Benson G. Cooke

Benson G. Cooke is a Distinguished Professor of Counseling and Psychology at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) within the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Education, Health and Social Work. A nationally recognized expert in culturally competent mental health treatment, he specializes in transgenerational trauma, epigenomics, and African-centered wellness for the Black/African American community while leading systemic change initiatives.

His academic credentials include:

• Doctor of Education in Mental Health Administration & Counseling Psychology, University of Massachusetts
• Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, University of Massachusetts
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Morehouse College

Dr. Cooke's research centers on the epigenomic mechanisms of transgenerational trauma and culturally responsive healing practices. He develops interventions addressing depression, anxiety, and disaster mental health through an African-centered lens, emphasizing how historical oppression manifests in psychological wellbeing. His work bridges clinical psychology with social justice, focusing on institutional racism's impact on mental health outcomes and promoting community-based healing models that honor ancestral knowledge systems.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a cohesive trajectory exploring epigenomic adaptations as foundations for Black mental health resilience. His scholarship consistently integrates transgenerational trauma theory with practical clinical applications across depression, anxiety disorders, and racial trauma, while pioneering frameworks for culturally competent care that challenge Eurocentric psychological paradigms.

His distinguished honors include:

• Dr. Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator’s Award (UDC, 2022)
• Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching (UDC, 2020)
• ABPsi Distinguished Psychologist (2016) and Service Award (2019)
• George Mason University Black Alumni Honorary Membership (2019)

As an educator, Dr. Cooke coordinates UDC's Pathways to Psychological Science Program and teaches advanced courses in psychopathology, multicultural counseling, and African-centered interventions. His $1.2M in research funding includes National Science Foundation grants examining African-centered treatments for depression rooted in systemic racism and epigenomic adaptations, alongside Department of Education initiatives building rehabilitation capacity. His grant work pioneers practice-based evidence models that elevate Ubuntu philosophy in mental health treatment.

Dr. Cooke serves as National Historian and Board Member of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi), having previously held the presidency (2009-11). He actively shapes national discourse through invited presentations on confederate monument trauma and epigenomic healing strategies, while co-editing The Psych Discourse to advance African-centered psychological scholarship.