Alexis D. Abernethy

Alexis D. Abernethy is a clinical psychologist and professor in the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. She most recently served as the chief academic officer from 2021 to 2025, following her previous role as chief of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She graduated from Howard University with a BS in psychology. She received her MA and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Abernethy’s primary research interest is the intersection between spirituality and health; her research contributions to such topics span a variety of academic books and journals. She has edited books such as Spiritual Care in Psychological Suffering: How a Research Collaboration Informs Integrative Practice (2023) and most recently, Addressing Diversity Dynamics in Group Therapy: Clinical and Training Applications (2024). She has also published many articles related to spirituality and health, group therapy, and cultural competency. She coauthored an article with Lee Stevens on “Neuroscience and Racism: The Power of Groups for Overcoming Implicit Bias” and another article with David Allen and Marie Carroll on “Adapting Group Therapy to Address Real World Problems: Insights from Groups Offered in the Bahamas” in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy (2017).

Her Spirituality and Health Lab focuses on the experience of spirituality and health-related outcomes. Selected publications from her collaboration with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services include: “Perceptions of Divine Forgiveness, Religious Comfort, and Depression in Psychiatric Inpatients: A Mixed Methods Study” (Abernethy, Witvliet, Root Luna, Foster, Putman, Currier, Schnitker, Van Harn, & Carter) in the Journal of Religion and Health (2022); “Inpatient Perspectives on the Appropriateness of Spiritually Integrated Interventions in a Christian-Affiliated Program” (Abernethy, Currier, Schnitker, Witvliet, Root Luna, Foster, Van Harn, & Carter) published in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (2021); and “Understanding the Roles of Religious Comfort and Strain on Depressive Symptoms in an Inpatient Psychiatric Setting” (Abernethy, Currier, Witvliet, Schnitker, Putman, Root Luna, Foster, Van Harn, & Carter) published in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (2018). You can listen to her episode, God, Science, and Well-Being, on PBS’s Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan series here.

Dr. Abernethy has received several awards, including the Presidential Award from the Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy of the American Psychological Association (2024), the Citizen Psychologist Award from the American Psychological Association (2019), and the Weyerhaeuser Excellence in Teaching Award from Fuller Theological Seminary (2016). She is board certified in group psychology (ABPP), a fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA), and a certified group psychotherapist.

Download Abernethy’s CV, which includes a list of her current publications, here.