Tara E. Galovski, PhD

Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Tara Galovski, PhD, Director of the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD at the VA Boston Healthcare System, has joined the faculty as associate professor of psychiatry.

Dr. Galovski is a researcher in the field of trauma recovery. She focuses on the development and testing of Cognitive Processing Therapy for survivors of interpersonal assault, combat, community violence and motor vehicle accidents suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In her work with civilians, veterans and law enforcement, she has investigated the impact of gender differences, chronicity of trauma, type of trauma and the presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders on the development and maintenance of PTSD as well as the recovery from PTSD. Her research interests also include studying the presentation and expression of anger and health-related consequences of stress and anxiety.

Dr. Galovski received her undergraduate degree from University of Rochester and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from SUNY-Albany. Her residency was completed at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She joined the faculty of the University of Missouri- St. Louis before coming to BUSM. She holds numerous roles on journal editorial boards and professional societies.

Publications

  • Published 1/20/2026

    Vogt D, Borowski S, Hoffmire CA, Maguen S, Iverson KM, Pugh MJ, Galovski T. Impact of veterans' military-to-civilian transition experiences on their longer-term mental health. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2026 Jan 20. PMID: 41559196.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/13/2025

    Fox AB, Nillni YI, Rossi FS, Duke CC, Galovski TE. The mental health of US veterans before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: examining the demographic and environmental correlates of courses of distress in the LIGHT cohort. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2026 Apr; 61(4):735-746. PMID: 41233648.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 10/23/2025

    McCue ML, Capone CC, Wachen JS, Harlé KM, Davis BC, Panza KE, Lyons M, Luciano MT, Shea MT, Haller M, Galovski TE, Schnurr PP, Norman SB. Addressing pandemic-related guilt and shame in U.S. military veterans: A pilot randomized controlled trial of trauma-informed guilt reduction and supportive care therapy. Psychol Trauma. 2025 Oct 23. PMID: 41129362.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/14/2025

    Nixon RDV, Forbes D, Galovski TE. Cognitive processing therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in first responders and veterans: Flexing the approach with explicit case formulation. J Trauma Stress. 2025 Dec; 38(6):1045-1058. PMID: 40947656.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/14/2025

    Alpert E, Fox AB, Galovski TE. Who defines improvement? Patients' global reports of improvement compared to standardized measures of improvement in cognitive processing therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. J Anxiety Disord. 2025 Jul; 113:103027. PMID: 40381493.

    Read at: PubMed

Other Positions

  • Director, National Center for PTSD
    VA Boston Healthcare System

Education

  • State University of New York at Albany, PhD
  • State University of New York at Albany, MA
  • University of Rochester, BA