Shykina Brown, PsyD

Shykina Brown, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and the Program Director of the Yale Behavioral Health- Juvenile Justice Mental Health Program. She is also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Brown currently provides clinical oversight of mental health services and staff across JBCSSD-funded sites, including Hartford and Bridgeport Residential Centers and two community REGIONS Programs. Dr. Brown also completed pre-and postdoctoral fellowships in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale. She has many years of experience providing psychotherapeutic services to children, adolescents, and adults. Prior to her time at Yale, she worked as a bilingual clinician at an outpatient clinic in Hartford, CT where she worked with Spanish-speaking clients and families. Dr. Brown also has experience working in a federal prison where she co-facilitated a 9-month treatment group which included psychoeducation on trauma and mental health, basic cognitive skills, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).

Dr. Brown has extensive training in working with individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and developing treatment plans for clients with complex needs. As a predoctoral fellow at the Connecticut Mental Health Center- Adult Inpatient Unit, she provided individual and group treatment to clients with acute psychiatric conditions and requiring longer term hospitalization. During this time, Dr. Brown worked on a research project focused on developing a multicultural approach to cognitive behavioral treatment for individuals with SMI and trauma. She also served on the Internship Committee on Diversity and Inclusion and the Fellow Advisory Committee.

Throughout her training and work experience, Dr. Brown conducted several psychological assessments including neuropsychological, school, forensic and court (e.g., presentencing, competency, and asylum) and risk evaluations. These assessments and reports have been used for treatment and disposition planning based on clients’ needs and level of risk. She also serves as a resource for providers seeking psychological evaluations for their Spanish-speaking clients.

Dr. Brown is a first generation Hispanic American, with both parents who immigrated to the United States from Honduras. She is fluent in the Spanish language and is well versed in advocating for clients and connecting them with culturally and linguistically meaningful services. Dr. Brown is committed to expanding her experience and research interest in cultural competency and disproportionate minority contact. Her dissertation focused on proposed guidelines for mental health professionals working with men of color, which she has presented to psychiatry residents and colleagues.