Brieanne Kidd Kohrt, PhD

Brieanne (Brie) Kohrt, PhD, PMH-C, is a licensed clinical psychologist within the Prenatal Pediatrics Institute at Children’s National Hospital and an associate professor of psychiatry, behavioral sciences and pediatrics at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Dr. Kohrt earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her predoctoral internship in child clinical psychology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and her postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric psychology at Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Following her fellowship, she spent two years in Peru working as a community-based psychologist serving migrant families, an experience that shaped her commitment to culturally responsive mental health care. She later held faculty appointments at the University of Denver and California State University, Los Angeles, before joining Children’s National in 2023.

At Children’s National, Dr. Kohrt specializes in perinatal mental health, complex trauma and bilingual psychological services for Spanish-speaking families. She provides diagnostic evaluations, individual therapy and group therapy to women navigating high-risk pregnancies, fetal diagnoses and perinatal psychological distress. She also serves as the developer and director of the Latina Perinatal Mental Health Fellowship, which prepares bilingual and bicultural fellows to address the mental health needs of Spanish-dominant perinatal patients.

Her research portfolio centers on reducing barriers to mental health care through culturally adapted interventions and innovative task-sharing approaches. She is the principal investigator on multiple projects, including initiatives in Guatemala that train community health workers to recognize and manage perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In Washington, D.C., she leads efforts to culturally adapt Perinatal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (P-ACT) for Central American immigrant women, combining evidence-based practice with culturally grounded approaches.

Beyond her clinical and research roles, Dr. Kohrt is deeply engaged in professional leadership. She serves as co-chair of the Bilingual Special Interest Group of the National Latinx Psychological Association and program committee co-chair and board member for the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture. She is an active member of Postpartum Support International, La Red de Salud Mental Perinatal Latinoamericana, and Divisions 52 (International Psychology) and 53 (Child and Adolescent Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Kohrt is also the Director of PASEO Salud Mental, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to Spanish-language mental health services in the U.S. and Peru. Her leadership in this area was recognized with the Division 52 Early Career Psychologist Award from the American Psychological Association.

Across her roles as clinician, researcher, educator and advocate, Dr. Kohrt is committed to advancing equitable, culturally grounded mental health care for perinatal women and Spanish-speaking families.

Publications:

ORCID

• Developing Brain Institute
• Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences