with students! Students
interested in conducting studies or writing with me should email me at Darbi.Haynes-Lawrence@wku.edu. There are opportunities for us to work together and get student funding (FUSE grants!), conduct studies, and publish! I have a long history of writing with students, so
please let me know if this is an interest of yours.
A little bit of my community service work includes:
- I am a proud member of the MSF Lived Experience Advisory Panel
- I am the parenting expert for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF)
- I designed and present a service dog and disability awareness program to elementary schools
- I also review manuscripts for journals prior to their publication, review textbooks, and serve on many committees at WKU.
- The publications I'm most proud of is the line of children's books I've written for the MS Foundation. This series is called "A Conversation About..." The books can be found by clicking on the image below, which is the first book (and the Spanish translation) in the series.
- Haynes-Lawrence, D.J. & Lawrence, S.J. (2022). A Conversation about Disabilities. MS Foundation, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
- Haynes-Lawrence, D.J. (2019). Along Came Jae: A Conversation about Service Dogs for People with MS. MS Foundation, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
- Haynes-Lawrence, D.J., Soult, N., West, A.R., & Lawrence, S.J. (2017). A Conversation about M.onkey S.not: M.aking S.ense out of M.S. MS Foundation, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Have questions? Please feel free to contact us at any time!
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