Risa Weisberg, PhD

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and an adjunct Professor at Brown University.

I have studied a lot! Because I believe that excellence in behavior change requires more than just intuition and compassion (though these are important too!)

I graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University B.A. in Psychology and English.

I attained my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University at Albany, where I trained at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders.

I completed a clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University.

Following my training, I stayed at Brown and built my career as a clinician-scientist, rising to the rank of Professor. My work focuses on bringing high-quality, science-based behavioral healthcare to people who need it. I have done this by integrating behavioral healthcare into primary care and other medical settings and by developing digital treatments. I have spent nearly two decades developing cognitive-behavioral treatments, training therapists and coaches to deliver this care, creating digital interventions, and conducting clinical trials to learn what works best.

When the Covid pandemic hit, like many people, I became increasingly interested using technology to deliver behavioral healthcare. I was recruited to lead the clinical strategy and evidence-generation plan for a digital mental health start-up, where I worked for several years as the Chief Clinical and Scientific Officer.

Because growth and learning are core values for me, along the way I studied more. I completed a fellowship with the Nashville Healthcare Council and trained in entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program and at MIT’s bootcamp for new ventures in substance use disorders.

My research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, private foundations, and pharmaceutical companies. I have written nearly 100 peer-reviewed articles on cognitive and behavioral approaches to anxiety, depression, chronic pain, substance use, reproductive and sexual health problems, and adjustment to chronic illness.

I’ve been committed to service within my field and have served on the Board of Directors of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) where I am also a founding Fellow, and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), where I am a member of the Scientific Council.

I’m a frequently requested speaker, panelist, and subject matter expert, with appearances on NPR, community organizations, schools, businesses, national and international conferences, and major universities.

When I’m not working, you can find me traveling, exercising, perfecting my chocolate chip cookie recipe, providing sometimes-listened-to advice to my daughters, laughing at myself as I try new things, closing down restaurants chatting with my husband or dear friends, or on long hikes with my very spoiled Portuguese water dog.