Peter L. Phalen, PsyD

Dr. Peter Phalen is a faculty member in the Division of Psychiatric Services Research at the University of Maryland. His work is focused on improving community mental health, both by developing compassionate, effective clinical services and by addressing critical public health challenges like gun violence and stigma.

Dr. Phalen is especially passionate about research that centers lived experience and uses reliable and reproducible methods, including Bayesian data analysis, to better understand clinical issues. He currently leads an NIMH-funded Randomized Controlled Trial of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for people experiencing psychosis and at high risk for suicide, and also collaborates on research to improve early psychosis care, to provide trauma care to victims of gun violence, and to prevent suicide, homicide, and opioid-related harm.

In addition to his research, Dr. Phalen is a Licensed Psychologist. His clinical work focuses on helping people move through intense emotional pain and experiences others might find hard to understand, such as suicidal thoughts or psychosis-like symptoms. He maintains a small, focused caseload to provide personalized, thoughtful care.

Whether you're a potential collaborator or someone seeking support, Dr. Phalen welcomes connection and conversation.

Community mental health, psychosis, suicidality

Phalen, P., Kimhy, D., Jobes, D., & Bennett., M. (2024). Emotional distress and dysregulation as treatment targets to reduce suicide in psychosis: a scoping review. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. pdf

Phalen, P., Grossmann, J., Bruder, T., Jeong, J., Calmes, C., Mcgrath, K., Malouf, E., James, A., Romero, E., and Bennett, M. (2022). Description of a Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program in a Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Evaluation and Program Planning, 92, 102098. pdf

Phalen, P., Millman, Z., Rakhshan Rouhakhtar, P., Andorko, N., Reeves, G., & Schiffman, J. (2021). Categorical Versus Dimensional Models of Early Psychosis. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 16(1):42-50. pdf

Jones, N., Atterbury, K., Byrne, L., Carras, M., Hansen, M., & Phalen, P. (2021). Lived Experience, Research Leadership, and the Transformation of Mental Health Services: Building a Researcher Pipeline. Psychiatric Services, 72(5), 591-593. 

Phalen, P., Bridgeford, E., Gant, L., Kivisto, A., Ray, B., & Fitzgerald, S. (2020). Baltimore Ceasefire 365: Estimated impact of a recurring community-led ceasefire on gun violence. American Journal of Public Health, 110(4), 554-559. 

Phalen, P. L., Warman, D., Martin, J., & Lysaker, P. (2018). The stigma of voice-hearing experiences: Religiousness and voice-hearing contents matter. Stigma and Health, 3(1), 77-84. pdf

Phalen, P. L. (2017). Psychological Distress and Rates of Health Insurance Coverage and Use and Affordability of Mental Health Services, 2013–2014. Psychiatric Services, 68(5), 512-515.

Phalen, P. L. (September, 2013), Psychiatrists and African Traditional Healers Ally on Mental Health. Humanosphere.