Thank you for your interest in learning more about me! My name is Dr. Ruth Varkovitzky (she/her) and I am a licensed clinical psychologist. I use a culturally sensitive evidence based approach in my clinical work; combining the best science while tailoring therapy to each individual. In the spirit of providing the highest quality of care possible, I am board certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
I specialize in providing therapy for trauma and sleep disorders, such as PTSD and insomnia. In addition, I offer a variety of treatments to address problems with depression, anxiety, and OCD. Supporting folks with these challenges is my passion; it’s an honor to work alongside my clients and see them heal and grow.
Public service has always been part of my journey, including collaboration with shelters for survivors of domestic violence, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the Washington State Board of Psychologist Examiners. In addition to my passion for clinical work, I’ve enjoyed contributing to psychological science through academic and media publications. I established my private practice Renewal Psychology to offer my services to clients in Washington as well as the many state members of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT).
Personal Statement
I received a PhD in clinical psychology from UCLA, then completed post-doctoral training in pain and geriatrics at the University of Washington. Since 1980, I have served on the faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine. I work clinically with patients with chronic pain at the UW Medicine Center for Pain Relief.
My research interests include clinical trials of medical, surgical, and psychosocial interventions for chronic pain; prediction of pain outcomes; and long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain. I have published over 230 peer-reviewed articles related to chronic pain studies and am internationally recognized for this research (e.g., Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator award from the American Pain Society for contributions to clinical pain research, International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine prize for clinical pain research). I have had leadership roles in national and international professional organizations related to pain, including having served as President of the International Association for the Study of Pain.
Personal Statement
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington Medical Center. In addition to general psychiatry, I am an expert in Consultation Liaison Psychiatry. My primary clinical roles are in the inpatient psychiatry consultation service at the University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center.
I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and his M.D. from Loma Linda University in California. I first came to the UW as a psychiatry resident, and then continued on for my fellowship in Psychosomatic Medicine.
Personal Statement
I am Medical Director of Inpatient and Acute Mental Health Services at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where I provide clinical leadership and clinical care to patients with a broad range of diagnoses and presenting concerns in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit, Partial Hospitalization Program, and Emergency Department Mental Health program. I aim to provide high quality, family-focused, evidence-based care as part of a multidisciplinary team. I am highly involved in educating residents, fellows, and medical students, and serve as Associate Training Director for Inpatient Psychiatry for the child psychiatry fellowship program.
Personal Statement
I am a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in development and evaluation of technology-based approaches in the study, assessment, treatment, and prevention of mental illness. This work includes development of illness self-management apps for people with serious mental illness, texting interventions, behavioral sensing/digital phenotyping, computational psychiatry/predictive modelling, applications of Natural Language Processing (NLP), and development of culturally-relevant digital mental health resources for communities in low-and-middle-income countries.
My research has been supported by grants and awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), SYNERGY Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Myrtlewood Foundation, and John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding. I publish extensively in scientific journals and is a regular speaker at national and international scientific meetings including invited presentations at the White House and National Institute of Mental Health Director’s Innovation Speaker series. I have written editorials and commentaries on the use of technology-based interventions for Psychiatric Services, the BMJ, and the New York Times, and my research has been covered by Public Radio, Nature, Wired Magazine, Slate, and The Economist. I served on the Editorial Board of Schizophrenia Bulletin and am the Inaugural Editor of the “Technology in Mental Health” Column for Psychiatric Services (APA journal).
Personal Statement
I am a perinatal psychiatrist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
I earned my medical degree from Bangalore Medical College, India, and completed a psychiatry residency in St. John’s Medical College, India. I completed a second residency in Psychiatry with a focus on women’s mental health and integrated care from the University of Washington, and a fellowship in Primary Care in Psychiatry.
I also earned a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Washington School of Public Health. I am board certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Personal Statement
I am a licensed clinical psychologist in Washington State. I am the Director of the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Psychology Internship Program which is accredited by the American Psychological Association’s Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation. And, I conduct research on health and risk behaviors across the lifespan. Specifically, I have conducted research in the areas of college student alcohol use, young adult gambling behavior, and co-morbidity of substance use and mental health/risk behaviors (i.e. risky sexual behaviors). I have extensive experience working with college students/young adults, military/veteran, and minority/diverse populations. I am also interested in mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. I maintain an active clinical practice in the areas of mental health issues with patients diagnosed with hematological and oncological illness and have clinical responsibilities at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. I also provide clinical supervision for psychology residents and psychology practicum students at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center as well. Overall, my professional aspirations are to improve the public health through empirically-supported psychological interventions and providing mentorship to diverse trainees to expand the reach of psychology.
