Jalika Breaux, PHD

Dr. Jalika Breaux is an assistant professor of behavioral sciences in the Department of Clinical Medicine at AUC.

She is a licensed clinical psychologist, with specialization in brief, medically integrated treatments and mental health interventions for underserved populations.

She earned a dual masters and PhD in Clinical and Community Psychology from Georgia State University in 2015. She completed her clinical internship at Emory University School of Medicine at Grady Hospital and postdoctoral fellowship at the Emory University and Emory Healthcare Faculty Staff Assistance Program.

Dr. Breaux has a wealth of clinical experience in both medical and community settings. She has conducted individual, family, and group psychotherapy on the inpatient unit at Grady Memorial Hospital as well as across numerous outpatient clinics that make up Grady Health System and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In partnership with community-based organizations, she has worked with families impacted by trauma, domestic violence, and HIV in low-cost clinics that provide mental health services to the community.

Prior to joining the faculty at AUC, she cared for the mental health needs of Veterans at the Atlanta VA Medical Center on an integrated primary care team. In this role, she provided short-term, evidence-based, and culturally-informed care for patients in collaboration with primary care physicians, medical specialists, nurses, pharmacists, and chaplains. She taught and supervised psychology interns learning to integrate psychological science and clinical skills in the hospital setting.

Her background in community psychology has led her to be thoughtful and engaged in efforts to support prevention, policy, and advocacy work. For example, she is an alum of the Doris Duke Fellowships for the Promotion of Child Well-Being and advocates for state and national legislation to improve access to medical and mental health care for with a focus on children and families.