Faculty

Bio

Dr. al'Absi is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, and directs the Duluth Global Health Research Institute. He holds the Max E. and Mary LaDue Pickworth Chair. Al'Absi has been honored with several awards, including the ABMR Neal E. Miller Award and American Psychosomatic Society Herbert Weiner Early Career Award. He is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Sciences; has served in leadership positions within several scientific organizations and on several NIH panels; and is associate editor for Psychophysiology and on the editorial board of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Clinical Summary

Psychobiology of stress; pain; addiction

Bio

I received a BA in Neuroscience from Grinnell College in Iowa and then graduated with a BA and a Master in Philosophy from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. I completed medical school here at the University of Minnesota, where I also did my residency in psychiatry and my T32 postdoctoral fellowship in psychiatric comorbidity. I am an adult psychiatrist with a clinical focus on neuromodulation, deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS), treatment-resistant depression, mood disorders, translational neuroscience, women's mental health, and comorbid psychiatric disorders. My research focuses on investigating novel treatments and diagnostic tools for characterizing pathological responses to trauma, which focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. I am board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology and a member of the American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry. Within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, I am the deputy vice-chair for research. I am also co-founder of the Junior Research Faculty Peer Mentoring Group and the Early Career Investigator Peer Mentoring Group.

Expertise

• PTSD

Administrative Assistant

(for academic support only)
Natasha Hampton-Anderson
nhampton@umn.edu

In the Media

• 2021: Featured in this Time Magazine article titled, "I'm Supposed To Be in a Wedding. Will I Risk Bringing COVID-19 Home to My Kids?"
• 2021: Talked about PTSD with the U and about feeling nervous about returning to our normal activities, especially crowded events such as the State Fair, in this Minneapolis StarTrib article titled, "Nervous about resuming activities? How to manage 'COVID transition anxiety".
• 2021: Interviewed by Scripps National News about the concept of vaccine passports. 
• 2021: Quoted in a MINNPOST piece titled, "Clinic founders tout the promise of psychedelics for mental illness; observers urge caution". She was one of the ones urging caution. Dr. Albott was also featured in this piece for the Denver Channel titled, "Vaccine passports are not a new concept but they're never without debate".
• 2021: Continues to help everyone understand how to process emotions around getting the COVID-19 vaccination in this Fox News 9 interview and on Minnesota Public Radio, "Feeling guilty, anxious about your COVID-19 vaccine search? You're not alone" and on WTIP radio.
• 2021: Featured in this M News and Events item, "Talking vaccine anxiety, guilt and shaming with the U of M".
• 2021: Featured in a Today’s Hospitalist article titled, Making sure clinicians stay connected, about the work she helped do with the Battle Buddy program.
• 2021: Quoted in a Minneapolis Star Tribune story titled, "Minnesota's long haul: One year of COVID-19".

Research Summary

Dr. Albott investigates novel treatments and diagnostic tools for characterizing pathological responses to trauma, with a focus on post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. She is specifically interested in using both pharmacological and neuromodulation interventions for understanding response and relapse to effective treatments using multimodal analytic methodologies.

Clinical Summary

Neuromodulation; Trauma-related disorders; Mood disorders

Bio

I obtained my BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and received my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York. I completed my APA-accredited clinical internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center/G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Psychology Training Consortium and my postdoctoral research fellowship in the NIMH T32 Midwest Regional Postdoctoral Training Program in Eating Disorders Research at the University of Minnesota. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science and the Director of Education & Training for the Minnesota Center for Eating Disorders Research.

My clinical training focused primarily on the treatment of anxiety, mood, and eating disorders in adolescents and adults. Within the department, I am a Clinical Psychologist in the Interventional Psychiatry program and provide evidence-based treatments (cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, exposure therapy) for treatment-resistant mood, anxiety, and anxiety-related disorders. 

Within the University, I am a member of the Institutional Review Board.  

Expertise

• Eating disorders
• Adult anxiety; social anxiety

Administrative Assistant

(for academic support only)
Molly Jokimaki
jokim004@umn.edu

In the Media

• 2023: Featured in this Medical School article titled, “Talking eating disorders with U of M,” to commemorate National Eating Disorders Week, February 27-March 5.

