Oksana K. Ellison

Oksana K. Ellison is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, with a PhD from Michigan State University's Department of Kinesiology specializing in Cognitive and Motor Neuroscience. She is affiliated with the DIGITAL Insights Lab at Yale, focusing on digital health interventions for mental wellness.

Her research interests bridge psychology, neuroscience, and public health, with particular emphasis on the relationship between physical activity, mental health, and cognitive performance. She investigates how lifestyle factors like aerobic fitness, mindfulness practices, and sleep quality impact stress management and cognitive function, primarily in college student populations and special populations such as adults with cerebral palsy.

Her recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate strong research productivity in areas including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for anxiety reduction, the cognitive effects of aerobic fitness, physical activity interventions for special populations, and digital health applications for stress management. Her work shows a clear trajectory toward understanding mechanism-based interventions for improving mental health outcomes.

Dr. Ellison serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for Current Addiction Reports and Current Sleep Reports, and is an active member of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Her research approach combines clinical psychology with quantitative methods to develop evidence-based interventions for mental health improvement.