Biography

Joan Asarnow PhD, ABPP (she/her/hers) is currently a Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA and a Board Certified Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychologist (ABPP). At UCLA, Dr. Asarnow directs the UCLA Center for Trauma-Informed Suicide & Self-Harm Treatment and Prevention (ASAP Center) which offers trainings and consultation on trauma-informed approaches to evaluation and treatment for reducing suicide and self-harm risk. She also leads the UCLA Youth Stress & Mood Program, a clinical, research, and educational program at UCLA focusing on suicide prevention and treatment for depression. Dr. Asarnow has led efforts to integrate care for mental health problems within emergency departments, pediatrics and other medical settings and to develop and disseminate evidence-based treatments for youth suicide and suicide attempt prevention and depression. Dr. Asarnow received the 2017 Research Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for her work developing and evaluating treatment and service delivery strategies for youths suffering with suicidal and self-harm behaviors, the 2020 Distinguished Career Award from the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and developed 2 programs listed in the National Registry for Evidence-Based Programs. Dr. Asarnow has received grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, Patient Centered Outcome Research Institute, Centers for Disease Control, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation. Prior to turning to psychology, joan Asarnow was a modern dancer who taught dance to children, choreographed, and performed in minor companies.