School of Medicine


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  • Elias Aboujaoude, MD, MA

    Elias Aboujaoude, MD, MA

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Aboujaoude is a Clinical Professor, researcher and writer at Stanford University's Department of Psychiatry, where he is Chief of the Anxiety Disorders Section and Director of the OCD Clinic and the Impulse Control Disorders Clinic. Besides the compulsivity-impulsivity spectrum, his work has focused on the intersection of technology and psychology, with an emphasis on the problematic use of Internet-related technologies, mental health in a post-privacy world, and the potential for telemedicine interventions such as virtual reality and video-based therapy to increase access to care and advance global health. His books include "Virtually You: The Dangerous Powers of the e-Personality" and "Mental Heath in the Digital Age: Grave Dangers, Great Promise". Dr. Aboujaoude also teaches psychology on the main Stanford campus and at UC Berkeley. Scholarly and media platforms that have featured his work include The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, The Harvard Business Review, The Chronicle of Higher Education, BBC, PBS, and CNN.

  • Daniel A. Abrams

    Daniel A. Abrams

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAutism spectrum disorders (ASD) are among the most pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders and are characterized by significant deficits in social communication. A common observation in children with ASD is that affected individuals often “tune out” from social interactions, which likely impacts the development of social, communication, and language skills. My primary research goals are to understand why children with ASD often tune out from the social world and how this impacts social skill and brain development, and to identify remediation strategies that motivate children with ASD to engage in social interactions. The theoretical framework that guides my work is that social impairments in ASD stem from a primary deficit in identifying social stimuli, such as human voices and faces, as rewarding and salient stimuli, thereby precluding children with ASD from engaging with these stimuli.

    My program of research has provided important information regarding the brain circuits underlying social deficits in ASD. Importantly, these findings have consistently implicated key structures of the brain’s reward and salience processing systems, and support the hypothesis that impaired reward attribution to social stimuli is a critical aspect of social difficulties in ASD.

    My lab is currently conducting three research studies:

    Speaker-Listener Coupling and Brain Dynamics During Naturalistic Verbal Communication in Children with Autism
    We have a new study investigating how the brain processes and understands speech in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as typically developing children. We are interested in understanding speech comprehension in children through anticipating incoming speech and accumulating speech information over a period of time.

    Speaker-Listener Coupling and Brain Dynamics During Naturalistic Verbal Communication in Alzheimer’s Disease
    In collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, our new study is exploring how the brain enables us to understand speech, with a focus on both healthy older adults and adults with Alzheimer’s Disease. We also aim to understand how the brain measures seen while we listen and understand a story are linked to language skills in these individuals.

    Pivotal Response Treatment for Adolescents with High Functioning Autism Intervention Study
    This is a 9-week intervention focusing on key social skills for autistic adolescents, while exploring brain plasticity using fMRI imaging. Your child will receive 1:1 sessions with our clinician, with parent training in clinic. Topics include: Greetings, Departures, Question Asking, Talking the Right Amount, Empathy, Sarcasm, and Eating and Drinking. We also coordinate with the school for additional support and opportunities to practice the targeted social skills in a club of interest.

  • Connor Adams

    Connor Adams

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Connor Adams (she/they) is a Clinical Assistant Professor who received her doctorate in psychology from the George Washington University and completed her internship training at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance. Her clinical and research interests center on therapeutic interventions that support recovery for individuals living with serious mental illness. Dr. Adams grounds her work in a psychodynamic perspective, assisting individuals in understanding why they think, feel, and behave the way they do, in order to increase agency and choice. Dr. Adams has specialized training in comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy and provides treatment for individuals with emotion regulation difficulties. She also has specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp). Additionally, Dr. Adams provides individual and group psychotherapy within the psychiatric inpatient treatment setting. She is broadly interested in increasing access to person-centered and recovery-oriented care.

  • Ehsan Adeli

    Ehsan Adeli

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research lies in the intersection of Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Healthcare, and Computational Neuroscience.

  • Steven Adelsheim

    Steven Adelsheim

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioSteven Adelsheim, MD is a child/adolescent and adult psychiatrist who works to support community behavioral health partnerships locally, regionally, at the state level and nationally. He is the Director of the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Adelsheim has partnered in developing statewide mental health policy and systems, including those focused on school mental health, telebehavioral health, tribal behavioral health programs, and suicide prevention. For many years Dr. Adelsheim has been developing and implementing early detection/intervention programs for young people in school-based and primary care settings, including programs for depression, anxiety, prodromal symptoms of psychosis, and first episodes of psychosis. Dr. Adelsheim is also involved in the implementation of integrated behavioral health care models in primary care settings as well as the use of media to decrease stigma surrounding mental health issues. He is currently leading the US effort to implement the headspace model of mental health early intervention for young people ages 12-25 based in Australia. Dr. Adelsheim also leads the national clinical network for early psychosis programs called PEPPNET.

