Special Interest Groups

Creates a place for clinicians and researchers to discuss, debate, and address issues relevant to the understanding and treatment of childhood anxiety and mood disorders. 

The SIG promotes networking between clinicians and researchers and helps combat isolation for therapists in private practice and offers opportunities for learning and connection between the annual conferences through online communication and CE.

SIG Co-Chairs

• Kristy Benoit, PhD
• Lynne Siqueland, PhD

SIG Vice Chairs

• Stephnie Thomas, LCPC, NCC
• Jessica Schwartzman, PhD

Board Liaison: 
Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine 

Unites students and early career professionals interested in the clinical treatment and research of anxiety and depression. The group develops ADAA conference activities organized around topics specifically relevant to students and early career professionals, and offers an initial avenue for students and early career professionals to become involved in ADAA. Early Career is typically defined as 5 years post degree attainment. 

SIG Co-Chairs:

• Rachel Lippin-Foster, LMSW
• Ashley Howell, PhD

SIG Co-Vice Chairs:

• Lana Ruvolo Grasser, PhD
• Alnardo Martinez, LMHC 

Chair Emeritus: Lillian Reuman, PhD, Olivia Bogucki, PhD, Stephanie Woodrow, LCPC, NCC; Ashley Clausen, PhD; Krystal Lewis, PhD; Amanda Baker, PhD; Alex Bettis, PhD; Elle Brennan, PhD; Gopalkumar Rakesh, MD

Board Liaison: Mbemba Jabbi, PhD

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Brings together researchers who are broadly involved in the biological science of anxiety and depressive disorders. This includes clinical and basic neuroscience (electrophysiology, imaging, animal models, experimental paradigms) and genetics (twin and family studies, molecular genetics, endophenotypes). The SIG provides ADAA members with opportunities to network, share ideas, form collaborations, and update one another and the broader ADAA community on the state of the genetics and neuroscience field. The group is comprised of a diverse array of clinicians, researchers, and clinician-researchers across the student, postdoctoral scholar/clinical trainee, and faculty/practitioner levels.

Focuses on the value of mind-body interventions. Our mission is two-fold; to promote the adoption of evidence-based, empirically supported holistic therapies into the treatment of depression, anxiety, and trauma; secondly, to apply these holistic therapies toward the treatment of medical conditions. These modalities include but are not limited to, yoga, acupuncture, aromatherapy, meditation, neurofeedback, and the expressive arts. The group is interested in sharing the broad spectrum of alternative modalities, past, present, and future, in the hopes of giving greater accessibility to resources and tools, which meet the growing needs of both practitioner and patient communities. 

Encourages collaboration, communication, education, research, mentoring, and networking focused on multicultural issues within anxiety, depression, and related disorders. This SIG aims to facilitate increased attention on topics and issues concerning diversity and multiculturalism within ADAA and in the field in general, and encourages discussion, collaboration, and research among researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders interested in meeting the mental health needs of diverse underserved communities.

ADAA has also launched a Spanish-language online peer-to-peer support community as part of our ongoing efforts to provide enhanced resources for our Hispanic community.  

SIG Co-Chairs:

• Natalie Arbid, PhD, Harbor UCLA Medical Center
• Amber Calloway, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

SIG Student Representatives:

• Taylar Clark, BA
• Aileen Kangavary, BA

Board Liaison:
Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine 

Promotes collaboration, education/mentoring, research, and networking among ADAA members who have a specific interest in OCD and related conditions.

SIG Chair: 

• Stephanie Woodrow, LPC, NCC - Private Practice

SIG co-Vice Chair:

• Sharon Batista, MD 
• Jesse Spiegel, PsyD 

Board Liaison: 

• Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine 

Focusing on all stages of career mentorship, dissemination of research, and advancement of quality patient care. The SIG provides a venue for professionals from all disciplines to network and create new connections in the field.  

SIG Co-Chairs: 

• Lauren Sippel, PhD - National Center for PTSD Executive Division
• Michelle Bovin, PhD - National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System

SIG Director of Communications:

• Cecilia A. Hinojosa, PhD – Postdoctoral fellow; Grady Trauma Project

SIG Student Representative:

• Alexandra B. Klein, MA – PhD candidate; Case Western Reserve University

Board Liaison: 

• Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine 

Promoting collaboration, case consultation, clinical work, and networking around evidence-based treatment of social anxiety disorder. 

SIG Co-Chairs:

• Celeste Conlon, PhD, National Social Anxiety Center - Houston/Sugar Land Clinic
• Michelle Dexter, PhD

SIG Vice-Chair:

• Andrew Rosen, PhD, ABPP, Center for Anxiety Disorders
• Suma Chand, PhD, ACT, SLUCare Physician Group

Board Liaison:

• Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine 

Promoting research and clinical collaboration among psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other mental health professionals who are interested in the assessment and treatment of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors across the lifespan. There is an urgent public health need to improve our understanding of and interventions targeting STB risk. STB are prevalent among individuals with anxiety, depression, and other related psychopathology, and we have seen a growing research interest in this area over the past decade. This SIG seeks to bring together ADAA members with all levels of interest and expertise in STB research and clinical services.

SIG Co-Chairs

• Alex Bettis, PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Autumn Kujawa, PhD, Vanderbilt University

Board Liaison

• Mbemba Jabbi, PhD The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School

Creating a place for clinicians and researchers to discuss, debate, and address issues relevant to the understanding and treatment of women suffering from anxiety and depression and related disorders. The SIG develops specific education presentations at the ADAA annual conference, such as workshops, roundtables, and poster sessions to increase the understanding and overall awareness of how the treatment of women suffering from anxiety and depression may be different than others in the population. The SIG will also create a series of women-focused webinars and blog posts. In addition, the SIG will help educate the public about mental health treatment options for women to help decrease the stigma of mental illness.

SIG Chair

• Karen Martinez, MD, MSc

SIG Vice Chair

• Sohye Kim, PhD

Board Liason:

• Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine