Department Kudos

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Upcoming Writing Groups

The Faculty Writing Group is the first Wednesday of every month from 8:00-9:00am. These meetings are on Zoom. This group is for faculty including adjunct faculty.

SPOTLIGHTS

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Meredith Williamson, PhD

Since joining Emory as an assistant professor on October 1, 2021, Meredith Williamson has been responsible for a broad range of academic and clinical activities, including teaching and training psychiatry residents and service on the Faculty Development Committee. She is deeply committed to the education and development of psychiatry and psychology trainees and remain actively engaged in departmental service and scholarly initiatives.

Outside of Emory, Meredith provides high-quality clinical care to veterans through her work at the VA, where she provides outpatient treatment to Veterans within the Substance Abuse Treatment Program. She also serves as a mentor for students from the University of Georgia, supporting the next generation of behavioral health professionals.

Meredith finds tremendous fulfillment in the variety of her work and continuous training and learning opportunities available through the VA. The support of her colleagues and supervisors has been invaluable, and she enjoys the collaborative nature of team-based care. A particular highlight has been completing training in clinical hypnosis and integrating this modality into her work with veterans. A key milestone in Meredith’s career is marking 10 years of service at the VA in February 2026, a reflection of her longstanding dedication to the veteran community.

Looking ahead, Meredith plans to become board certified in addiction psychology and continue a healthy balance between work and play.

Outside of the workplace, Meredith enjoys spending time with family and friends and finding opportunities to relax—whether on the beaches of Florida or in the mountains of North Carolina.

TRAINEE SPOTLIGHT: Levi Edouna, MD

Levi Edouna is currently an Emory psychiatry resident and NIA Group Therapist 

Levi most enjoys about his work is seeing people overcome obstacles, witnessing his patients change their lives in ways they thought were unimaginable or insurmountable and bearing witness and playing an active role in their journey for change, or acceptance or renewal. 

Looking to the future, Levi would like to work as an outpatient psychiatrist in the Atlanta metro area.

Outside of Emory, Levi’s responsibilities include being a good son, brother, boyfriend, godfather and church-member. His interests include collecting Pokemon cards, watching the Twilight Saga and Miyazaki films (Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind are his favorites) and making YouTube videos. 

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: EUPI Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (written by Robert Elliott, MD and Kendle Hassinger)

The Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program (PPP) is a professional certificate program specifically crafted for licensed clinicians or those holding terminal degrees who are eligible for licensure. This includes a diverse array of professionals such as those with a Master’s in Psychiatric Social Work or Counseling, Mental Health Nurses, Psychologists and Psychiatry Residents. The program is uniquely designed to accommodate individuals who are still completing their post-graduate supervision hours, making it a flexible yet rigorous path for career advancement. The PPP strives to be a vital hub for professional growth, fostering genuine dialogue and intimacy within the field of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. 

A Robust and Immersive Curriculum

The PPP is built on a foundation of intensive study and personal growth, ensuring every candidate achieves a high level of professional maturity. The training consists of several key pillars:

• Academic Excellence: Candidates engage in an immersive, contemporary curriculum requiring a minimum of 300 credit hours. The curriculum includes seminars from several psychoanalytic traditions, including ego psychology, object relations, self-psychology and contemporary approaches to understanding diverse patient populations
• Personal Treatment: A standout feature of the program is the requirement for personal treatment, which must be conducted at a frequency of minimum two times weekly.
• Expert Supervision: The program requires a minimum of three years of clinical work, ensuring that theory is always backed by practical application.
• Rigorous Clinical Conferences: Students refine their craft through the presentation of clinical material in conferences and the submission of detailed, written case reports (Summary or Term Reports).

The Inspiring History of the PPP

The program’s journey is one of evolution and inclusivity. It began in 2008 with Director Steve Levy, MD, who envisioned an expanded educational model that opened the field of psychoanalysis to those with various non-clinical and academic backgrounds. In 2010, under the guidance of Jane Yates, PhD, who introduced a specialized track to allow flexibility for different career paths, EUPI’s Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program began offering an alternative to full clinical analytic training. Since that time the PPP has grown to be the largest program in the EUPI.

