Culture & Mental Health Disparities
Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Disparities
Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, Professor, and Director of the Laboratory for Culture & Mental Health Disparities at the University of Ottawa in the School of Psychology. She coordinates several research projects at the CMHD lab and provides research and clinical training to students.
Education & Training
Dr. Williams completed her undergraduate studies at MIT and UCLA. She received her Master's and Doctoral Degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Virginia, where she conducted research in the areas of psychopathology, tests and measurement, and ethnic differences. She completed her clinical internship at McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital Site, where she completed rotations in mood disorders, major mental illness, and sexual identity issues. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Williams was an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia for four years, where she instructed medical residents, practicum students, and undergraduates. She received specialized training in the treatment of OCD and PTSD by Dr. Edna Foa.
Scholarship
Dr. Williams has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles focused on anxiety-related conditions and cultural differences. She has received grant funding from local, federal, and international organizations. She has served on the board of directors of the Delaware Valley Association of Black Psychologists, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Main Line chapter, NAMI Louisville, and the OC Foundation of California. She is a member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), where she serves on the Scientific Advisory Board and co-chairs the Diversity Council. She is also a member of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, where she served as the Special Interest Group (SIG) leader for African Americans in Behavioral Therapy. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (JOCRD), the Journal of Psychedelic Studies, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, and she is an Associate Editor of ABCT's Behavior Therapy and Frontiers.
Clinical Activities
Dr. Williams is a licensed psychologist with expertise in cognitive-behavioral treatment for adults and adolescents with OCD, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. She is the Clinical Director of the Behavioral Wellness Clinic in Tolland, CT. She specializes in treatment of the most severe cases of OCD and hoarding using Exposure and Ritual Prevention (Ex/RP), and is an expert in race-based stress and trauma. Dr. Williams provides supervision and training to other clinicians and has published several didactic articles on treatment issues. She has provided clinical lectures for mental health professionals at organizations and conferences internationally.
Culturally Speaking
Psychology Today Expert Blog
Dr. Monnica Williams' blog uses current research and personal commentary to challenge cultural assumptions about race, ethnicity, and mental health. Popular topics include mental health disparities, ethnic differences, stereotypes, gender, and African American mental health. Other topics include symptom dimensions in obsessive-compulsive disorder and sexual psychopathology.
You can follow her blog here:
Dr. Monnica Williams receives Presidential Award at APA Psychology of Women
Current Research Interests
- Assessment and treatment of OCD and related disorders
- Posttraumatic stress disorder and racial trauma
- Scale development and validation
- The role of ethnic identity, prejudice, stereotypes, and racism in mental health
- Black mental health
- Inclusion in psychedelic medicine
- Sexual psychopathology
