Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you’re doing.

-Jon Kabat-Zinn

About Liz Culnan, PhD, DBSM

I am a licensed clinical health psychologist, with specialized training in the areas of perinatal mental health, reproductive health psychology, and behavioral sleep medicine. I work with people experiencing life transitions and stressors, which often includes navigating fertility-related stressors, pregnancy, postpartum, and sleep issues like insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders.

My approach to therapy is warm, supportive, and collaborative. I’m passionate about helping you to mindfully navigate life’s ups and downs, process your emotions, improve your sleep, and learn how to handle those overwhelming thoughts. From the start of therapy, we'll work together to set meaningful goals. I believe in taking an active, mindful approach as we explore the best ways to move forward. As a health psychologist, I consider not only your mental and emotional health, but also your physical health, and social support and circumstances. I integrate evidence-based psychotherapies, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Interpersonal Psychotherapy to tailor my approach to you. We will make sure we are working together in a way that takes into account what matters most to you and what's contributing to the challenges you're facing. Together, we’ll work to help you experience more self-compassion, find clarity, improve your sleep, and re-engage with life in a meaningful way.

My commitment to this work comes not only from seeing how transformative therapy can be, but also from my own experiences in becoming a mom and parenting a busy toddler.

Before private practice, I worked as an Assistant Professor with the Reproductive Health Psychology Service within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and with the Sleep Disorders Service and Research Center within the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. I also served as the Associate Director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine Services at Rush University Medical Center, and am a Diplomate of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, meaning I have training above and beyond what most health psychologists do when it comes to helping people sleep well.

Education and Clinical Training:

  • Postdoctoral fellowship in Reproductive Health Psychology and Behavioral Sleep Medicine at Rush University Medical Center

  • Pre-doctoral Health Psychology internship at Rush University Medical Center

  • PhD in Clinical Health Psychology from Drexel University

  • Diplomate in Behavioral Sleep Medicine