Helen Verdeli

Helen Verdeli is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, affiliated with the Department of Counseling & Clinical Psychology. She holds a Ph.D. from Yeshiva University and an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics. Her research focuses on adapting evidence-based psychotherapies—particularly Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)—for depression treatment in culturally diverse, low-resource communities globally, including conflict zones and humanitarian settings.

Her scholarly work emphasizes cultural adaptation methodologies, randomized controlled trials in global contexts, and scalable mental health interventions. Research spans Uganda (rural communities and IDP camps), India (primary care systems), and military families, addressing depression in vulnerable populations like adolescents, refugees, and war survivors.

Publications demonstrate consistent themes: cultural validation of therapies, task-sharing models using lay health workers, and sustainable implementation in under-resourced regions. Recent work prioritizes feasibility, scalability, and equity in global mental health care delivery.

No awards, students, or grants are mentioned in the provided materials.