On October 10th, World Mental Health Day catches the focus of many experts and reporters to highlight the latest news on mental health and help spread its increasing awareness.

Newswise believes that mental health is a subject to be addressed every single day of the year. This list of experts, research, and sources for media is available for reporters covering mental health issues and research. Reporters can get a free press pass to access expert contacts and embargoed news [register here]. 

You can check out our Psychology and Psychiatry and Mental Health Channels to find the latest experts and reseearch.

 

Comments from latest available experts

  • What other storms can teach us about looming mental health impacts of Hurricane Ian
    • Charles Figley, director of the Tulane Traumatology Institute, can speak of the long-term impact of hurricanes and other natural disasters on mental health. He says “the recovery period begins a rollercoaster ride of ordeals, leaving a trail of memories for our brain to process. It could become too overwhelming for some people, and the critical thing is to be with those who know and love you when trauma happens.”
    • Commenting on the same subject, Reggie Ferreira, director of the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy, says “The process of recovery can take time and has an ebb and flow to it, so it is very important to be kind to yourself. Most important is to tap into your social support network and get connected with resources available in the community to assist with recovery.”

More experts and resources related to hurricanes can be found in our hurricane list.

“As of September 12, in Massachusetts, there were almost 700 people waiting in emergency rooms for prolonged periods of time for inpatient psychiatric beds: including 488 adults and 87 pediatric patients, and over 100 geriatric patients. And the numbers are going to go back up again, in part because the summer is over. Interestingly, historically child psychiatric admissions go very close to zero in the summer when kids are out of school. Another reason to understand why the pandemic experience has been so different.”

  • World Mental Health Day: Child psychology expert available for interviews
    • Rosanna Breaux, director of the Child Study Center and an assistant professor with the Virginia Tech Department of Psychology, brings out the importance of shifting our perspective on mental health. “We need to start thinking about mental health just like we do physical health - everyone experiences it and preventative care is critical. We shouldn't wait until we are experiencing a serious mental health issue to seek help, we can build skills to cope with the worries and stressors of everyday life while mental health issues are manageable.”

Newswise’s Experts on Psychology and Mental Health

Ken Yeager
Psychologist and Director, Stress Trauma and Resil at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Ken Yeager is the Clinical Director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) program at Ohio State.

 

Media office Phone : 614-293-3737

Media email : [email protected]

Heidi Zinzow
Associate Professor at Clemson University

Zinzow’s work addresses factors that put individuals at risk of developing psychological symptoms due to trauma exposure, how to ameliorate related mental health symptoms and what the protective factors are.

Media contact name : Tara Romanella

Media mobile No : +13108695530

Media office Phone : 8649330334

Media email : [email protected]

Colleen Cicchetti
Pediatric Psychologist, The Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Dr. Cicchetti is passionate about and committed to addressing health disparities and decreasing exposure to violence and trauma for children and families via innovative public health strategies and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Media contact name : Julianne Bardele

Media office Phone : +13122274265

Media email : [email protected]

Deborah Gross
Endowed Chair in Psychiatric Nursing at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

  

Deborah Gross is best known for her work in promoting positive parent-child relationships and preventing behavior problems in preschool children from low-income neighborhoods.

 

Media contact name : Danielle Kress

Media office Phone : 410-955-2840

Media email : [email protected]


Thomas Greenfield
Scientific Director at Research Society on Alcoholism

 

Greenfield examines ways that secondhand drinking can victimize partners, families, children, coworkers, and communities, using metrics such as the damage to mental health, health quality of life, and a family’s finances.

Media mobile No : 707-889-8738

Media office Phone : 510-898-5800

Media email : [email protected]


 

Dolores Cimini
Director and Senior Research Scientist at University at Albany, State University of New York

 

Dolores Cimini is a New York State licensed psychologist who has provided leadership for comprehensive efforts in research-to-practice translation at the University at Albany since 1992.

Office Phone : +15184425800

Email Address: : [email protected]


 

Nia J. Heard-Garris
General Academic Pediatrics and Primary Care at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

 

Dr. Heard-Garris's overarching research interests revolve around the relationship between adversities experienced early in childhood and health. Further, those interests also include the factors that contribute to a child’s ability to thrive despite these experiences.

 

Media contact name : Julianne Bardele

Media office Phone : +13122274265

Media email : [email protected]


 

Tali Raviv
Pediatric Psychologist, The Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

 

Dr. Raviv’s work focuses on increasing knowledge and awareness about the impact of childhood trauma on children’s development and well-being and translating evidence-based interventions for traumatized youth to school and community settings. She has particular expertise in program development and evaluation for at-risk youth and families, including those exposed to poverty.

