Psychology of Health and Wellbeing
The psychology of health and wellbeing, or health psychology, is a sub-specialty area of psychology focused on the connection between physical health, emotional wellbeing, and behavior.
Rather than separating “mental” and “physical” health, health psychologists understand them as deeply interconnected. Treatment focuses not only on reducing distress, but also on strengthening habits and behaviors that support long-term wellbeing. Several psychologists at Atlanta CBT have this sub-specialty and recognize how we think, cope, relate, and make daily choices directly influence our overall health and functioning. These psychologists are Dr. Beth Hammons, Dr. Julia Buch Wamstad, Dr. Leah Farrell-Carnahan, and Dr. Christina Goodwin. When you read our bios, you will see we consider the connection between physical health, emotional wellbeing, and behavior in our work, whether focused specifically on treating anxiety or OCD or working alongside someone on a more obviously health-related journey.
Health psychologists at Atlanta CBT are collaborative, practical, and skills-focused. We help clients:
- Understand the relationship between thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and physiology
- Reduce avoidance, reassurance-seeking, and unhelpful coping patterns
- Improve sleep and stress regulation
- Build sustainable routines around exercise, nutrition, and restorative sleep
- Strengthen resilience and psychological flexibility
- Adjust to medical diagnoses, chronic pain, or chronic illness and navigate the complex healthcare system
- Address health anxiety, including persistent worry about medical symptoms, fear of serious illness, or difficulty tolerating uncertainty about health. Health anxiety can be deeply distressing and disruptive. Evidence-based treatment helps individuals reduce reassurance-seeking, decrease avoidance, and build greater tolerance for uncertainty so that health concerns no longer dominate daily life.
- Explore and change health-related behaviors, including substance use
- Take meaningful, values-based action
Our goal is not simply to help you feel better, but to help you function better — physically and emotionally — and live in alignment with what matters most.
At Atlanta CBT, our evidence-based health psychology services are delivered by licensed clinical psychologists who bring deep expertise, warmth, and clinical experience to help you navigate emotional, behavioral, and life challenges. We integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and related evidence-based approaches to help clients live with and or reduce anxiety, respond more flexibly to distress, and take values-based action toward lasting change and improved well-being.
Inquire here about our services.