  • Sarah Adler

    Sarah Adler

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am interested in the design and delivery of clinical care using, data and technology. I have focused on disordered eating behaviors and obesity.

  • W. Stewart Agras

    W. Stewart Agras

    Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research is focused on disorders of human feeding including the eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Ongoing or recently completed studies include: A controlled trial of the implementation of interpersonal psychotherapy for eating disorders and depression on college campuses across the U.S. A multisite controlled study of two types of family therapy for the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa. Early prevemtion of overweight and obesity.

  • Raag Airan

    Raag Airan

    Assistant Professor of Radiology (Neuroimaging and Neurointervention) and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and of Materials Science and Engineering

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur goal is to develop and clinically implement new technologies for high-precision and noninvasive intervention upon the nervous system. Every few millimeters of the brain is functionally distinct, and different parts of the brain may have counteracting responses to therapy. To better match our therapies to neuroscience, we develop techniques that allow intervention upon only the right part of the nervous system at the right time, using technologies like focused ultrasound and nanotechnology.

  • Olivia Altamirano, PhD

    Olivia Altamirano, PhD

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCulturally Sensitive Therapy is a group psychotherapy for people with early psychosis and their families. Study aims are to understand if this treatment is compatible with this population, to assess improvements in family functioning and mental health symptoms, to assess mediating factors (e.g., increased usage of adaptive religious and other cultural beliefs/values), and to assess longevity of improvements. Last, we aim to qualitatively understand participants’ experiences with this treatment.

  • Neal Amin

    Neal Amin

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Neal D. Amin's research findings on gene regulatory mechanisms in the human nervous system have been the basis of articles in top journals, patents, awards, and research funding. He is corresponding author on works identifying cell type-specific RNA processing changes implicated in neurodegeneration. Other products of his research include a sole-author patent on gene delivery, speaking engagements at national and international conferences, and recognition and significant research funding from the NIH and private foundations including the BBRF and the Deeda Blair Research Initiative. His work applies advanced single cell transcriptomics, mice and human brain organoids, and deep learning models to identify gene regulatory network hubs associated with a wide range of diseases.

    Dr. Amin is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford University where he leads fundamental wet and dry lab research into brain development and disease. He an attending physician in Stanford's Evaluation Clinic where he continues to see patients. He completed the Research Track Psychiatry Residency Program at Stanford University and is a board-certified psychiatrist and his postdoctoral studies with Sergiu Pasca, MD. He earned MD and PhD degrees from the University of California, San Diego with his graduate mentor Samuel L. Pfaff, PhD, at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia College, Columbia University.

  • James Armontrout

    James Armontrout

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Armontrout is the Program Director of the Stanford Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship. He completed residency training at the Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Program, followed by forensic psychiatry fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. He is board certified in Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine.

    Before coming to Stanford Dr. Armontrout worked as a staff psychiatrist for the Palo Alto VA Healthcare System at the Trauma Recovery Program, a residential treatment program focusing on PTSD, other trauma-related disorders, and substance use disorders. For a portion of Dr. Armontrout's time with the VA he served as the Medical Director for the Trauma Recovery Program.

    In addition to his forensic fellowship activities, Dr. Armontrout currently serves as an attending in the Stanford PTSD clinic and the dual diagnosis clinic.

  • Bruce Arnow, Ph.D.

    Bruce Arnow, Ph.D.

    Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology - Adult)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCurrent research interests include treatment outcome for major depression, particularly treatment refractory and chronic forms of major depression, as well as mediators and moderators of outcome; the epidemiology of chronic pain and depression; relationships between child maltreatment and adult sequelae, including psychiatric, medical and health care utilization.

  • Ryan T. Ash MD, PhD

    Ryan T. Ash MD, PhD

    Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioMy lab is interested in developing novel neuromodulation technologies to augment neuroplasticity and enhance the "unlearning" of maladaptive habitual ways of relating to the to the world. I have a K08 Career Development Award to measure how attention modulates neuroplasticity induced by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, using EEG steady-state visual evoked potentials and visual attention psychophysics. I have a Brain Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator Award to develop in-human applications of transcranial ultrasound stimulation in the subcortical visual system and fear regulation circuit. I have a Simons Foundation Bridge to independence Award to develop closed-loop ultrasound neuromodulation technologies to enhance behavioral flexibility in autism spectrum disorders. I work closely with mentors Anthony Norcia, Kim Butts Pauly, and Nolan Williams on these projects. I am interested in the neural basis of mindfulness, concentration, and compassion practices from Buddhist meditation, and I have more than a year of silent retreat experience in the Theravada Buddhist meditation tradition. I see patients in the Stanford Neuropsychiatry clinic with a specialization in Functional Neurological disorders and related psychosomatic and dissociative conditions. My therapeutic orientations include integrated psychodynamic- and mindfulness-based approaches and neuromodulation-assisted psychotherapy.

