Seema Saigal, Ph.D.

Overview

I am truly passionate about teaching and mentorship. I teach a variety of courses including psychopathology, history and systems, research methods, and advanced cognitive behavioral therapy. I am also the faculty advisor to an active student group called the Sexual Wellness and Advocacy Group (SWAG). My primary aim is to engage students in critical thinking, discussion, and debate. I strive to appeal to students’ diverse learning styles through a multi-media teaching approach, and through my own passion and enthusiasm for psychological science. Outside the classroom, I support students in honing their clinical skills and interests, developing their professional identities, and ultimately, in achieving their career goals.

I am currently a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice. I have worked in a variety of settings including schools, community mental health clinics, and college counseling centers. I specialize in the treatment of anxiety disorders, major depression, couple therapy, multiculturalism, and diversity. I have a strong background in empirically supported treatments including Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy.

My primary research program is focused on close relationships, and some of my recent publications include such topics as speed dating and the personality correlates of marital satisfaction. Many of my dissertation students also focus on close relationship research, including the identification of linguistic and behavioral markers of marital distress, depression, and anxiety in couples. I have recently begun another line of research dedicated to the study of multicultural competence in assessment and the predictors of successful student and client outcomes in assessment supervision.

Please email or call me 312.662.4357 if you have questions or would like more information about me.