Shannon Lenze

Shannon Lenze

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Education & Training


  • Postdoctoral Training: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 2010
  • Postdoctoral Training: George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 2009
  • PhD: Clinical Psychology: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 2007
  • MS: Clinical Psychology: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003
  • BS: Psychology: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 1995

Areas of Clinical Interest


Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Research Interests


The aims of my research program are to advance the identification and treatment of perinatal mood disorders with the goal to both address maternal suffering and ameliorate risk of intergenerational risk transmission of psychopathology to offspring. Specifically, I am interested in developing psychosocial interventions for perinatal depression that are not only effective in reducing depressive symptoms in mothers, but also in preventing adverse infant outcomes. A key area of focus is on women from impoverished backgrounds where there are substantial barriers to health care and high risks of abuse and neglect of infants and young children.

Key Publications


  • Funded Research Projects


    NIMH(PI):Perinatal Depression: Dyadic-IPT to Improve Health of Mother and Baby

    McDonnell Center for Systems Neuroscience (PI): Baby on the Brain: Neurobiological Mechanisms of Parenting in Postpartum Depression

    BJHF/ICTS (PI): Improving Perinatal Depression Outcomes with Mobile Technology