  • Rania Awaad, MD

    Rania Awaad, MD

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAs the Director of the Muslims and Mental Health Lab, Dr. Awaad is dedicated to creating an academic home for the study of mental health as it relates to the Islamic faith and Muslim populations. The lab aims to provide the intellectual resources to clinicians, researchers, trainees, educators, community and religious leaders working with or studying Muslims.

  • Sepideh Bajestan, MD, PhD

    Sepideh Bajestan, MD, PhD

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsNeuropsychiatry
    Functional Neurological Symptom Disorders, Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures
    Group and Individual Psychotherapy
    Impulse Control Disorders

  • Jacob S. Ballon

    Jacob S. Ballon

    Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology)

    BioJacob S. Ballon, M.D., M.P.H. specializes in the treatment of people with psychotic disorders including schizophrenia. He is the Co-Director of the INSPIRE Clinic at Stanford which provides interdisciplinary care for people experiencing psychosis. He is also the co-Division Chief for General Adult Psychiatry and Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Ballon completed his residency at Stanford in 2009 and a Schizophrenia Research Fellowship at Columbia University in 2011.

    Dr. Ballon maintains an interest in understanding the connections between the brain and the rest of the body as relates to the manifestation and treatment of people who experience psychosis. He works closely with a diverse group of researchers throughout the university and technology community to investigate these connections. He has active projects investigating the metabolic implications of schizophrenia and of psychiatric medication including the association of antipsychotic medication with weight gain and insulin resistance. He also is an active investigator in clinical trials of new medications for the treatment of schizophrenia and the associated side effects of antipsychotic mediations.

    In understanding the whole-body impact of psychiatric illness, Dr. Ballon also has an active interest in the role that exercise can play in psychiatric treatment. He is the site-principal investigator of an NIMH-funded clinical trial looking at the use of aerobic exercise to improve cognition in people with schizophrenia.

    INSPIRE is an innovative interdisciplinary client-centered resource providing respectful evidence-based care to support people to achieve meaningful recovery from psychosis through collaborative partnership with individuals and their families while advancing knowledge and training for a new generation of providers. With a recovery-oriented philosophy, the clinic provides an array of services including psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and psychosocial evaluations. As a research clinic, they are focused on collaborating with multiple disciplines throughout the university to conduct clinical and basic science research including functional imaging, clinical trials, basic pathophysiology, and genetics.

  • Stephanie Balters

    Stephanie Balters

    Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences

    BioDr. Stephanie Balters is an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is the director of the Empowerment Neuroscience Laboratory and studies how social factors such as interpersonal trauma and cultural biases impact brain function and mental health outcomes. Dr. Balters develops evidence-based interventions to improve well-being, work productivity, and team performance. She is passionate about embracing authenticity, vulnerability, and individual differences, and leveraging adverse experiences towards self-growth and achieving one’s full potential. Dr. Balters holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and has earned a Ph.D. in Engineering Design. Her diverse career journey includes experiences at the Center for Design Research and Computer Science at Stanford University before transitioning to the School of Medicine. Dr. Balters is a Human Factors Specialist at NATO and facilitates Empowerment Workshops at Stanford University.

  • Michele Barry, MD, FACP

    Michele Barry, MD, FACP

    Drs. Ben & A. Jess Shenson Professor, Senior Associate Dean, Global Health, Director, Center for Innovation in Global Health, Professor of Medicine, Senior Fellow at Woods and Professor, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAreas of research
    Ethical Aspects of research conducted overseas
    Clinical Tropical Diseases
    Globalization's Impact upon Health Disparities
    Hemorrhagic Viruses

  • Fiona Barwick, PhD, DBSM

    Fiona Barwick, PhD, DBSM

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Sleep Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch interests focus on expanding sleep education, improving sleep health, optimizing treatment for circadian rhythm disorders, and adapting treatment for insomnia in populations where developmental, medical, psychiatric and cultural factors intersect.

    Current research projects include developing and piloting integrated protocols for treating sleep problems that co-occur with medical conditions such as chronic pain or POTS. Ongoing collaborations include delivery of a CBTI protocol in Mandarin via telehealth to patients at Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in China. Past projects include investigation of the link between RLS and the gut microbiome and a survey of student sleep health.