Media contact name : Julianne Bardele

Media office Phone : +13122274265

Media email : [email protected]

Tracy R.G. Gladstone
Senior Research Scientist and Associate Director at Wellesley College, Wellesley Centers for Women 

Gladstone is evaluating an internet-based depression prevention intervention for at-risk adolescents in a multi-site, federally funded trial. She is working on developing and disseminating web-based educational resources for clinicians and for parents who are concerned about depression.

Media contact name : Julie Parker

Media email : [email protected]

Samuel Weiss
Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction

 

Dr. Weiss is the founder and was the inaugural Director of UCalgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute, whose mission is to translate innovative research and education into advances in neurological and mental health care.

 

Media contact name : David Coulombe

Media email : [email protected]

Shreya Vaishnav
Visiting Professor at Palo Alto University

 

Dr. Vaishnav has worked with teenagers, young adults, adults, and older adults experiencing a wide variety of concerns including relationship issues, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, terminal illness & more.

Media contact name : Catherine Herman

Media mobile No : +15185278215

Media email : [email protected]

Joanne Cacciatore
Associate Professor, School of Social Work at Arizona State University 

Cacciatore is an expert in community development, traumatic grief, psychology, and mental health. Her research is focused on traumatic death and grief including etiology, epidemiology, culturally-appropriate interventions, social support, coping, meditation and mindfulness-based approaches.

Media contact name : Nikai Salcido

Media mobile No : +14809659212

Media email : [email protected]

Amie Haas
Professor at Palo Alto University

 

Dr. Haas’s research focuses on the identification of high-risk drinking and drug use practices in college students and the development of targeted interventions using a harm reduction model.


Media contact name : Cathy Herman

Media office Phone : +15185278215

Media email : [email protected]

Charlie Foster
Professor of Physical Activity & Public Health at University of Bristol 

Dr. Foster's specialisms include communicating exercise guidelines to healthcare professionals, common measurements of public health improvements, the benefits of hi-intensity physical activity (HIT) sessions, the impact of regular exercise on the brain, and the relationship between accessing green spaces and positive mental health.

Media contact name : Media PR Team

Media office Phone : +441174282489

Media email : [email protected]

Lindsay R. Standeven
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Assistant Director Johns Hopkins Center for Women's Reproductive Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Medicine

Lindsay Standeven studies mood changes throughout the lifetime and will describe three key stages of a woman’s life span as they relate to mental health and the molecular mechanisms that underpin these changes.

Media contact name : Rachel Butch

Media office Phone : +14104646555

Media email : [email protected]

Nick Allem
Director, Center for Digital Mental Health at University of Oregon 

Nick Allen is an expert in mental health, adolescent mental health and development, and developmental social affective neuroscience. His research focuses on understanding the interactions between multiple risk factors for adolescent-onset mental health disorders and developing innovative approaches to prevention and early intervention. 

Media contact name : Molly Blancett

Media mobile No : +15415155155

Media email : [email protected]

Jessica Borelli
Associate Professor of Psychological Science at University of California, Irvine

 

She is a clinical psychologist specializing in the field of developmental psychopathology; her research focuses on the links between close relationships, emotions, health, and development, with a particular focus on risk for anxiety and depression.

Media contact name : Tom Vasich

Media mobile No : +19492856455

Media email : [email protected]

Elizabeth Cauffman
Professor of Psychological Science, Education and Law at University of California, Irvine

 

Dr. Cauffman’s research addresses the intersect between adolescent development and juvenile justice. She has published over 100 articles, chapters, and books on a range of topics in the study of contemporary adolescence, including adolescent brain development, risk-taking and decision-making, parent-adolescent relationships, and juvenile justice.

Media contact name : Tom Vasich

Media mobile No : +19492856455

Media email : [email protected]

Alayna Park
Assistant Professor, Psychology; Director, ADDRESS Mental Health Laboratory at University of Oregon

 

A licensed clinical psychologist and an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, her research is driven by the goal of improving the accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of mental health services. She is particularly interested in re-designing, disseminating, and implementing evidence-based mental health programs for diverse and dynamic school and community mental health settings.

Media contact name : Molly Blancett

Media mobile No : +15415155155

Media office Phone : +15413469134

Media email : [email protected]