Melissa G. Hunt, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and serves as the Associate Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Fellow and Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (academyofct.org), and is proud to have served as a frequent program committee member for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA.org). Her primary research interests are in the domains of behavioral health and stress management, with a particular emphasis on individuals with chronic GI disorders. As a clinical scientist, her emphasis is on translating basic psychological science into treatments that are effective, acceptable, and accessible to patient populations. In particular, she focuses on identifying the underlying patient factors that lead to reduced quality of life, impairment and distress, particularly factors that exacerbate chronic health problems and make them harder to cope with, and then creating, testing and disseminating self-help treatments. In addition to her work at Penn, she also has an active private practice in clinical psychology in which she utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, augmented by schema therapy, imaginal rescripting, mindfulness and yoga in the treatment of mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, trauma, and chronic health disorders.