  • Nataly Beck, MD

    Nataly Beck, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioAs co-founder and co-director of La Clínica Latina, Dr. Nataly Beck is a psychiatrist who is passionate about providing culturally sensitive and compassionate care to patients, especially to those from the Latino community. Originally from Lima, Peru, she immigrated to the US with her family at a young age. She graduated from Yale School of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. After her first year as an attending at Yale, she began her work at Stanford where she worked in the INSPIRE Clinic for individuals experiencing psychosis and then co-founded La Clínica Latina. She loves the Bay Area and her interests include salsa dancing, playing piano, and spending time with her family.

  • Benjamin Zewdu Belai

    Benjamin Zewdu Belai

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioBenjamin Belai is a psychiatrist at Stanford Health Care and works specifically in the Centerspace and Evaluation clinics. His focus within these clinics include cultural psychiatry, Black and immigrant mental health, student mental health, and integrated behavioral health. He also works at Roots Community Health Center 2 days a week providing psychiatric consulting services.

  • Catherine Benedict

    Catherine Benedict

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Medical Psychiatry

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on improving cancer survivorship through better understanding of long-term health outcomes and through the development of theoretically driven, evidence-based behavioral interventions to improve adjustment, risk management, and quality of life. To this end, I lead studies aimed to guide and support patient decision-making and self-management after cancer. Much of my work focuses on the experiences of young adults affected by cancer.

  • Anne L Benham

    Anne L Benham

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development

    BioI specialize in the assessment and treatment of young children and their families from ages 1-7 years. I focus on understanding of their problems and symptoms from a developmentally informed, family centered , biological and experiential lens that takes into account the child's emotional, behavioral , sociocultural, biological and relationship history. I use attachment theory to understand the psychosocial aspects of the child and his/her history. I provide therapy to children individually and in family dyads or groups as appropriate and always include work with the parents as my collaborators and clients. I have had this focus to my clinical work and teaching of clinicians in training for my career over the past 40 years. I am interested in integrating multiple perspectives to understand and treat families.I use my medical training to work with children who are experiencing medical disorders , trauma, and conditions in the child or in other family members as it impacts the child's sense of self, safety, anxiety and body. I use play to connect with children and to help them communicate their fears, wishes and experiences to augment verbal communication and to process frightening experiences.

  • Michele Berk

    Michele Berk

    Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe focus of my research is on adolescent suicidal and self-harm behavior. I am currently one of four Principal Investigators of a multisite NIMH-sponsored RCT of DBT for adolescents at high risk for suicide (NCT01528020: Collaborative Adolescent Research on Emotions and Suicide [CARES], PI: Linehan, McCauley, Berk, & Asarnow) aimed at evaluating the efficacy of DBT with adolescents compared to a combined individual and group supportive therapy control condition (IGST).

  • Rebecca A. Bernert, PhD, ABPP, FT

    Rebecca A. Bernert, PhD, ABPP, FT

    Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Public Mental Health and Population Sciences)

    BioI am an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a licensed clinical psychologist in the Stanford University School of Medicine. I am a suicidologist, with subspecialty expertise in clinical trials, epidemiology, and suicide prevention best practices. I have joint specialty in behavioral sleep medicine, treatment development, and thanatology. I am Founding Director of The Stanford Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory, and Co-Chair a number of initiatives to support multidisciplinary efforts in suicide prevention. Our program utilizes cognitive, biological (e.g., fMRI), and behavioral testing paradigms, with an emphasis on translational therapeutics across the lifespan. Our mission is to identify novel therapeutics, including seminal work to establish the subfield of sleep and suicide prevention. A special focus is the development of rapid-action, low-risk interventions for the prevention of suicide. Our mission is to evaluate transdiagnostic risk factors and biomarkers underlying treatment response that may inform etiology, reduce stigma, and advance innovation. Advocating for its utility as a visible, yet non-stigmatizing warning sign of suicide—our earliest work delineated sleep as a risk factor for suicidal behaviors. Funded by NIH and DOD, we subsequently conducted the first suicide prevention clinical trials, testing efficacy of a rapid-action (6 h) insomnia treatment for suicidal behaviors. These use a mechanisms focus to identify central disease processes (eg, underlying neural circuitry, behavioral factors) for anti-suicidal response. An overarching aim is to harness new technologies to aid risk prediction, precision medicine, and intervention opportunity. We are committed to improving national training practices (e.g., national needs-assessment of medical training parameters; AI for suicide prevention), and lead hospital best practices for safety in screening, triage, and postvention.

