Degree:

Ph.D., Columbia University, New York City, 2022

Research Interests:
Global mental health in humanitarian emergency and conflict settings; Interlinkages of non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and hypertension) with mental health comorbidities; transdiagnostic evidence-based psychotherapies (such as, common elements treatment approach [CETA], interpersonal psychotherapy [IPT]); integrating mental health treatment programs within non-specialist settings for treatment of common mental disorders (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress) for vulnerable populations (including trafficking survivors, genocide afflicted populations, refugees and displaced communities); reduction and alleviation of gender-based and other forms of violence; advanced measurement and methodologies in social networks for the study of social determinants of health, cohesion and conflict in humanitarian settings.

Teaching Interests:
I seek to answer two questions in my research, clinical practice and teaching: 1) How do we build systems of care that meet the increasing mental health treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries as well as in high income countries with low mental health resources and 2) To explore who, what, where, when and how do we collaborate and synergize in domestic and international regions to learn together and build efficient capacity in adaptation and delivery of evidence-based mental health and psychotherapy resources around the world.

To advance these foci, the Mental Health Scientific advancements and Empowerment initiatives of Vulnerable people Anywhere in the world (mhSEVA) Lab is pioneering the knowledge-exchange model of designing, delivering and disseminating culturally adapted and contextually-valid approaches to reduce human suffering and increase thriving for the most-in-need and high-risk populations globally. These include trafficking survivors, refugees, displaced communities and people living with limited resources.

mhSEVA achieves this through partnerships with global agencies such as the United Nations, iNGOs/NGOs, government and public partnerships. This mission is achieved via advancing and improving measurement in psychotherapy outcomes research as well as hinging all initiatives in simultaneous partnering within domestic and international partners.