“Thinkers think and doers do, but until doers think and thinkers do, progress will be just another word in the already overburdened vocabulary of talkers who talk.”~E.J. Taylor
Addressing the needs of diverse youths, adults, and families has been the primary focus of Dr. Jernigan-Noesi’s work as a clinician and scholar. She recognizes that not all traditional psychological approaches that serve to meet the needs of some, are effective for persons from all backgrounds. Dr. Jernigan-Noesi prides herself on the integration of context, culture, and social factors that may influence health and wellbeing. Clinically, Dr. Jernigan-Noesi has worked alongside a multidisciplinary team of health providers in inpatient and outpatient mental health, community, medical, and academic settings. She has extensive training in pediatric psychology and adolescent health, as well as specialized training in adult and family interventions.
Dr. Jernigan maintains a private practice serving a diverse clientele with a range of clinical concerns including, but not limited to: treatment of eating and weight concerns, mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, relational concerns, and career coaching. She also provides couple counseling focused on major life transitions such as, marriage and parenting. Her approach to therapy utilizes an intersectional framework emphasizing the role of identity (e.g., racial identity, sexual identity, gender identity) and culture in mental health and wellbeing.
Dr. Jernigan-Noesi completed an advanced internship at The Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine. She also completed postgraduate fellowships at Harvard Medical School and Yale University School of Medicine. As a Clinical Fellow at Harvard, Dr. Jernigan-Noesi provided a range of outpatient mental health services in the Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. She then completed an additional 3-year fellowship in translational research and intervention science at Yale. The fellowship, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, facilitated Dr. Jernigan-Noesi’s current appointment as Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale Medical School, where she collaborates with providers to provide consultation for health and wellness initiatives and promote school-based behavioral health.
As clinical-researcher, Dr. Jernigan-Noesi’s contributions to the field of behavioral health have earned recognition from numerous organizations including the Ford Foundation and the American Psychological Association. Her recognized expertise in the development and implementation of culturally responsive behavioral health models and interventions led Dr. Jernigan-Noesi to found Jernigan and Associates, LLC. Through Jernigan and Associates, she provides consultation on a national level to academic, healthcare, and private organizations to provide systemic analysis and strategic planning focusing on issues of diversity and inclusion. She also works with K-12 school districts and institutions of higher education to assess and implement culturally inclusive policies and practices for students, staff, and administrators.
Dr. Jernigan-Noesi has over 15 years of teaching experience at various collegiate institutions. She served as a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Saint Joseph, in West Hartford, CT. In 2018, Dr. Jernigan-Noesi transitioned from Connecticut to Atlanta, GA where she now serves as a Visiting Professor of Psychology at Agnes Scott College. At Agnes Scott, she heads the Intersections Research Lab, where she focuses on the investigation of the influence of socio-ecological factors (e.g., experiences of discrimination, family culture) on health outcomes. Dr. Jernigan-Noesi has taught an array of courses including Research Methods, Introduction to Counseling, Psychology of Women, Health Psychology, Psychological Testing, and Adolescent and Lifespan Development. Additionally, she has served as a graduate school instructor, teaching graduate students in Play Therapy, the Psychology of Racial and Ethnic Minorities, and Practicum and Supervision. In academic and medical settings, Dr. Jernigan facilitated mental health seminars for medical students and providers focusing on mental health assessment.
Dr. Jernigan-Noesi is closely aligned with several professional organizations. She is a member of: Section 1 (Black Women in Psychology) of Division 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women) of the American Psychological Association, Division 17 (Counseling Psychology), and Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race). She is also a former member of the Diversity Committee of The Obesity Society.
