Skip to main content
for

Sheehan D. Fisher: Faculty Experts

Not seeing the results that match your search? FILTER BY CATEGORY AND FIELD

Sheehan D. Fisher

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at The Graduate School, Northwestern University
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

About

Areas of Focus

  • Mother’s and father’s mental health during the perinatal period and the impact on the family dynamic, child outcomes
  • Paternal and maternal postpartum depression
  • Depression and anxiety in fatherhood
  • Infant, child, and adolescent psychology
  • Racial/ethnic diversity within perinatal mental health
  • Policy regarding the perinatal period to support parental mental health and positive child outcomes
  • How individual mental health during COVID-19 pandemic affects family stress and functioning and behavioral approaches to cope with the stress

Work/Research

  • Perinatal mental health
  • Postpartum depression and anxiety disorders
  • Mother and father parenting behaviors
  • Father mental health and mother/child outcomes
  • Infant/Child health outcomes
  • Behavioral interventions for perinatal families
  • Impact of parental mental health on child mental health

Dr. Fisher’s research and clinical interests focus on perinatal mental health with the inclusion of father’s mental health. He aims to assess the impact of both parents’ mental health on the family dynamic, parenting behaviors, and child outcomes. His research examines the biopsychosocial factors that contribute to the etiology of postpartum depression in mothers and fathers, and tests interventions to utilize both parents to optimize family health. Dr. Fisher’s clinical work specializes in behavioral therapies for mothers, fathers, and couples during the perinatal period.

Dr. Fisher can also speak to how to assess the impact of the stress and limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic on an individual’s mental health, and behavioral approaches that can help individuals cope and function. He also can address how the pandemic affects family stress, family functioning, and specific psychiatric disorders.  

Career

Dr. Fisher was awarded as a Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science. He is the developer and Chair of the International Marce Society for Perinatal Mental Health 'Fathers Special Interest Group' steering committee, Director of the Perinatal and Women’s Mental Health Instructor-Level Clinical Psychology Scholar training program, and Director of the Fathers Specialty Clinic. He is an alumnus of the Public Voices Thought Leadership Fellowship Program, Chicago Urban League IMPACT Leadership Development Program, and Northwestern University Change Makers program.  He has written several Op-Eds on perinatal mental health, women's health, and father's health, including a piece in TIME. He currently has an R21 grant from NIMHD.