Professional Background
Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. serves as the Senior Fellow of The ChildTrauma Academy, a not-for-profit organization based in Houston, and is an adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago.
Published Work
Dr. Perry co-authored with Maia Szalavitz two bestsellers, The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, and Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered.
Academic & Clinical History
Over the last thirty years, Dr. Perry has held various academic positions in the field of children's mental health and neurosciences. His tenure includes serving as faculty of the Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at the University Of Chicago School Of Medicine from 1988 to 1991 and the Trammell Research Professor of Child Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas from 1992 to 2001. Additionally, he was Chief of Psychiatry for Texas Children's Hospital and Vice-Chairman for Research within the Department of Psychiatry.
Social Service
From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Perry served as the Medical Director for Provincial Programs in Children's Mental Health for the Alberta Mental Health Board. Currently, he is a Senior Consultant to the Ministry of Children’s Services in Alberta, Canada.
Research Interests
Dr. Perry's research ranges from examining the neurobiology of neuropsychiatric disorders and effects of prenatal drug exposure on brain development to exploring the long-term cognitive, behavioral, emotional, social, and physiological effects of neglect and trauma in children, adolescents, and adults. His work integrates concepts of developmental neuroscience and child development into innovative clinical practices and programs, resulting in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT).
ChildTrauma Academy
The ChildTrauma Academy partners with various community sectors with the aim of fostering positive change within primary institutions that work with high-risk children such as child protective services, mental health, public education and juvenile justice.
Crisis Consultation
Following high-profile incidents such as the Columbine school shootings, the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the Katrina hurricane, Dr. Perry's experience as a clinician and a researcher with traumatized children has led many community and governmental agencies to consult him.
Contributions & Honors
Dr. Perry is the author of over 300 journal articles and has received numerous professional awards, including the T. Berry Brazelton Infant Mental Health Advocacy Award, the Award for Leadership in Public Child Welfare, and the Alberta Centennial Medal.
Media Appearances & Features
Dr. Perry's work has been featured broadly in media outlets such as National Public Radio, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS News, and the Oprah Winfrey Show, among others. He has also been highlighted by many print media, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Rolling Stone.
Education
Originally from Bismarck, North Dakota, Dr. Perry completed his undergraduate study at Stanford University and Amherst College. He attended Northwestern University for medical and graduate school, where he received M.D. and Ph.D. degrees. He completed his general psychiatry residency at the Yale University School of Medicine and a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The University of Chicago.