Research Summary

Dr. Anderson's research seeks to identify and characterize the behavioral and biological factors that contribute to the risk and maintenance of eating disorders, in order to inform efforts to develop and optimize novel, targeted treatments for individuals with eating disorder psychopathology. Her research is currently funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and aims to examine the computational and neurophysiological processes that underlie threat-based learning and decision-making systems in individuals with eating disorders. This work informs a parallel line of research with the purpose to develop novel precision treatments for eating disorders.

Teaching Summary

Dr. Anderson has taught undergraduate psychology courses on psychopathology and has presented on eating disorders, body image, and motivational interviewing as a guest lecturer. Dr. Anderson has also provided clinical training and supervision on the use of motivational interviewing in inpatient populations, as well as on the use of exposure therapy for treating eating disorders.

Clinical Summary

Dr. Anderson has been trained to provide individual, group, and family psychotherapy to adolescents and adults. Dr. Anderson's clinical experience has predominantly involved cognitive-behavioral therapy (traditional CBT, exposure and response prevention therapy, The Unified Protocol, third-wave behavior therapies (dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance, and commitment therapy) for mood and anxiety disorders, and specialized eating disorder treatment (enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy).

Her clinical interests include Anxiety Disorders; Eating Disorders; Body Image; Mood Disorders.

Bio

I received an MBBS from Osmania University Medical School and completed medical school at Gandhi Medical College, both in India. I received my MS in Microbiology from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. I completed my residency in psychiatry, my fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, and fellowship in schizophrenia and psychotic disorders here at the University of Minnesota.

I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist with a focus on childhood-onset psychiatric illnesses, including developmental delays, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, anxiety spectrum disorders, autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia and psychotic spectrum disorders, and mood disorders. 

Within the department, I am the clinic lead for child and adolescent fellowship program and child and adolescent faculty. I teach medical students, residents, child and adolescent fellows and psychology interns. I am a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Education Council and the Impact and Wellbeing Committee. In the Medical School, I serve as an admission reviewer/interviewer. I also serve as the Mentoring Lead for my department.

I am board certified in adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry by the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry. I have been awarded “Best Teacher Award” for several years in a row. I was voted the Top Doctor in Minneapolis for 2020.

Expertise

• Childhood-onset psychiatric illnesses 
• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
• Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders
• Anxiety spectrum disorders
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Psychotic spectrum disorders
• Mood disorders

Administrative Assistant

(for academic support only)
Shelly Slominski
slomi001@umn.edu

In the Media

• 2023: Featured in this article titled, “Strategic planning process in the Division of Child and Adolescent Mental Health creates a vision for the future.”

Teaching Summary

Dr. Anjum teaches medical students, residents, child and adolescent fellows and psychology interns.

Clinical Summary

Dr. Anjum directs the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic training for the fellows. She sees patients with a variety of childhood onset psychiatric illnesses including developmental delays, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, Anxiety Spectrum disorders, Autism Spectrum disorders, Schizophrenia and Psychotic Spectrum disorders and Mood disorders.

Bio

I received my Ph.D. in Cognitive and Biological Psychology from the University of Minnesota. In my graduate work, I developed and tested preclinical models to identify biological and behavioral factors that mediate the vulnerability to and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). As a postdoctoral clinical researcher, I elucidated important factors that mediate SUD treatment receptivity such as motivations and expectancies regarding the use of drugs to self-medicate anxiety symptoms. I am an adult psychologist with a focus on comorbid substance use and anxiety-related disorders, and cognitive, psychological, and psychophysiological factors that mediate treatment receptivity. My current work focuses on the development and testing of translational models that combine preclinical methods of assessing biological stress system function with clinical SUD treatment methods.

Expertise

• Comorbid substance use
• Anxiety-related disorders

Administrative Assistant

(for academic support only)
Natasha Hampton-Anderson
nhampton@umn.edu

In the Media

• 2023: Featured in this Minnesota Daily article titled, “UMN study identifies primary predictors of lawyer suicide ideation.”
• 2022: Received a mention in StreetInsider.com for a study he co-led in an article titled, "California Lawyers Association and D.C. Bar Announce More Findings from Groundbreaking Study on Attorney Mental Health and Well-Being".
• 2022: Co-led the research team cited in this Global Legal Post article: "Undervalued lawyers more likely to suffer well-being issues, study finds".
• 2021: Featured in this American Bar Association Journal piece titled, "More female than male lawyers are engaging in risky drinking, new study finds".

