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Meet Debra Kaysen, Ph.D.
Debra Kaysen, Ph.D.
Candidate for ABCT President-Elect 2026-27
Autobiography
ABCT is my professional home and has played a vital role in shaping my research and clinical work since I first started attending in the mid 1990’s. I am the Chief of the Division of Public Mental Health and Population Sciences and a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. I bring a long history of service and leadership in other scientific organizations as a past President of ISTSS, the current President of the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma, a theme leader for the Global Collaboration of Traumatic Stress, and having served as SIG leader and committee member for ABCT.
I am an active researcher, having been continuously funded since 2003 to conduct research into etiology of and treatment for PTSD, with an emphasis on increasing access to care especially for diverse and underrepresented communities both within and outside of the United States. This work has been funded by various agencies including NIH, PCORI, and USAID. I’ve published over 200 peer review research articles, one book, and several book chapters. I have a strong commitment to mentoring and training the next generation of clinicians and researchers throughout multidisciplinary settings. Additionally, I am an actively practicing clinician providing trauma-focused therapy in the PTSD Specialty Care Clinic at Stanford and am board certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology. My experiences as a researcher, clinician, and mentor devoted to scientific integrity and the needs of diverse communities have given me a broad perspective on the needs of this organization during this particular moment in time.
Position Statement
Our field has many current challenges with threats to research funding and increasing public skepticism around science and education. Like the varieties of services and groups that make up ABCT — I wear many hats.. I do so across institutions, disciplines, and continents. This has given me a useful perspective from which to help ABCT implement our strategic plan and navigate these challenges. ABCT has a wealth of deep knowledge about the science and practice of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy. We have expertise in best practices in dissemination and implementation of these treatments. Our knowledge of changing human behavior should be used to inform public health and research policy.
My goal is to work with ABCT committees and SIGs to better leverage a wide range of dissemination avenues beyond traditional academic strategies to share our knowledge more broadly. I will work with ABCT leadership to further build our media connections and work with our membership to help translate our findings into information that is more easily accessible to the general public and policymakers. Building upon my own work with creating global collaborations, I will help ABCT work on its goal of building global relationships. Lastly, one of my great strengths is building community. When times become more stressful, it can tear communities apart. I will help foster an ABCT community, where we can support each other and disagree in respectful ways when necessary, as that will keep our organization strong enough to navigate turbulent times.