Lisa M. Najavits, PhD

Lisa M. Najavits, PhD is Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine; Lecturer, Harvard Medical School; clinical psychologist at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System; and psychologist at McLean Hospital. She is author of the books Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse (2002) and A Woman’s Addiction Workbook (New Haringer Press; 2002), as well as over 125 professional publications. In 1997 she was recipient of the Chaim Danieli Young Professional Award of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies; in 1998 the Early Career Award of the Society for Psychotherapy Research; and in 2004 the Emerging Leadership Award of the American Psychological Association's Committee on Women; and in 2009 the Betty Ford Award of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse.

She is currently president-elect of the American Psychological Association Division on Addictions. She is past-president of the New England Society for Behavior Analysis and Therapy; and on the advisory boards of Psychotherapy Research, Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, and the Journal of Gambling Studies. Dr. Najavits has received a variety of National Institutes of Health research grants, including an independent scientist career award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association; board certified in behavioral therapy; a licensed psychologist in Massachusetts; a psychotherapy supervisor; and conducts a psychotherapy practice. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tennessee) and her bachelor’s degree with honors from Columbia University (New York, New York).

Her major clinical and research interests include: trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder; substance abuse; and psychotherapy outcome research.