Norah Feeny

Dr. Norah Feeny is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Case Western Reserve University, specializing in cognitive behavioral treatments for PTSD and related mental health disorders. Her research focuses on optimizing PTSD treatments for refugee populations, pediatric PTSD, and mood disorders in youth. She leads the PTSD Research and Treatment Program, which evaluates therapeutic efficacy, cultural adaptations, and patient preferences. Dr. Feeny’s lab collaborates with diverse clinical settings, including sexual assault and substance abuse programs, to advance trauma-informed care. She currently oversees graduate student research assistants and plans to accept a PhD student for the 2025-2026 academic year. Key research initiatives include faith-based interventions for displaced Muslims and scalable community programs like Islamic Trauma Healing (ITH).

Her work integrates clinical, genetic, and physiological perspectives, exploring biomarkers (e.g., CRP) and neurobiological mechanisms underlying PTSD. Dr. Feeny’s team emphasizes culturally sensitive approaches, such as lay-led interventions for war-affected populations, and has conducted randomized controlled trials to assess program efficacy. The lab’s multidisciplinary projects address therapeutic alliance dynamics, emotion regulation, and treatment dropout predictors to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Feeny has published extensively on PTSD treatment modalities, including prolonged exposure therapy and pharmacological interventions (e.g., sertraline). Her research highlights reciprocal relationships between PTSD symptoms and affective states, as well as the importance of trauma-related belief systems in recovery. She collaborates internationally to enhance mental health access in underserved communities, leveraging technology (e.g., WhatsApp supervision) to support global outreach.