top of page

About the PRIME Clinic

Organized in the Fall of 1996, the PRIME Clinic is the first CHR clinic in North America. It was founded by Dr. Thomas McGlashan, Yale Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, who served as Director until 2003. In 2000, PRIME was awarded the Gralmick Award by the Child Welfare League of America. 

Since its inception, the PRIME Clinic has evaluated 2,000 individuals with a Structured Interview for Psychosis Risk Syndromes (SIPS), the most widely used assessment in the world for diagnosing the CHR for psychosis state. The SIPS was developed and validated by the PRIME Clinic’s Drs. Tom McGlashan, Scott Woods, Barbara Walsh, and the late Tandy Miller. Dr. Walsh continues to be the world’s foremost expert in training and certifying SIPS evaluators across the globe and has done more SIPS interviews than anyone since its inception.

The focus of the PRIME Clinic is twofold: to provide outpatient treatment for individuals at the Clinical High Risk state and, in addition to clinical care, patients have the opportunity to participate in several ongoing groundbreaking research studies. Individuals may participate in either outpatient treatment or in several ongoing research studies that aim at understanding the Clinical High Risk state, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. 

Your PRIME Team

Woods_Scott_W_818979.jpg

Scott W. Woods, M.D.

Director

With 30 years of experience and over 300 publications on the treatment and research of serious mental illness, Dr. Woods is a leader in the field of early intervention and also serves as a full professor at Yale. Dr. Woods has been affiliated with the PRIME Clinic since its inception.

Al.jpg

Al Powers, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Director, 

Medical Director, Psychiatrist

Dr. Powers joined the faculty at the Yale Department of Psychiatry on July 1, 2018 as an Assistant Professor. His work as a neuroscientist is funded by a K23 Career Development Award and an R21 research grant from the NIMH, a Career Award for Medical Scientists from the Burroughs-Wellcome Fund. His research focuses on applying novel computational tools  toward early detection and novel treatment development in psychosis. As a psychiatrist, his work is focused upon treatment of patients at Clinical High Risk for psychosis. He has been Medical Director of PRIME since 2017 and Associate Director since 2020.

sammyheadshot.jpg

Samantha Sanborn, M.S., LPC

Clinical Therapist

Samantha Sanborn, MA LPC currently working as a Clinical Therapist at the PRIME Clinic of Yale University School of Medicine. I currently run baseline assessments, individual therapy, family therapy and one of the groups at PRIME. I focus on the goals set by clients to improve their lives in a way they would like to see growth. 

 

I work with people of all backgrounds including LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities. I, and we, at the PRIME Clinic seek to help our clients gain insight and support in their lives. I am trained in completing the SIPS and Mini SIPS as well as training in working with trauma experiences. We utilize CBT-P at PRIME but I also have experience with DBT, trauma specific modalities, and experience with personality disorders.

PRIME.png

Kathleen Walsh, MA, LPC

Clinical Therapist

Kathleen Walsh, LPC is a Clinical Research Counselor at Yale's PRIME Clinic. Her credential to conduct the SIPS Assessment (Structured Interview of Psychosis-risk Syndromes instrument) serves as the foundation for the counseling she provides among the coordinated, specialty-care services delivered by the PRIME Team. "The key to our work at PRIME is to assist and enhance the patient's ability to reduce, and thereby more efficiently manage, the stress caused or exacerbated by CHR-related experiences. With deep respect and care for my patients' priorities and abilities, I see my role with them as one of usher to their Self-trust-- from which their senses of agency and connection can naturally arise." Kathleen completed her master's in psychology and has since earned credentials in MBSR, Trauma-informed yoga, and EMDR.    

9BECD6DD-66FB-4C86-AF4D-5797B9A6286D_1_201_a.heic

Katie Stimler

Research Assistant 

Katie is a research assistant currently working on the CAPR study for the Yale PRIME Clinic. She completed her master’s in public health at the George Washington University. Her primary interest is promoting mental health within communities through evidence-based research on the effects of trauma in populations and access to mental health services. She is interested in translating research into innovative recovery initiatives and, in a broader perspective, mental health policies that will strengthen communities.

At the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City, Katie participated in various research projects that involved community capacity building, helping communities to analyze and apply high-quality data and disseminate the results. During her time there, she also collaborated with the Department of Education on the HD4NYC project to support LGBTQ+ youth, while partnering with various stakeholders to develop a program to address stigma and improve mental health access and care for Latinx communities. 

PRIME.png

Holly Enden

Research Assistant 

Holly is a research assistant on the ProNET study and works with individuals who are Clinical High Risk for developing psychosis. She earned a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Delaware, and she worked at the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up Lab which focuses on fostering secure attachment between mothers and infants. She also conducted EEGs as part of a study to evaluate individuals’ time perception. Holly is very passionate about mental health and plans to pursue a master’s in either social work or mental health counseling.