Research Summary

Comorbidity; Alcohol Use Disorder; Anxiety Disorders; Drinking to Cope; Drinking Motives; Network Analysis

Research Summary

Applied psychological assessment using the MMPI-2 Restructured Form. Specific interests include the use of the MMPI-2 RF to predict treatment outcome and compliance with care. Dr. Arbisi has followed his interest in PTSD through a series of funded longitudinal studies of deployed National Guard soldiers where he is examining the role of broad personality dimensions and associated biomarkers in developing trauma related psychiatric conditions. Further, Dr. Arbisi is exploring the impact of trauma exposure on post deployment personality and the influence of trauma mediated changes in personality on relevant clinical outcomes as well as the impact of personality congruence in partnered soldiers on the integrity and quality of their partnered relationship after return from a prolonged deployment.

Clinical Summary

Psychological Assessment; Detection of non-credible reporting of emotional and psychiatric disorders; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; Seasonal Affective Disorder

Bio

I received a BS in medical mathematics from Creighton University in Omaha, NE, and completed medical school and my PhD from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio. I completed my psychiatry residency from Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine in East Garden City, NY, and a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I am an adult psychiatrist with a focus on bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. I am also certified to deliver both electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Expertise

• Substance use

Administrative Assistant

(for academic support only)
Natasha Hampton-Anderson
nhampton@umn.edu

Clinical Summary

Schizoaffective Disorder; Major Depressive Disorder; Personality Disorders; Panic Disorder; Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Psychotic disorders; Affective disorders.

Bio

I received my BA in Biology from Sonoma State University, CA. I graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed an internship in internal medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center. I did my psychiatry residency here at the University of Minnesota.

I have practiced and taught general adult psychiatry in our outpatient clinic for over 25 years. I was selected Psychiatrist of the Year by the Minnesota Psychiatric Society in 2017 and have been included in the Top Doctors in Psychiatry from Minnesota Monthly Magazine. Teaching awards include Affiliated Faculty Teacher of the Year, University of Minnesota, Department of Family Medicine in 2014, and Teacher of the Year, 20 times from 2003 to 2023, within the University of Minnesota Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department.

Expertise

• General adult and cross-cultural psychiatry

Administrative Assistant

(for academic support only)
Shelly Slominski
slomi001@umn.edu

Clinical Summary

Dr. Bass's clinical interest is general adult outpatient psychiatric care of mentally ill adults in an outpatient setting and psychiatric consultation in a primary care setting.

Bio

I received a BA in Psychology from Tufts University in Massachusetts and completed medical school and a postdoctoral research fellowship in child psychiatry here at the University of Minnesota. I completed my residency in general psychiatry, a residency in pediatrics, and a child psychiatry fellowship at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist and focus on anxiety and mood disorders. I am board certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology and the American Board of Pediatrics. I also hold an Endowed Professorship in Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders. In most of my peer-reviewed articles, I am the first or last author. I supervise psychiatry residents, child, and adolescent psychiatry fellows, and psychology interns doing evaluations and treatment in the Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Mood Disorders Clinic. I also serve as a Grand Rounds committee member within the department. I am on the editorial board of several scientific journals and serve as an Ad Hoc Grant Reviewer for the National Institute of Mental Health. I have been included in the Best Doctors in America database from 1996-2014 and was selected as a Top Doctor in Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Expertise

• Child and adolescent anxiety and mood disorders

Administrative Assistant

(for academic support only)
Molly Jokimaki
jokim004@umn.edu

In the Media

• 2021: Interviewed for this piece titled, "Life at the new Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain brings integration in care and learning, and opens opportunities for collaboration".

Research Summary

Dr. Bernstein's primary research interests include anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in children and adolescents. She is currently completing an investigation of brain imaging in adolescents with OCD and healthy controls. Dr. Bernstein is the recipient of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Norbert and Charlotte Reiger Award for Scientific Achievement for the most outstanding research paper published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, in 2005. Dr. Bernstein is on the editorial board of several scientific journals and serves as an Ad Hoc Grant Reviewer for the National Institute of Mental Health. We have completed an NIMH-funded neuroimaging and sertraline treatment study for children and adolescents with OCD and are currently in data analysis. Sertraline is FDA-approved for the treatment of pediatric OCD. 

Clinical Summary

Dr. Bernstein is tripled-boarded (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, General Psychiatry, and Pediatrics). She joined the University of Minnesota, Department of Psychiatry in 1985. Dr. Bernstein has been included in the Best Doctors in America database from 1996-2014 and was selected as a Top Doctor in Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021.