Joelle T. Taknint, PhD, MSc

Assistant Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Joelle Taos Taknint (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and a practicing clinical psychologist at Boston Medical Center (BMC). Dr. Taknint is Director of Behavioral Health for the Immigrant and Refugee Health Center (IRHC) at BMC. Dr. Taknint also oversees the Therapeutic Assessment and Psychological Testing (TAPT) service housed in outpatient psychiatry, which is the generalist psychological assessment service for adult patients. There is a small research arm to the TAPT service which evaluates the longitudinal effects of therapeutic assessment, for which Dr. Taknint is principal investigator.

Dr. Taknint’s research expertise is in immigrant and refugee mental health across the lifespan. Her research has focused on strengthening relationships amongst immigrant and refugee families, the psychological effects of discrimination on migrants in the US and Canada, and the roles of migrant receiving communities and healthcare systems in fostering refugee well being. Dr. Taknint leverages qualitative and quantitative methodologies in her research to promote mental health equity. Dr. Taknint is trained in prevention science, and enjoys working with community partners to evaluate and sustain mental health programming that is community grown. Dr. Taknint is a settler in the U.S., and a 2nd generation immigrant of Amazigh (indigenous North African), European, and Middle Eastern ancestry.

Publications

  • Published 11/29/2024

    Taknint JT, Thomas FC, Gellatly R, Ameresekere M. Responding to Trauma: A Critical Review of Mental Health and Psychosocial Interventions for Refugee Women. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2024 Dec; 26(12):866-876. PMID: 39612155.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 3/7/2024

    Taknint, JT, Depestre, S, Alshabani, N, Martin, AM, Virkar, S., & Milord, J. . Assessing psychotic spectrum disorders in partnership with patients: Three culturally-responsive therapeutic assessment cases. Practice Innovations. 2024.

  • Published 1/1/2024

    Taknint JT, Marzoughi M, Gellatly R, Krengel MH, Kimball SL. Improving Access to Disability Assessment for US Citizenship Applicants in Primary Care: An Embedded Neuropsychological Assessment Innovation. Ann Fam Med. 2024; 22(5):458. PMID: 39313347.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 12/22/2022

    Taknint, JT, Rojas Perez, OF, Mattar, S, & Piwowarczyk, L. Teletherapy trauma treatment in context: Caring for refugee patients during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Practice Innovations. 2022; 8(2):89-101.

  • Published 1/1/2022

    Mattar S, Ipekci B, Louis EF, Taknint JT. Training considerations for providers engaged in refugee mental health care. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation. 2022.

Education

  • University of Victoria, PhD
  • University of Victoria, MSc
  • Macalester College, BA