Karestan Chase Koenen

Karestan Chase Koenen, PhD is an associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in developmental psychology, epidemiology, and molecular genetics. She uses a developmental approach to examine the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of stress-related mental disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. For this work, she was awarded the Chaim Danieli Young Professional Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the Robins-Guze Young Investigator Award from the American Psychopathological Association. She has published over 80 scientific papers and co-authored several books including Treating Survivors of Chilhood Abuse: Psychotherapy for the Interrupted Life with Drs. Marylene Cloitre and Lisa Cohen. Her research is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Koenen serves on the board of directors for the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies and on the editorial board of the Journal of Psychological Trauma. She is also an experienced clinician, specializing in empirically validated treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2012, she served as a judge for the Dart Awards for Exemplary Coverage of Trauma. She received her B.A. from Wellesley College, her M.A. from Columbia University and her Ph.D. from Boston University.