    Regarding translation to policy, I have served as a content expert for nationally-directed health initiatives with NIH, VA, DOD, DARPA, SAMHSA, CDC, and The White House. I recently led development of the CA 2020-25 Statewide Strategy for Suicide Prevention, following invited testimony (CA State Assembly) and a commissioned Policy Brief on suicide prevention best practices. Advisory and advocacy work centers on how research guides public health policy and implementation. I am especially committed to initiatives promising impact to suicide prevention on a broad scale, including universal strategies for lethal means restriction and real-time surveillance of suicidal behaviors. To this end, I have been honored to serve as a content expert to The White House Office of Science and Technology for initiatives focused on technology innovation and led advisory work promoting suicide deterrent systems for private organizations and public sites, such as the Golden Gate Bridge. I have consulted for technology companies, as well as private industry and healthcare partners.

    Inspired by maternity leaves coinciding with the above work, I have a separate research line examining organizational development, inclusive practices, sleep and employee wellness. This addresses disparate impact of institutional and federal medical leave practices on recruitment and retention of women. Our program focuses on cost-effective policy for diversity training and reduced attrition of women in medicine, law, STEM and technology fields. As such, I am dedicated to spearheading development of a Stanford Center for Policy, Inclusive Practices, and Equity Education.

    To donate or partner with us, please contact Deborah Stinchfield (Stanford Medical Center Development) medicalgiving@stanford.edu or please contact us directly.

  • Wendy J. Bernstein

    Wendy J. Bernstein

    Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioSenior Community Psychiatrist, Wellness Equity Alliance, Medical Director, Project ECHO and Telemedicine for Severe Mental Illness Track to support the Mental Health of SGBV survivors in Democratic Republic of Congo project. Past Associate Medical Director at Casa del Sol, specialty mental health clinic of La Clinica de la Raza in Oakland California from 2013 to July 2021. Previously at Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, from 2000 to 2013, and Contra Costa County Older Adults Clinics from 1995-2000. Graduate of McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Canada, and Boston University Psychiatry Residency. Interests include global health, community mental health, Latinx and underserved populations, women's health, and elder care.

  • Mahendra T. Bhati

    Mahendra T. Bhati

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
    Clinical Professor, Neurosurgery

    BioDr. Bhati is an interventional psychiatrist with expertise in psychiatric diagnosis, psychopharmacology, and neuromodulation. He completed postdoctoral research studying language abnormalities and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) evoked potentials in schizophrenia. He was a principal investigator for the DSM-5 academic field trials, and his research experiences included roles as an investigator in the first controlled clinical trials of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and low-field synchronized TMS for treatment of depression. His current interests include studying magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and augmented reality to target TMS, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and DBS for treatment-resistant depression, responsive neurostimulation (RNS) for treatment of impulse and fear-related disorders, and focused ultrasound (FUS) for treatment-resistant obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. Dr. Bhati founded and directs a clinical fellowship in Interventional Psychiatry at Stanford.

  • Apurva Bhatt

    Apurva Bhatt

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioApurva Bhatt, M.D., is a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist and Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. Her role spans the General Adult Psychiatry Division, Child Psychiatry Division, and Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Division.

    Dr. Bhatt specializes in early psychosis evaluation and treatment. She currently provides clinical care in both the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital Child INSPIRE early psychosis clinic and the Stanford Health Care INSPIRE clinic. She contributes to early psychosis program development in California (through EPI-CAL) and nationally (through PEPPNET/Westat). She is also co-chair of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Adolescent Psychiatry Committee and Early Psychosis work group.

    Dr. Bhatt provides school clinical consultations for the Redwood City School District through the Stanford Redwood City Sequoia School Mental Health Collaborative. She also provides clinical consultations to schools in the Los Altos School district, and supervises child and adolescent psychiatry fellows providing consultation to Los Altos, Redwood City, and Mountain View schools.

    Dr. Bhatt’s research interests include early psychosis measurement instruments in pediatric populations, Asian American and South Asian youth mental health, and prevention of youth suicide by firearm. She enjoys teaching and mentoring students and trainees, and currently is a mentor through the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association's FLIPP program.

  • Britney Blair, PsyD, DBSM, CST

    Britney Blair, PsyD, DBSM, CST

    Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Sleep Medicine

    BioDr. Blair is a licensed clinical psychologist and is board certified in behavioral sleep medicine. Her clinical and research expertise are in behavioral medicine with specializations in sleep and sexual health. She has made numerous presentations, developed workshops, written chapters and published articles in the area of sleep and sexual medicine. Dr. Blair is a Stanford sleep consultant and is on the adjunct faculty at The Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine. She is also the Clinical Director of The Clinic.