A Thriving Professional Community

Today, the PPP is more than just an educational track; it is a "professional home" for a vibrant community of over 20 course instructors and dedicated students. Embedded within the Emory’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the program fosters an environment of "genuine dialogue and intimacy" that encourages lifelong growth. 

This mission to incorporate more psychoanalytic thinking into the varied world of psychotherapy models and techniques is facilitated by a collaborative leadership team, including:

• Co-Chairs: Kendle Jenkins, LPC and Robert Elliott, MD
• Program Management: Rhonda Harris, MPH, MS, who serves as the Program Manager.
• Institutional Leadership: The program operates with leadership from Stefanie Speanburg, PhD, LCSW, EUPI Director.

Candidates in the PPP often participate in seminars at EUPI alongside clinical psychoanalysis candidates and academic candidates. This broad group typically includes psychiatry residents, PhD candidates and established scholars in academic disciplines from Emory or other universities and clinical mental health providers in the community, allowing for healthy exchange of ideas from multiple perspectives. PPP candidates, along with candidates in other EUPI programs, also enjoy frequent opportunities to participate in programs at EUPI provided by prominent psychoanalysts from other institutes.

For more information contact: Rhonda Harris at or visit the EUPI website.

MENTOR SPOTLIGHT: Robert Cotes, MD (Written by Aparna Das, MD, Tamara Haynes, MD, Belinda McIntosh, MD and Monica Ward, MD)

Rob Cotes’ mentorship style is unassuming, supportive, relaxed and accessible. He is thoughtful and balances his mentoring with guidance and trust. As a mentor, Rob is extremely approachable; his mentees never feel hesitant about sending him a text or email when they have a question or need guidance. He is so accomplished in all aspects of academic and community psychiatry that sometimes the idea of meeting with him can be anxiety provoking; however, because of his calm and gentle nature, a mentee never leaves a meeting feeling anxious. Rob is also a great listener and takes the time to really think about his responses before verbalizing them; so much so that if the conversation is via phone, sometimes one may wonder if he is still on the line. He is both generous and genuine in his mentorship role; he shares his knowledge and ideas and will make time for his mentees quickly if they ask to meet. He is responsive in a very timely manner, and works to empower his mentees to step into their roles within the department. He is genuinely invested in the growth of others and the improvement of the department. He is always able to offer thoughtful and constructive feedback and he leads by example through his professionalism and integrity. Rob excels at asking questions to try to get the mentee to think critically to come up with the ideas or the answer they may be seeking. His mentorship style can vary by the mentee as he is able to understand different people may need different styles of mentoring. Rob is exceptionally grounded in the realities and challenges of the institutional academic and clinical missions. He quickly appreciates the context of the mentee and mindfully explores opportunities offering tangible, practical frameworks and holistic perspective. Rob is always open to collaboration on scholarly work and quality improvement projects.  He has had many famous quotes and pieces of advice throughout the years including “play the long game,” which helps one of his mentees shift to focus on the bigger picture and long-term goals without getting frustrated when things don’t work out cross-sectionally. Additionally, he has been known to say “if it feels behavioral then it is potentially catatonia” which one of his mentees feels is always important to keep in mind in her everyday work. Rob’s mentees feel lucky to be able to learn from and seek guidance from him and we are incredibly grateful to him. Thanks Rob!

FACULTY KUDOS

Research

Beinenson D, Joyce J, Becka G, Graham M, Morris C, Constantino JN, Welsh JW. Substance Use Screening in Pediatric Emergency Departments for Youth in Behavioral Crisis. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 Mar 1;180(3):343-345.

Craig GE, Mehta ND, Bekhbat M, Revill KP, Lucido MJ, Hong C, Wommack EC, Baer WM, Haroon E, Miller AH, Li Z, Felger JC. Effects of Dopaminergic Therapy with Levodopa (L-DOPA) on Fear and Anxiety-Related Circuits and Symptoms in Patients with Depression and Higher Inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2026 Mar;133:106252. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2025.106252. Epub 2025 Dec 30. PMID: 41478464; PMCID: PMC12987699.

