Psychiatry · Research · Innovation
Phillip Yang,
MD, MA
Physician-Scientist · Psychiatry Resident
Advancing the science of trauma treatment with a focus on complex trauma, cultural mental health, and innovation in psychiatric treatment.
Psychiatry · Research · Innovation
Physician-Scientist · Psychiatry Resident
Advancing the science of trauma treatment with a focus on complex trauma, cultural mental health, and innovation in psychiatric treatment.
Areas of Focus
My work focuses on advancing treatments for trauma and complex trauma. I integrate trauma psychiatry, cultural identity, and community-engaged research to develop more precise and culturally responsive interventions.
I am actively engaged in medical education, with experience developing and teaching curricula that address trauma-informed care, cultural psychiatry, and gaps in traditional psychiatric training. I also act as a consultant for undergraduate medical education tools, including emerging AI-driven learning platforms.
Investigating the neurobiological and psychosocial underpinnings of trauma and developing innovative treatments for patients with complex, treatment-resistant presentations.
Exploring how culture shapes the expression, experience, and treatment of psychiatric illness - with a particular emphasis on Asian and Asian American communities and the cultural barriers to care.
Examining specific phobic disorders, particularly paruresis (shy bladder syndrome) - their neurological basis, and evidence-based interventions that remain underrepresented in the psychiatric toolkit.
Pursuing translational research aimed at bridging the gap between basic science and clinical practice - with a long-term goal of developing novel, culturally-informed interventions for underserved populations.
Background
I am a psychiatry resident and physician-scientist focused on advancing treatment for trauma and complex trauma through rigorous, translational, and culturally informed approaches.
My work sits at the intersection of medicine, social science, and translational research, allowing me to approach psychiatric illness with both biological precision and cultural humility. I am particularly interested in how identity and lived experience shape both suffering and recovery, and how these factors must be integrated into the next generation of trauma treatments.
My clinical and research interests include trauma and complex PTSD, Asian and Asian American mental health, and specific phobic disorders such as paruresis. I am particularly interested in how stigma, intergenerational trauma, and cultural misattunement serves as barriers to care - and how psychiatry can do better.
I am actively engaged in building a research program aimed at expanding treatment possibilities and re-examining some of the field's core assumptions. I welcome collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and others committed to building more precise, inclusive approaches to mental health care.
Alongside my clinical and research work, I have a sustained focus on education. I have worked as a classroom teacher and curriculum developer, and have designed and taught trauma-informed and social-emotional learning curricula across educational and clinical settings. I continue to engage in medical education through curriculum development and consulting work, with an interest in how psychiatric knowledge is taught, translated, and applied in practice.
Get in Touch
I welcome inquiries from potential collaborators, researchers, colleagues, and individuals seeking to learn more about my work. If you are interested in a consultation or have questions, please reach out directly by email.
phillip@phillipyangmd.com