    Dr. Blair completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University Medical School and her pre-doctoral internship at the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System. Dr. Blair received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Dr. Blair founded a successful business consulting firm.

  • Helen M. Blau

    Helen M. Blau

    Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor, Director, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology and Professor, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsProf. Helen Blau's research area is regenerative medicine with a focus on stem cells. Her research on nuclear reprogramming and demonstrating the plasticity of cell fate using cell fusion is well known and her laboratory has also pioneered the design of biomaterials to mimic the in vivo microenvironment and direct stem cell fate. Current findings are leading to more efficient iPS generation, cell based therapies by dedifferentiation a la newts, and discovery of novel molecules and therapies.

  • Cara Bohon

    Cara Bohon

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests have focused on the neural bases of eating disorders. I am particularly interested in the way emotion and reward is processed in the brain and how that may contribute to eating behavior and food restriction. I hope to eventually translate biological research findings into treatments.

  • Mariya Borodyanskaya

    Mariya Borodyanskaya

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development

    BioDr. Mariya Borodyanskaya enjoys being part of the Stanford Team at Mills, an interdisciplinary team dedicated to supporting adolescents and their families in navigating the challenges of mental health crisis. She maintains a broad set of interests, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Psychotic Disorders and Juvenile Justice system reform. She also enjoys supervising and teaching the Stanford Child & Adolescent Psychiatry fellows.

  • Molly Bowdring

    Molly Bowdring

    Clinical Scholar, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
    Postdoctoral Scholar, SCRDP/ Heart Disease Prevention

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am interested in elucidating factors that contribute to initiation, maintenance, and exacerbation of substance use, and identifying approaches to mitigate risky use.

    I additionally seek to use scholarly advocacy to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within clinical and academic spaces.

  • Dan Bowling, PhD

    Dan Bowling, PhD

    Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioMy research aims to translate progress in the speech and music sciences into improved diagnostics and treatments for affective and social dimensions of mental health, including disorders of mood, anxiety, and sociality. See https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-023-02671-4 and https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01515-9

    My doctoral research in Neurobiology at Duke University School of Medicine focused on the biology of emotional expression in speech and music. My postdoctoral work at the University of Vienna focused on bioacoustics, interpersonal synchrony, and social bonding. I have completed certificate courses in Cognitive Neuroscience and Translational Medicine, as well as undergraduate degrees in Biological Psychology and Neurophilosophy.

    I have authored 40 scientific articles in top journals including Science, PNAS, Molecular Psychiatry, Translational Psychiatry, PLoS Biology, Trends in Cognitive Science, and Physics of Life Reviews. My work has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Austrian Science Foundation, the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Vienna, and the Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute at Stanford University.

  • Christiane Brems, PhD, ABPP, ERYT500, C-IAYT

    Christiane Brems, PhD, ABPP, ERYT500, C-IAYT

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioChristiane Brems, PhD, ABPP, RYT-500, C-IAYT, is the Founding Director of YogaX, a Special Initiative in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Oklahoma State University in 1987. Dr. Brems is licensed as a psychologist in several US states and board-certified as a clinical psychologist by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). She is a registered yoga teacher (E-RYT500) and certified C-IAYT yoga therapist. She is also certified in Interactive Guided Imagery.

    She began her career in academia at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She then served on faculty at the University of Alaska Anchorage for 23 years, where she held a variety of leadership positions, including as (Co-Founding) Director of the Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, (Co-Founding) Director of the PhD Program in Clinical-Community Psychology, and Interim Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. Most recently, she served for nearly six years as Dean and Professor of the School of Graduate Psychology (SGP) at Pacific University Oregon.

    Dr. Brems has worked for decades as an applied researcher and clinical practitioner with particular interests in health promotion, rural healthcare delivery, and all things yoga. Her work has been funded by grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, and local and State of Alaska funding sources. She has shared her work extensively in over 120 peer-reviewed journal articles, 100s of technical reports, and several books, including the Comprehensive Guide to Child Psychotherapy (now in its 4th edition), Dealing with Challenges in Psychotherapy and Counseling, Basic Skills in Counseling and Psychotherapy, and others. Dr. Brems is committed to excellence in and integration of clinical services, teaching, consultation, and research.

    Dr. Brems has integrated yoga, mindfulness, complementary interventions, and self-care strategies in her work as a consultant, author, dean, teacher, researcher, mentor, supervisor, colleague, and service provider. She values these practices as crucial aspects of day-to-day professional and personal life and seeks to enhance access to them for all who can benefit.