KM headshot.jpg

Karlos Mate Piovanetti

Research Assistant 

Karlos is a research assistant for the ProNET study at the PRIME Clinic. He graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology from Southern Connecticut State University. Before starting at the PRIME Clinic, Karlos was the Assistant Lab Manager at the Stress, Anxiety, and Wellbeing laboratory (S.A.W. Lab), and a research assistant at the Reading, Evaluation, And Development of Skills laboratory (R.E.A.D.S. Lab) and the Vagus Stim Plus laboratory (VPS Lab) where he collected relevant experience in data management and analysis. He has been involved in designing and writing research studies for publication, which have been presented at regional and national conferences. Karlos is passionate about investigating the effects of childhood/adolescent adversities on future health.

714d7c5c-8542-4590-a428-d94fd05b6812.jpg

Thomas H. McGlashan, M.D.

Scientific Advisor

Scientific Advisor. Dr. McGlashan is a pioneer in the early intervention of serious mental illness and one of the founders of the PRIME Clinic. With over 400 publications and as a full professor at Yale, we are privileged that he advises our researchers and clinicians.

Untitled.jpg

Barbara C. Walsh, Ph.D.

Clinical Director

Dr. Walsh oversees the clinical evaluation and treatment performed on young people at the clinic and is responsible for providing psychoeducation on the early warning signs of serious mental illness in young people to a wide variety of communities.

 

She has over 25 years of experience and many publications including the book “The Psychosis-Risk Syndrome” published by Oxford University Press.  Extensive experience in family, child and adolescent therapy mark Dr. Walsh’s clinical training.

Angela Nunez Headshot 2022.png

Angela Ryan Nuñez, M.A.

ProNET Research Project Manager  

Angela is a Research Project Manager for the Psychosis's Risk Outcomes Network (ProNET) consortium. Her work is to facilitate and support data collection of various biomarkers, such as psychological and cognitive assessments, genetic material, and imaging data throughout the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. She aims to better understand and improve early-stage intervention and treatment for individuals who are clinically high risk for developing psychosis.

Fenig_B_headshot.jpg

Barbara Fenig, LMSW

Clinical Therapist

Barbara Fenig, LMSW is a clinical therapist at the Yale PRIME Clinic. Barbara conducts individual and family therapy sessions and is a certified SIPS/ SOPS assessor. She integrates CBTp treatment approaches into her clinical practice. Barbara believes that her clients are the experts of their life's narrative, and looks forward to supporting them as they find the tools to gain insight into their experiences through psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and early intervention. Barbara is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice. Before becoming a therapist, Barbara worked in the arts and has an MFA in fiction writing from Columbia University. She loves to integrate a narrative approach into her clinical practice.

Farina Headshot2022.jpg

Emily A. Farina, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Associate

Dr. Farina is a postdoctoral associate in the Yale Department of Psychiatry. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut and completed her clinical internship through the Yale School of Medicine. Her research focuses on psychosocial determinants and outcomes related to serious mental illness. Clinically, she employs evidence-based treatments for people with serious mental illness and is currently working with young people at Clinical High Risk for psychosis through the PRIME clinic. 

Screen Shot 2021-02-12 at 11.01.36 AM.pn

Munaza Ali

Research Associate II 

With a background in research and healthcare, Munaza joined the team as a Research Assistant, conducting study visits and managing IRB protocol submissions.  After three years she was prompted to a managerial position where she has the responsibility for overseeing the PRIME Clinic’s participation in a multi-site study, making significant contributions to its success.  She is the lead interviewer of the PSYCHS assessment used in the project, having conducted over 100 of these assessments to date.  She continues to be dedicated to furthering her career, enhancing patient care, and addressing mental health challenges.

PRIME.png

Seyenah Lopez

Research Assistant 

Seyenah is a research assistant for the ProNET study at the PRIME Clinic. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and human development family sciences from the University of Connecticut. Prior to starting at the PRIME Clinic, Seyenah was a Clinical Research Assistant at UConn Health researching Cognitive Remediation of Cognitive Control in late-life depression. She also was involved in Family Adversity and Resilience Research helping research ways to promote healthy development in children who have experienced stressful life events. She has been involved in designing and writing research studies for publication, which have been presented at regional and national conferences. Seyenah is passionate about changing the stigma surrounding mental health, as well as advocating for equity in the mental health field. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. 

PRIME.png

Ryan Campbell

Research Assistant 

Ryan is a Research Assistant for the Yale PRIME Clinic. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Quinnipiac University. He is responsible for gathering data for a Long-Term Follow-Up for a study on risk factors and moderators for psychosis and assists on the CAPR study. Before starting at the PRIME Clinic, Ryan was a research assistant at Dr. Stover’s Fathers for Change Lab at the Yale Child Study Center which provided intervention for intimate partner violence. Ryan is passionate about studying the long-term impacts of mental health interventions and their effectiveness in preventing the onset of serious mental health disorders.

bottom of page