Kirti Thummala

Kirti Thummala, PhD serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), where she is affiliated with the Behavioral Health and Sub-Specialty Clinics program and the Wisconsin Institute of NeuroScience (WINS). Her academic appointment positions her at the intersection of clinical practice and behavioral research within MCW's academic medical center.

Dr. Thummala's research program centers on psychological dimensions of chronic pain, specializing in fibromyalgia, headache disorders, and pain-affect dynamics. She investigates resilience mechanisms, social support systems, and stress modulation in chronic pain populations using daily diary methodologies and clinical interventions. Her clinical expertise spans Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness techniques, and psycho-oncology applications for pain management.

Analysis of her publication record (2014-2018) reveals a cohesive research trajectory examining bidirectional relationships between psychological states and pain experience. Her work consistently addresses mood-pain interactions, particularly in women, and explores how depression moderates stress-pain relationships while testing positive mood induction as an intervention strategy. Key themes include daily fluctuations in pain expectancy, social consequences of chronic pain, and adaptive implications of pain-affect dynamics.

As an active WINS member, Dr. Thummala collaborates within MCW's neuroscience ecosystem, contributing behavioral medicine perspectives to interdisciplinary research initiatives. Her work bridges clinical practice with empirical investigation to advance understanding of psychosocial factors in pain conditions.