Center for Healthy Minds

Heather is a Licensed Psychologist with extensive experience in mental health, neuroscience, and psychological research. She retired from a Scientist position at CHM in April 2023 after working at UW-Madison for 20 years. Heather now owns a private practice in Madison, Prana Mental Health (pranamentalhealth.com), where she offers psychotherapy augmented by mind-body practices.

Prior to her work at CHM, Heather worked in the UW Department of Psychiatry, where she provided psychotherapy with specializations in mood, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders. Both within the Department of Psychiatry and at CHM, Heather led research on stress, stress hormones, and depression. Heather is particularly interested in the psychological benefits of transient stress hormone elevations and how exercise and other types of “eustress” can enhance psychotherapeutic learning and transformation. She maintains collaborations with researchers at the Center for Healthy Minds and other universities with a focus on interventions for depression.