Delgado N, Schwartz AC, Robbins-Welty GA. “From anticholinergic crisis to serotonin toxicity: A delayed presentation following multi-drug ingestion.” William E. Booth and James Zaidan Resident Research Day at Grady, Atlanta, GA, 2026 (poster presentation).

Gutowski ER, Jones A, Mason DR, Lasile OT, Olojede JM, Blackwell MA, Dunn SE, and Kaslow NJ. (2026). Psychosis, intimate partner violence, and self-esteem among a clinical sample of African American women with suicidal ideation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. Advance online publication. 

Hinojosa CA, Sun D, Russell C, Baird CL, Hussain A, Sendi M, Jahanshad N, Salminen LE, Olff M, Frijling JL, Veltman DJ, Koch SBJ, Nawijn L, van Zuiden M, Wang L, Zhu Y, Li G, Stein DJ, Ipser J, Koopowitz SM, Neria Y, Zhu X, Ravid O, Zilcha-Mano S, Lazarov A, Suarez-Jimenez B, Huggins AA, Ressler K, Jovanovic T, Fani N, Mueller SC, Hudson AR, Daniels JK, Sierk A, Manthey A, Walter H, van der Wee NJA, van der Werff SJA, Vermeiren RRJM, Rektor I, Říha P, Kaufman ML, Lebois LAM, Baker JT, King A, Liberzon I, Angstadt M, Davenport ND, Disner SG, Sponheim SR, Straube T, Hofmann D, Lu GM, Qi R, Wang X, Kunch A, Xie H, Quidé Y, El-Hage W, Lissek S, Berg H, Cisler J, Ross M, Herringa RJ, Grupe DW, Nitschke JB, Davidson RJ, Larson CL, deRoon-Cassini TA, Tomas CW, Fitzgerald JM, Feola B, Urbano-Blackford J, Olatunji BO, May G, Nelson SM, Gordon EM, Abdallah CG, Lanius R, Densmore M, Théberge J, Neufeld RWJ, Baugh LA, Simons RM, Simons JS, Magnotta VA, Fercho KA, Elman J, Panizzon M, Franz C, Lyons MJ, Kremen W, McLaughin KA, Peverill M, Sambrook K, Thompson PM, Stevens JS, Morey RA, van Rooij SJH. Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Amygdala and Hippocampus in PTSD: Results From the PGC-ENIGMA PTSD Working Group. Am J Psychiatry. 2026 Apr 2:appiajp20250062. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20250062. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41922983. 

Kaslow NJ, Allbaugh LJ, Farber EW, Marshall-Lee E, Robbins MM, Currin DL, Kemp G N, Graves CC, Schwenke TJ, and Cattie JE. (2026). A blueprint for implementing advocacy as a core competency in modern health service psychology (HSP) training and practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. Advance online publication. 

Katz JL, Fiskeaux ML, and Lamis DA. (2026). Depressive symptoms and hazardous alcohol use as predictors or suicidal behavior in bipolar disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Ku BS, Ella, Arrant J, Walker EF. Understanding the Impact of Neighborhood Characteristics on Psychosis Risk Outcomes Through Shared and Distinct Pathways, Schizophrenia Bulletin, Volume 52, Issue 2, March 2026, sbaf255.

Mossa KM, Lundwall RA, South M. Anxiety symptoms and self-reported executive functioning in transgender and gender nonconforming adults: associations with autistic traits and depression. Front Psychol. 2026 Mar 5;17:1603606. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1603606. PMID: 41868004; PMCID: PMC12999928.

Robbins-Welty G, Pattillo M, Chammas D, Sadowska K, McDermott CL, Ufere N, Webb JA, Shalev D. Second-Generation Antipsychotics for Depression in Serious Illness: A First-Line Augmentation Strategy. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2026 Mar 21:S0885-3924(26)00101-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2026.03.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41871641.

Robbins-Welty G, Scheiner N, Mangal J, Saker K, Deppe J, McCord E, Movva L, Gensler L. The Emory/Grady Medical–Psychiatric Unit: Development, Structure and Early Experience of a High-Acuity Integrated Care Model. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: Open Science, Education, and Practice, 2026 ISSN 2950-3868.

