Debra Bailey PHD

Debra Bailey PHD is a clinical psychologist in West Hartford, Connecticut, whose lifelong interest in understanding human behavior and dedication to helping others have shaped her career. Before beginning her work in psychology, she spent her early years in the competitive equestrian world, training and showing Arabian horses throughout the United States and Canada. That experience taught her patience, emotional awareness, and persistence—qualities fundamental to her later work as a therapist.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Kent State University in Ohio, where her academic excellence and commitment to research led her to enter the university’s Ph.D. program. There, she pursued a dual-track focus in Experimental Psychology, concentrating on Personality Theory, Social Psychology, and Clinical Psychology. After completing her master’s thesis and passing comprehensive qualifying exams in both areas, she began integrating scientific research with clinical application, forming the basis of her evidence-based therapeutic approach.

She later moved to Connecticut to complete a pre-doctoral internship in Clinical Psychology at an American Psychological Association-approved psychiatric hospital. She chose to work with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, aiming to better understand and support those experiencing complex mental health conditions. Afterward, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Yale-affiliated West Haven Veterans Administration Hospital, where she explored how brain function influences emotion and behavior, bridging experimental study with clinical care.

Her professional path includes work in inpatient psychiatric care, directing a statewide mobile crisis program, and managing a hospital-affiliated outpatient service. Alongside her clinical responsibilities, she contributed to research, teaching, and policy discussions, holding academic appointments and publishing work that examined the connection between emotion, behavior, and neuroscience.

In her private practice, she provides psychotherapy for older adolescents and adults dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, bipolar disorder, stress, and relationship challenges. Her forthcoming book, The Elephant and the Turtle: A Metaphor for the Work of Psychotherapy and Personality Change, illustrates her belief that creativity, humor, and authenticity can inspire healing and transformation. Through her thoughtful and compassionate approach, Debra Bailey PHD continues to help individuals find resilience, understanding, and personal growth.