Julia Sheffield

Julia Sheffield, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, School of Medicine. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and Co-Director of the Psychosis Emphasis in the Internship in Professional Psychology. Her work spans clinical care, research, and training in the field of psychosis.

Dr. Sheffield earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and her PhD from Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt.

Her research investigates the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms of psychotic experiences, particularly delusions and belief updating. She employs neuroimaging, computational modeling, and clinical trials to identify targets for psychotherapy. A key area of interest is the role of the insula in schizophrenia and interoception. Clinically, she specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) and serves on the NAVIGATE first-episode psychosis team.

Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on computational approaches to understanding psychosis, neuroimaging of brain networks, and the mechanisms of psychotherapy. The work spans topics such as predictive coding, insula function, belief updating, and trans-diagnostic cognitive deficits.

Dr. Sheffield has received competitive funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, including a K23 career development award and an R01 grant for a randomized clinical trial on psychotherapy for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

• K23 Career Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• R01 Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

She actively supervises psychology practicum students, interns, and postdoctoral fellows, contributing significantly to clinical training. Her lab conducts longitudinal and intervention studies aimed at improving outcomes for individuals with psychosis. Future work is likely to deepen understanding of the insula, refine CBTp through mechanistic insights, and translate findings into improved treatments.