  • Nicole Brooks

    Nicole Brooks

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Nicole Brooks is a board-certified psychiatrist with added qualification in forensic psychiatry. She specializes in the treatment of mood disorders and serves as a forensic expert in criminal and civil cases. In her role as Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Brooks provides outpatient care in the depression and bipolar disorder clinics. She also serves as the Associate Program Director of the forensic psychiatry fellowship.

  • Lisa Brown

    Lisa Brown

    Adjunct Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioLisa M. Brown, Ph.D., ABPP is an Adjunct Clinical Professor and member of the Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health program at Stanford University School of Medicine and Professor and Director of the Peace and Human Rights Lab at Palo Alto University. Her clinical and research focus is on trauma, resilience, human rights, refugees, and aging. As a researcher, she is actively involved in developing and evaluating health programs used nationally and internationally, drafting recommendations aimed at protecting vulnerable individuals and communities, facilitating the participation of key stakeholders, and improving access to resources and services.

    Dr. Brown has been appointed to and has served on numerous local, state, and national boards and commissions. From 2007 to 2014, she served as the Assistant Clinical Director of Disaster Behavioral Health Services, Florida Department of Health where she helped write the state disaster behavioral health response plan, develop regional disaster behavioral health teams, and conduct program evaluations of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) crisis counseling programs. From 2008 to 2011, Dr. Brown was appointed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary to the Disaster Mental Health Subcommittee of the National Biodefense Science Board Federal Advisory Committee, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, she contributed to the development of a national behavioral health response to disasters, terrorism, and pandemics. In 2020, she was appointed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes.

    Dr. Brown is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 20 and the Gerontological Society of America. She is the former President of the APA Division 20 Adult Development and Aging. She is the recipient of two Fulbright Specialist awards with the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica (2014) and with Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand (2015).

  • Jennifer L. Bruno

    Jennifer L. Bruno

    Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Bruno is a translational researcher at the interface of developmental cognitive neuropsychology and neurobiology. An overarching goal of her work is to understand developmental windows of vulnerability—periods of risk for falling off the trajectory of typical brain development. Her research utilizes genetics, brain imaging, and deep behavioral phenotyping to bridge computational science with clinical knowledge, translating cutting-edge science to solve problems of great clinical need.

  • Kim Bullock, MD

    Kim Bullock, MD

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDirector of Virtual Reality & Immersive Techology (VR-IT) Clinic and Lab.
    Use of technology to understand the interaction of sensation, embodiment, and emotional/ behavioral regulation.
    Virtual reality treatments as a sensory modulating device to treat disorders involving body image, sensation, and control. Exploration of the use of mirrored visual feedback while inhabiting a virtual avatar to treat pain and somatic symptom related disorders.

  • Weidong Cai

    Weidong Cai

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioMy research focuses on brain mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits in two distinct populations: children with neurodevelopmental disorders, especially kids with ADHD, and elders with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. By integrating cognitive, neuroscience, and computational models with advanced functional neuroimaging techniques, my goal is to understand the neurocognitive factors that contribute to typical and atypical brain development and aging.

  • Robson Capasso, MD

    Robson Capasso, MD

    Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Sleep Medicine)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinically relevant outcomes for OSA Surgery.
    Wearables and Digital Health Technologies for Sleep.
    Innovative approaches for OSA Management.
    Innovation in Sleep and Otolaryngology

  • Eve Carlson

    Eve Carlson

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioEve Carlson is a Clinical Professor who focuses on fostering mental health after traumatic stress. She is a clinical psychologist and a researcher with the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder’s Dissemination and Training Division. Her primary interests are in measurement development and recovery after traumatic stress. She collaborates with faculty in Surgery (David Spain) and Medicine (Lisa Shieh) to study mental health of patients hospitalized after sudden, severe illness or injury, racial/ethnic disparities in traumatic stress risks and responses, screening for risk of mental health problems, and preventive mental health care. As PIs of a multi-center study funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Dr. Carlson and Dr. Spain and their collaborators have developed and validated a mental health risk screen for hospital patients admitted after sudden, severe illness or injury. Data from patients who identify as Asian American/Pacific Islander, Black, Latinx, Multiracial, and White were analyzed to select screen items, and the screen accurately predicts later mental health outcomes within these ethnic/racial groups. Our research has also found disparities across ethnic/racial groups in several traumatic stress risk factors and mental health responses. Dr. Carlson is Co-PI with Dr. Shieh of a study funded by Stanford RISE comparing mental health recovery in Latinx and non-Latinx COVID-19 patients to recovery in patients hospitalized with other sudden, severe illness.

