Dr. Helen Lavretsky, professor-in-residence of psychiatry, has received 2020 distinguished research awards from the American College of Psychiatrists, American Psychiatric Association and the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. This is unprecedented in the field of geriatric psychiatry.
The American College of Psychiatrists honored Lavretsky with the Award for Research in Geriatric Psychiatry. The award is given to an individual who has contributed to advances in geriatric psychiatry.
The American Psychiatric Association gave Lavretsky the Weinberg Award for Research in Geriatric Psychiatry. The award honors a psychiatrist who has demonstrated special leadership or has done outstanding work in clinical practice, training, or research into geriatric psychiatry.
The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry’s Distinguished Scientist Award recognized Lavretsky’s research in resilience in depression and aging.
Lavretsky is also a geriatric integrative psychiatrist with a federally funded research program in geriatric depression and integrative mental health using mind-body interventions. Her current research studies include investigations of psychopharmacological treatment of geriatric depression, mild cognitive impairment and the use of Tai Chi and yoga for treatment and prevention of late-life mood and cognitive disorders.
In the past, she has received the Career Development award from the National Institute of Mental health and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. She is also the Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
