Heather Strong Harrison, PhD

I’m a pediatric psychologist providing limited diagnostic evaluation and brief evidence-based treatment for youth experiencing difficulties with behaviors, mood, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). My experience also includes providing therapy to youth with chronic medical conditions (i.e., sickle cell disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver) who have difficulty adjusting to their diagnosis or managing their illness as recommended. I provide care to active patients of our Pediatric Primary Care (PPC) and Hopple Street clinics by referral.

I became a psychologist because, like many others, I wanted to help support people through difficult times. Through my training experiences with families of children with chronic medical conditions, my passions extended to helping those who have frequent contact with the medical system and families that are misunderstood or overlooked. Knowing that stigma is often attached to mental and behavioral health, it’s important to me to change negative perspectives about these health challenges and help youth and families access the resources they need, be it assessment, treatment, education or community resources.

My treatment approach often involves cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and parent behavior management training with applied behavior analysis (ABA) methods. In my treatment delivery, it is critical to understand the context in which mental-behavioral health and physical health challenges occur and persist. In assessment and treatment, it’s essential to consider the whole child and their connection to multiple social systems, including the family system. I also understand that although the child is my patient, they come with a parent who may also be struggling, making it challenging for some caregivers to attend appointments or go home and implement recommendations. As a provider, I want to understand the patient’s / family’s perspectives and experiences so that I can meet them where they are, and they can be as successful as possible.

My research involves better understanding disparities in underserved groups and multi-system level contributors to mental and physical health outcomes. The goal is to develop, implement and evaluate new or existing programs and interventions that consider multi-system factors and genuinely address the needs of youth and families in clinical and community-based settings.

I’m honored to have been awarded the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional NIH T32 National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Diversity Supplement Training Grant (2020). When not working, I like completing DIY projects, exploring new restaurants and enjoying the arts.