Damla E. Aksen, Ph.D is a postdoctoral fellow at the CHA Center for Mindfulness and Compassion (CMC), where she is engaged in both research and clinical activities focused on investigating and delivering mindfulness- and compassion-based clinical interventions.

She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from SUNY Binghamton University, where her research centered on mindfulness and transdiagnostic symptoms such as dissociation, emotion dysregulation, and impulsivity. During her graduate training, she provided clinical care in inpatient, outpatient, and partial hospitalization settings, serving individuals with diverse psychological disorders and levels of acuity.

Damla completed her pre-doctoral internship at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, followed by a T32 postdoctoral fellowship at Yale School of Medicine. There, she employed whole-brain data-driven approaches to investigate the neural correlates of transdiagnostic features of addictions and to examine the roles of impact of early-life adversity and trauma as risk factors for psychopathology. 

She feels honored and inspired to be part of CMC, where she continues to integrate her research with the clinical practice of mindfulness-based interventions. Beyond her professional work, she is a lifelong dog and bird companion who enjoys meditation, contemplative practice, yoga, camping, and savoring a good cup of tea in the company of her pack and flock.