Debra Bailey PHD

Debra Bailey PHD is a clinical psychologist based in West Hartford, Connecticut, whose lifelong curiosity about human behavior and commitment to helping others have shaped her professional path. Before beginning her career in psychology, she spent years in the competitive equestrian world, training and showing Arabian horses across the United States and Canada. That early experience built her sense of discipline, patience, and emotional awareness, which later became central to her work in psychotherapy. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Kent State University in Ohio, where her academic achievements and passion for research led her into the university’s Ph.D. program. There, she pursued a dual-track focus in Experimental Psychology, emphasizing Personality Theory and Social Psychology, and Clinical Psychology. After completing her master’s thesis and demanding qualifying exams in both areas, she developed a strong connection between scientific study and clinical application, forming the foundation of her evidence-based approach. She later moved to Connecticut to complete a pre-doctoral internship in Clinical Psychology at an American Psychological Association-approved psychiatric hospital. Choosing to work with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, she sought to understand and support people facing some of the most challenging mental health conditions. Following this experience, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Yale-affiliated West Haven Veterans Administration Hospital, where she deepened her understanding of how brain function influences emotion and behavior. Her career has included extensive experience in inpatient psychiatric care, leadership of a statewide mobile crisis program, and managing a hospital-affiliated outpatient service. She has also contributed to teaching, research, and policy work, including university appointments and published studies on the relationship between emotion, behavior, and neuroscience.