Dori Polovsky, MSEd

Dori Polovsky

Undergraduate School
Binghamton University

Graduate School
Fordham University

 

 

Interests & Career Goals

My professional interests center on improving outcomes for pediatric patients, particularly those with medical conditions and eating and feeding disorders. Ultimately, my goal is to engage in interdisciplinary work within an academic medical setting and advance care for this population.

Favorite Pastimes

In my free time, I enjoy doing yoga, reading, and trying new art projects. I also love traveling and exploring new coffee shops!

Why I Chose Duke

Duke initially stood out to me because of its strong reputation in providing high-quality clinical care and advancing research. I was particularly drawn to the opportunity to specialize in eating and feeding disorders, while also gaining exposure to a wide range of diverse clinical experiences. I was further impressed by the program’s strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, professional development, and mentorship—elements that I believe are essential for my professional growth.

Research Interests

My research focuses on three main areas: 1) psychosocial challenges of individuals with chronic medical conditions, (2) the intersection of chronic medical conditions and eating/ feeding disorders, and (3) increasing the evidence for art-based interventions and complementary modalities of intervention.

Publications

  • Polovsky, D. M., & Southwick, C. (2024). Counseling food allergic children and adolescents with diverse identities. In J. Park-Taylor, & M. Keitel, An intersectional approach to counseling children and adolescents with health conditions. Information Age Publishing (IAP).
     
  • Syper, A., Keitel, M., Polovsky, D. M., & Sha, W. (2023). Dance/movement therapy for individuals with eating disorders: A phenomenological approach. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 45(1), 211-237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-023-09379-4

Poster Presentations

  • Polovsky, D., Silver, C., Petsagourakis, D., Coble-Sadaphal, C., Lois, B., Amirniroumand, R., & Viswanadhan, K. (2025, April 4). The role of multidisciplinary team huddles in pediatric inpatient eating disorder discharge planning. [Poster presentation]. Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference 2025, Phoenix, AZ.
     
  • Polovsky, D., Cottone, M., & Keitel, M. (2024, April 26). The lived experience of emerging adults with severe food allergies [Poster presentation]. Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference 2024, New Orleans, LA.
     
  • Polovsky, D., Franz, P., Alexander, J., Davis, O., & Seham, J. (2023, May 11). AIM for social connection and positive mental health outcomes: Virtual reality intervention for adolescents in arts and integrative medicine (AIM) [Poster presentation]. Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore Einstein (PRIME) Research Day, Second Annual, Bronx, NY, USA.
     
  • Syper, A., Keitel, M., Polovsky, D., & Sha, W. (2021, August 11-13). Dance/movement therapy for individuals with eating disorders: The participants’ perspectives [Poster presentation]. APA 2021 Convention Virtual, Virtual.
     
  • Polizzi, C. P., Polovsky, D., & Lynn, S. J. (2019, November 14-16). A systematic review of the relation between psychological resilience and emotion regulation [Poster presentation]. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) 36th Annual Conference, Boston, MA, USA.

Other Presentations & Invited Talks

  • Polovsky, D. (2025, May 21). Assessing the spectrum of eating and feeding in hospital settings [Invited lecture at NYU Psychosocial Rounds]. Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, New York, NY, USA.
     
  • Viswanadhan, K., Polovsky, D., Silverman, M., Perez, H., Petsagourakis, D., Lois, B., & Brody, H. (2025, January 30). Supporting patients undergoing oral immunotherapy: A shift in mindset [Invited lecture at NYU Pediatric Allergy & Immunology Grand Rounds]. Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, New York, NY, USA.
     
  • Polovsky, D. (2024, October 8). Eating and feeding disorders [Invited guest lecture]. Fordham University, New York, NY, USA.
     
  • Polovsky, D. (2024, August 1). The lived experience of emerging adults with severe food allergies [Invited guest lecture]. Division 54 Adolescent and Young Adult Special Interest Group, Board Meeting, Virtual.