Highly sought after for her clinical expertise and down-to-earth approach to therapy, Dr. Joanna Rosen, PsyD, is a Connecticut and New York licensed clinical psychologist dedicated to prevention, early identification, and clinical treatment of mental health challenges. For over 20 years, across a variety of roles and settings, she has worked to break down barriers and normalize open conversations about brain health.
From the start, Dr. Rosen has been curious about why some people, when faced with similar situations, are more negatively impacted than others. That curiosity guided her graduate studies and led to a focused look at trauma through the lens of information processing models. For her doctoral dissertation, she researched Predictors of Chronic PTSD in Female Rape Survivors, finding that specific factors—particularly attribution of blame—strongly influenced the course of PTSD. This discovery deepened her conviction that research should guide clinical decision-making to improve outcomes.
After earning her doctorate, she pursued that conviction at the Yale School of Medicine’s PRIME (Prevention through Risk Identification, Management, and Education) Research Clinic. There she completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, later serving as Clinical Director and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry. PRIME’s pioneering work focused on identifying and supporting individuals at high risk for serious mental illness, blending prevention and early intervention.
For a detailed overview of my academic and professional background, [view my CV here].
When the 9/11 terrorist attacks struck Manhattan, Dr. Rosen took a leave from Yale to coordinate a large-scale intervention program for northern New Jersey communities deeply affected by the tragedy. HART (Healing and Recovery after Trauma), a grant-funded initiative, brought trauma-specific interventions and community education to reduce PTSD risk and prevent long-term mental health problems.
In 2004, she moved to Newtown, CT, where she has since served both in private practice and through Nuvance Health’s Outpatient Psychiatry Department. As a trauma specialist, she has supported individuals impacted by large-scale, public tragedies such as 9/11, Sandy Hook, and the Boston Marathon bombing, as well as countless others navigating private traumas like suicide, homicide, sexual assault, and sudden loss.
Dr. Rosen’s clinical work is shaped by brain science and research-driven treatment protocols for PTSD. She specializes in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), with a particular focus on intensive EMDR. She is a certified EMDR provider and a member of the Fairfield County Trauma Response Team, a group of clinicians who provide pro-bono outreach, education, and treatment for first responders and frontline healthcare workers.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Rosen is the founder of BETWEEN2EARS® Trauma Consultancy, which provides training, education, and consulting for healthcare providers, service professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and patient advocacy organizations. Through this work, she focuses on prevention, early identification, and trauma-responsive care—helping professionals and systems reduce risk, respond effectively, and better support those impacted by trauma.
When not working, Dr. Rosen enjoys playing tennis, exercising, traveling, visiting her grown-and-flown children, and hanging out with her basset hound, Phoebe. She has a soft spot for crisp apples, dried mango, raw brussels sprout salad, Ferris Acres Creamery ice cream (look it up!), and anything chocolate. Evenings are best spent at home with her family and two dogs, watching comedies like The Office, Parks and Recreation, Arrested Development, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Professional Affiliations
