Chelsea Boccagno
Chelsea Boccagno is a recent graduate (2023) of the clinical science program at Harvard University, under the primary mentorship of Dr. Jill Hooley. Her research focus is twofold: (a) examine how identity is linked to emotion, and (b) identify how this link is implicated in psychopathology, with a focus on self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (e.g., non-suicidal self-injury). By examining how our sense of who we are is related to how we experience and regulate emotions, Chelsea seeks to further inform our understanding, assessment, and treatment of self-injurious behaviors. To address these questions, Chelsea adopts a multidisciplinary perspective, and analyzes novel data collected from studies as well as existing digital data on social media websites. Prior to joining the lab, Chelsea received her B.A. in psychology from Vassar College, and worked with Dr. Michele Tugade at Vassar College, Dr. Pierfilippo de Sanctis at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Dr. Kevin Ochsner at Columbia University. Alongside her research, Chelsea has served as a therapist at McLean Hospital (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Institute, Gunderson Residence) and Massachusetts General Hospital (Depression Clinical and Research Program, Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation).
Outside of this, Chelsea enjoys running, eating at new restaurants, and telling people fun facts about the Bronx (her hometown). In addition, as a first-gen/low-income student, she is grateful for all of the critical guidance and mentorship she has been given throughout the years, and she seeks to provide the same mentorship to students from all backgrounds. She believes diversity in all forms not only creates better research, but also fosters a critical sense of unified belonging.