Verena Schmidt

Assistant Professor of Marriage & Family Therapy

Katholische Stiftungshochschule München, University of Applied Sciences (Germany), BA Social Work and Social Pedagogy; University of Louisville, MS Social Work; University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, PhD in Social Work; Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, MDiv, MAMFT.

Before joining Louisville Seminary, Dr. Schmidt taught graduate social work courses at the University of Louisville, including Research Methodology and Design, Advanced Research Practice, Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice Practice, and International Social Work. She has served on interdisciplinary research teams spanning marriage and family therapy, social work, and public health.

Dr. Schmidt specializes in qualitative research, particularly constructivist grounded theory, and her scholarship examines incarceration, HIV, spirituality, systemic inequities, and the intersections of faith and lived experience among marginalized individuals, families, and communities. Her work has been published in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved and the International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies. She has presented her research nationally at the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, the American Public Health Association, and other professional conferences.

Originally from Germany, Dr. Schmidt brings an international perspective to her teaching, research, and ministry. She is committed to creating learning environments that combine academic rigor with compassion, helping students integrate systemic thinking, theology, spirituality, and evidence-based clinical practice. Her passion is preparing future marriage and family therapists who serve individuals, families, and communities with humility, curiosity, and hope.