Rothbaum BO, Rothbaum AO. Prevention of PTSD: Training the Brain. Am J Psychiatry. 2026 Mar 1;183(3):156-158

van Rooij SJH, Langhinrichsen-Rohling R, Minton ST, Hinojosa CA, Lukemire J, Lipschutz R, Hinrichs R, Merrill N, Ely TD, Dahlgren K, Sompolpong P, Job G, Riva-Posse P, Holtzheimer PE, Calhoun VD, Camprodon JA, Rauch SAM, Kaslow NJ, Ressler KJ, Jovanovic T, McDonald WM. Personalized fMRI-Guided TMS Targeting the Threat Neurocircuitry in PTSD: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Am J Psychiatry. 2026 Apr 2:appiajp20250749. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20250749. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41922982.

Honors, Awards, Rankings

The Grady Medicine-Psychiatry Unit (MPU) received the Grady Team-Based Award at the Emory at Grady Awards Ceremony.

These faculty members received the Diamond Physician Award from Emory Healthcare: FY25 Top 1% Physician Recognition List:

• Wendy Baer (Oncology, Medical)
• Laura Loucks
• Mansi Mehta
• Andy Miller

These faculty members received the Platinum Physician Award from Emory Healthcare: FY25 Top 10% Physician Recognition List:

• Milena Armani
• Tony Chatham
• Andrew Furman
• Adriana Hermida
• Rachel Hershenberg
• Samantha Patton
• Ellie Santy
• Joseph Vinson
• Rebecca Woo
• Carly Yasinski

These faculty members received the Gold Physician Award from Emory Healthcare: FY25 100% Top Box Physician Recognition List:

• Kara Snead Brendle
• Marianne Celano
• Claire Coles
• Katherine Cullum
• Reema Dedania
• Boadie Dunlop
• Robert Elliott
• Negar Fani
• Martha Fiskeaux
• Scott Fireston
• Todd Hoffenberg
• Jennifer Holton
• Erin Jones
• Noriel Lim
• Devon LoParo
• Allison LoPilato
• Abigail Powers Lott
• Laura Jane Miller
• Alexandra Perez
• Barbara Rothbaum
• Allison Schwartz
• Tomina Schwenke
• Lindsay Stewart
• Nicholas Thompson
• Charlotte Van Hale
• Justine Welsh

The following faculty members were awarded Faculty Development Funds:

• Alyson Goodwin
• Chanda Graves
• Nick Thompson
• Shujing Zhang

Joya Hampton-Anderson’s application entitled Implementation of a Contextually-Informed Intervention for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors (STBs) in Black Youth has been selected as an awardee for Social Sciences – Emory University Research Committee (URC) Proposals for 2026-27. 

Sheila Rauch and her her VA team received official notification that the “Processing Emotions in Primary Care (PEPC) Training and Rural Implementation Program” is funded for a three-year period beginning 10/01/2026 with the first year’s budget $831,911.35. The Program is excited to move into this phase of support and integration into the VA Central Office, Office of Mental Health supported trainings. The program trains VA integrated mental health provider in primary care, sleep medicine, pain and oncology in brief and effective PTSD treatment that provides 40% response in 4 to 8, 30-minute sessions. 

Rebecca Schneider (1) was selected to be part of the Emory University Office of Community Standards and Education's Conduct Council (2) was awarded the URC grant for her proposal "Mindfulness Intervention for Sound Acceptance (MISA): Pilot of a Novel Approach to Adolescent Misophonia."

Jennifer Stevens received a grant from the Halle Institute to partner with Lena Oestrich at University of Queensland. Lena has created the Australian biobank for complex PTSD, and Jennifer will be partnering with her team to harmonize the data with ENIGMA-PTSD (the international PTSD imaging consortium.

Sanne van Rooij and Jenni Stevens received the NOA for the PREVENT R61/R33 study. The team will soon start recruitment out of the ED and deliver TMS (followed by MRIs) two weeks after trauma to hopefully change amygdala reactivity and prevent development of PTSD.