  • Victor G. Carrión

    Victor G. Carrión

    John A. Turner Endowed Professor for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
    On Partial Leave from 03/01/2024 To 05/31/2024

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsExamines the interplay between brain development and stress vulnerability via a multi-method approach that includes psychophysiology, neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology and phenomenology. Treatment development that focuses on individual and community-based interventions for stress related conditions in children and adolescents that experience traumatic stress.

  • Regina Casper

    Regina Casper

    Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emerita

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAlterations in brain morphology and organization during starvation and anorexia nervosa

  • Erin Cassidy Eagle

    Erin Cassidy Eagle

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Erin Cassidy-Eagle specializes in the treatment of mental health disorders in adults and older adults. She has practiced as a Clinical Psychologist for more than 20 years. Dr. Cassidy-Eagle has a special interest in sleep, cognition and mental health of older adults.

  • Anusha Chandrakanthan

    Anusha Chandrakanthan

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Anusha Chandrakanthan is a clinical instructor in psychiatry. She is a family practice physician who is board certified in Addiction Medicine. Previously, she was the medical director for a company that provided substance use treatment using telemedicine. Presently, she works with the Valley Homeless Healthcare Program at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center providing services to a marginalized population. She also continues to teach at the Stanford Addiction Medicine fellowship.

  • Sripriya Chari

    Sripriya Chari

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Sripriya (Priya) Chari is a CA Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor working with the INSPIRE Clinic at Stanford. Dr. Chari's clinical interests lie in early identification of the psychosis risk syndrome and providing evidence based psychotherapeutic interventions from a recovery oriented perspective. Prior to the INSPIRE Clinic, Dr. Chari was a clinical assessor for the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study, aimed at studying the predictors for conversion to psychosis of youth at clinical high risk for psychosis. She also worked for Santa Clara County Department of Mental Health, in inpatient, outpatient, and forensic settings providing psychotherapy and assessment services.

  • Vanika Chawla

    Vanika Chawla

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioVanika Chawla (she/her), M.D., FRCPC is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford. Dr. Chawla completed her medical school training at the University of Calgary and psychiatry residency at the University of Toronto. She completed a fellowship in Student Mental Health at Stanford University. Dr. Chawla works in a variety of clinics with a focus on student mental health, cultural psychiatry and lifestyle psychiatry. She utilizes a combination of integrative treatments including lifestyle changes (sleep, nutrition, exercise), medication management and psychotherapy (ACT, DBT, CBT, psychodynamic), and provides trauma-informed and culturally contextualized care. Her additional clinical and research interests include the integration of therapeutic yoga into mental health care. She is also interested in the use of digital health as a novel and innovative way to increase access to mental health care.

  • Lu Chen

    Lu Chen

    Professor of Neurosurgery and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
    On Leave from 11/01/2023 To 04/30/2024

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWhat distinguishes us humans from other animals is our ability to undergo complex behavior. The synapses are the structural connection between neurons that mediates the communication between neurons, which underlies our various cognitive function. My research program aims to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie synapse function during behavior in the developing and mature brain, and how synapse function is altered during mental retardation.

  • Christina F. Chick

    Christina F. Chick

    Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research examines the mechanistic contributions of sleep, cognition and affect to the onset and course of psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. I am particularly interested in adolescence as a period during which changes in circadian rhythm, sleep architecture, and sleep behavior co-occur with neuroendocrine development, psychosocial changes, and the onset of many psychiatric disorders. Given that sleep is a highly treatable target, increasing our understanding of the specific contributions of sleep to psychiatric symptom onset may facilitate the development of targeted interventions to mitigate the course of illness.

  • Octavio Choi, MD, PhD

    Octavio Choi, MD, PhD

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Choi is the founding director of the Stanford Neuro Forensics Accelerator, whose core mission is to accelerate the transformation of basic neuroscience research into actionable insights for reliable legal decision making.

  • Mehak Chopra

    Mehak Chopra

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioHer expertise lies in treating special populations such as athletes and students. She has also had training in dealing with cultural psychiatry issues. She has been trained to treat students with a variety of mental health issues – ADHD, Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, insomnia, mood disorder and personality disorders.

  • Kate Corcoran, PhD

    Kate Corcoran, PhD

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Corcoran is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She is actively involved in teaching psychotherapy to graduate students, psychiatry residents, and postdoctoral fellows. She is the Training Director for the Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship program and the Curriculum Director of CBT Training for the Psychiatry Residency program. In her clinical practice, Dr. Corcoran specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based interventions for adults experiencing anxiety, stress, and depression.

  • Victoria Cosgrove

    Victoria Cosgrove

    Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Cosgrove studies putative roles for life and family stress as well as inflammatory and neurotrophic pathways in the etiology and development of mood disorders across the life span.