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Lauren Dennelly is a clinical social worker and doctoral candidate. She is an adjunct professor at Marywood University-Pocono Campus in their MSW program where she has taught courses in foundational social work methods as well as trauma. She has served as a guest lecturer, consultant, and instructor for the integrated healthcare and social work course at ������̳, including assisting in creating the course syllabus, utilizing innovative pedagogical approaches in the classroom, and teaching the course in the Fall of 2018. Lauren has also been working as a behavioral health specialist in integrated primary care as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team for the past 9 years. She has participated in ������̳’s Policy Practice in Field Initiative program as a panel presenter on multidisciplinary care team models in primary care. She has published both academic and popular writing, including work in the Clinical Social Work Journal, Social Work, The New Social Worker and Social Work Today.

Research and Scholarly Interests

Qualitative and mixed methods healthcare research, including innovative ways to conceptualize and measure the patient experience, understanding the interpersonal dynamics between healthcare providers and patients with behavioral health needs, and investigating the effectiveness of integrated behavioral health models.

Dissertation

“Am I going to be the counselor now?”: Primary Care Physician Experiences Treating Patients with Behavioral Health Needs

My aim with this research is to understand the experiences of primary care physicians who work with patients with behavioral health needs. In my clinical work, I have spoken with many primary care physicians who are challenged by the growing behavioral health needs in their practice. I am interested in examining what factors contribute to shaping their relationships with their patients with behavioral health needs as well as how these factors impact their emotional health in practice.