This thesis examines who turns to AI for mental health support, rather than whether AI can be a therapist. Drawing on TherapyGPT forum analysis and ongoing experiments, the research identifies fear of judgment, trust in AI and past therapist failures as possible drivers of AI therapy use.

This anthropological research investigates traditional medicinal uses of psilocybin mushrooms in Lesotho. Interviews with local healers revealed treatment practices that differ substantially from Western clinical models, including low-dose administration over extended periods and applications for epilepsy and psychosis. The findings may broaden future directions for psychedelic medicine research.

This research develops automated tools to identify psychedelic-inspired compounds that restore lost neural connections associated with depression, anxiety, and addiction. Using advanced imaging and custom analysis software, the project screens potential therapeutics that promote neuronal growth, aiming to create treatments that repair brain circuitry rather than simply managing symptoms.

This thesis examined how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affect mental health and brain development. Using data from the ABCD Study, the researcher found that ACEs were linked to both mental health symptoms and a thicker prefrontal cortex. The findings suggest the brain may adapt to adversity, highlighting new questions about resilience.

Infertility affects one in six adults and carries profound emotional, psychological, and social burdens often overlooked in medical care. This research evaluates a four-week yoga intervention for individuals undergoing IVF, aiming to reduce anxiety and depression while improving quality of life, addressing the unmet psychosocial needs of those experiencing infertility.

This research explores brain stimulation as a safe, low-cost alternative to medication for children with neurological and mental health conditions. Despite promising results across disorders, only a small fraction of studies involve children. The work aims to expand evidence and access, improving global treatment options, especially for low-income populations.

This research examines how keeping secrets in romantic relationships harms well-being. It introduces “fear of discovery,” the anxiety that secrets will be revealed unintentionally. Findings show this fear increases obsessive thinking and reduces relationship and life satisfaction, offering new insight into why secrecy negatively affects mental health.

This research explores how the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex communicate to support memory for sequences of events. By understanding how these brain regions track past, present, and future, the work aims to shed light on cognitive impairments seen in disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression.

This research explores how early-life stress alters reward motivation differently in males and females. By identifying sex-specific brain circuits and wiring patterns shaped by early stress, it reveals why individuals respond differently to reward and highlights the need for personalized approaches to mental health treatment.

Drawing on personal experience with depression and anxiety, this researcher studies synaptic adhesion molecules—key proteins that shape how neural connections form and adapt. By understanding how these molecules change across development, the work aims to uncover molecular mechanisms behind neuropsychiatric disorders and inform future treatments or prevention strategies.