Karen Fondacaro

Karen Fondacaro is a Clinical Professor Emerita at the University of Vermont (UVM) in the Department of Psychological Science, within the College of Arts and Sciences. She serves as Director of the Behavior Therapy and Psychotherapy Center and Co-Director of the Clinical Psychology Internship Program. Her work emphasizes a scientist-practitioner model, training pre-doctoral clinicians while addressing critical mental health needs in marginalized populations.

Dr. Fondacaro holds a B.A. from SUNY Stony Brook (1984) and a Ph.D. from UVM (1988). Her research focuses on Refugee Mental Health and Interpersonal Violence, including trauma, child victimization, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and criminality. She conducts forensic evaluations and provides expert testimony, integrating clinical practice with advocacy.

Her community initiatives include Connecting Cultures, a mental health program for Vermont-resettled refugees, and New England Survivors of Torture and Trauma (NESTT), which addresses the holistic needs of torture survivors. Recent work explores telehealth adaptations during crises, resilience-building interventions, and culturally responsive treatments.

Publications highlight innovations in trauma care, telepsychology, and refugee mental health disparities. Her contributions bridge clinical practice, research, and community service to advance equitable mental health access.