Media

Andrew Miller (1) NewScientist | How Autoimmune Conditions Can Unexpectedly Drive Mental Illness

James Rilling (1) BBC | Dad Brains: How Fatherhood Rewires the Male Brain (2) Good Housekeeping | Scientists Say “Grandma Brain” is Actually a Thing - Here’s What it Means

Barbara Rothbaum (1) Wall Street Journal | Edna Foa, Who Asked PTSD Patients to Stop Avoiding Their Worst Memories, Dies at 88

Michael Treadway (1) AJC | Your New Self-Care Habit Costs One Stamp

Carly Yasinski (1) AJC | 5 Ways to Reduce Stress at Home Right Now

Presentations

Batista S*, Cheng L*, LoPilato A*, Schneider R*, and Hecht K.* (2026, April). Panel Discussion: Varied Perspectives on AI in Clinical Practice — From Early Adoption to Skepticism in a Field Without Consensus. Clinical roundtable presented at the Annual Convention of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Chicago, IL (oral presentation)

Berman G*, Bach G*, and Schneider R.* (2026, April). The AI SIG Presents: Expanding the Exposure Toolkit: Creative Uses of AI in ERP. Workshop presented at the Annual Convention of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Chicago, IL (oral presentation)

Currin D, Barnes D, Frain D and Marshall-Lee E. Institituional Betrayal and Racial Healing in Behavioral Health.

Hazzard A and Celano M. Using Stories to Help Children Cope with Loss and Trauma.

Hershenberg R and LoPilato A. Navigating the Interventional Psychiatry Landscape: What Psychologists Need to Know.

Hunnicutt-Ferguson K, Patton S, Fiskeaux M. From Therapy to Practice: Assessment and Treatment of Substance Use Disorder Using a Biopsychosocial Approach.

LoPilato A and Scheinder R. The Best of Both Worlds: Blending Play and Evidenced Based Skills to Boost Youth Learning in Treatment.

Mouilso E, Todey A and Egan G. Ethics in Motion: Navigating Connection and Change in Global Psychological Practice.

Rothbaum BO and Maples-Keller J. MDMA Combined with Mass Exposure Therapy for PTSD.

Smith J and Dean J. Mental Health Care at End of Life.

Waford R, Davidson C and Bridgman-Goins K. Partnerships in Action: Advancing Psychosis Care Across Atlanta and Beyond.

ADJUNCT FACULTY KUDOS

Furman, Dilly, Marshall-Lee, Hafele, Tuttle, Collins, Zwettler and Greenwald. Creating Connections Among Psychologists to Reduce Firearm Deaths in Georgia.

Hale K. Who Can Say? Embracing Uncertainty and Unhooking from Reassurance Seeking Cycles in the Age of AI.

Sawicki AH. Imagining the End: Mourning and Ethical Life, by Jonathan Lear, The Belknap Press, Cambridge, MA, 2024, 162 pp.. Am J Psychoanal (2026). 

Watson-Singleton N. Adapting Mindfulness Interventions to Meet the Needs of Black Clients.

TRAINEE KUDOS

Catherine Bennett was named an associate member of the Society of General Internal Medicine council. 

Sydney Erickson’s abstract submission “Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease for the Hospitalist: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Rare Presentation was accepted at SHM Converge Nashville.

Jordan Hildenbrand’s abstract submission “Resident Impressions of a Balint-Style Peer-to-Peer Debriefing Curriculum and the Impact on IM Resident Well-Being: A Pilot Project” was accepted at 2026 SGIM Annual Meeting.

*Kuhil S, *Nutor C, Sessions N, Tucker K, Renfro T, Primgaard A, Hinrichs R, Lawley M, Livingston M, Johnson T, **Woods-Jaeger B, and **Powers Lott A. (In press). Comparing two posttraumatic stress disorder screening approaches to improve health outcomes in pregnant Black women: A comparative effectiveness trial protocol. European Journal of Psychotraumatology. *Joint first author, **Joint senior author

Zoe Pollock was selected as a clinical vignette presenter at the 2026 Resident Research Day.