Sriramya Potluri, MA

Undergraduate School
Boston University

Graduate School
University of Massachusetts Boston

Interests & Career Goals

Through my clinical and research work, I am passionate about understanding the individual, therapeutic, sociocultural, and structural factors that shape mental health outcomes, particularly among historically underserved and marginalized populations in the U.S. and resource-limited global settings. As an emerging health service psychologist, I am committed to bridging mental health care disparities by integrating evidence-based treatments with culturally responsive and structurally informed adaptations. In the future, I hope to build a career within academic medicine that combines clinical work, research, teaching, and advocacy to advance equitable, accessible, and effective mental health care for diverse communities.

Favorite Pastimes

I enjoy yoga and Pilates, DIY home décor projects, cooking, long walks, traveling, and reading fiction.

Why I Chose Duke

I was drawn to Duke’s internship program because of its exceptional breadth and depth of training opportunities that align closely with my interests and career goals. Building on my foundation in traditional and third-wave CBT, I am eager to further develop my competencies in ACT and DBT while also broadening my skills in implementing these therapeutic strategies across diverse populations and settings. The chance to work with acute and complex presentations in the inpatient service and to gain experience with adolescents through CAST will help fill important gaps in my training. Further, Duke’s strong emphasis on Health Psychology is especially appealing, as it will allow me to deliver integrated, holistic care in specialty medical settings—such as the perinatal mental health and pain psychology programs. Finally, I was drawn to Duke’s commitment to addressing the social and structural determinants of health across rotations and to training within a multidisciplinary environment that centers community and systems-level perspectives in clinical care.

Research Interests

My overarching research focuses on improving mental health outcomes among underserved populations by integrating evidence-based treatments with culturally responsive and structurally informed adaptations. Early in my training, my work examined and sought to improve evidence-based treatments for anxiety and related disorders, particularly through understanding transdiagnostic cognitive and emotional therapeutic change mechanisms and how they contribute to treatment outcomes. Over time, I became interested in understanding why gold-standard interventions often fall short for individuals with intersecting marginalized identities, and I have explored how sociocultural factors and social determinants of health shape treatment engagement and effectiveness. More recently, my interests have expanded to global mental health, with a focus on developing culturally responsive interventions for economically marginalized communities in India. My current work has examined gender-based violence and chronic adversity among economically marginalized Indian women, using ecological and continuous traumatic stress frameworks to better capture their experiences. Ultimately, I aim to develop multi-level interventions that address both individual distress and the structural drivers of mental health disparities in global and domestic contexts.

Publications

Potluri, S., Lopez, A., & Hayes-Skelton, S. (2025). Behavior Therapy. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Mood and Anxiety Disorders.
Strom, N. I., Gerring, Z. F., Galimberti, M., Yu, D., Halvorsen, M. W., … Potluri, S., … Mattheisen, M. (2024). Genome-wide association study identifies 30 obsessive-compulsive disorder associated loci. Nat Genet 57, 1389–1401 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02189-z
Potluri, S., & R Patel, A. (2021). Using a Continuous Traumatic Stress Framework to Examine Ongoing Adversity Among Indian Women from Slums: A Mixed-Methods Exploration. Journal of traumatic stress, 34(5), 917–928. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22699
Wadsworth, L. P., Potluri, S., Schreck, M., & Hernandez-Vallant, A. (2020). Measurement and impacts of intersectionality on obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms across intensive treatment. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 90(4), 445–457. doi:10.1037/ort0000447
Nota, J. A., Potluri, S., Kelley, K. N., Elias, J. A., & Krompinger, J. W. (2020). Delayed Bedtimes are Associated with More Severe Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Intensive Residential Treatment. Behavior Therapy, 51(4), 559-571. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2019.12.006
Falkenstein, M. J., Schreck, M., Potluri, S., Nota, J. A., Kelley, K. N., Beard, C., & Elias, J. A. (2020). Longitudinal Relations of Obsessive Beliefs, Obsessions, and Compulsions During Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 3(24). doi:10.1007/s10608-020-10093-5
Jalal, B., Mcnally, R. J., Elias, J. A., Potluri, S., & Ramachandran, V. S. (2020). “Fake it till You Make it”! Contaminating Rubber Hands (“Multisensory Stimulation Therapy”) to Treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2019.00414
Brakoulias, V., Starcevic, V., Albert, U., Arumugham, S. S., Bailey, B. E., …, Potluri, S., …, Fineberg, N. A. (2020). The rates of co-occurring behavioural addictions in treatment-seeking individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A preliminary report. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 24(2), 173-175. doi:10.1080/13651501.2019.1711424
Brakoulias, V., Starcevic, V., Albert, U., Arumugham, S.S., Bailey, B.E., …, Potluri, S., … Fineberg, N.A. (2019). Treatments used for obsessive-compulsive disorder-An international perspective. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 34(1), E2686. doi:10.1002/hup.2686
Falkenstein, M.J., Nota, J.A., Krompinger, J.W., Garner, L.E., Potluri, S., Schreck, M., … Elias, J.A. (2019). Empirically-derived response trajectories of intensive residential treatment in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A growth mixture modeling approach. Journal of Affective Disorders, 245, 827-833. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2018.11.075
Krompinger, J.W., Van Kirk, N., Garner, L.E., Potluri, S., & Elias, J.A. (2019). Hope for the Worst: Occasional Reinforced Extinction and Expectancy Violation in the Treatment of OCD. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 26(1), 143-153. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2017.12.002
Gagné, J., Van Kirk, N., Hernandez-Vallant, A., Potluri, S., Krompinger, J.W., Cattie, J., … Elias, J.A. (2018). Validating an abbreviated version of the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74(10), 1791-1807. doi:10.1002/jclp.22629
Ametaj, A.A., Wong-Sarver, N., Anakwenze, O., Ito, M., Rattner Castro, M., & Potluri, S. (2017). Cross-cultural applications of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders. In T. J. Farchione & D. H. Barlow (Eds.), Applications of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders. New York: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/med-psych/9780190255541.003.0016

Poster Presentations

López, A., Potluri, S., Hayes-Skelton, S. (2024, April). Role of interpersonal factors in social anxiety: Anti-mattering and Self-construal. Poster to be presented at the 44^th Anxiety and Depression Association of America conference, Boston, MA.
Macri, J., Bomer, L., Potluri, S., & Hayes-Skelton, S. Exploring the Relationship Between Dyadic Adjustment, Social support, and Prenatal Anxiety. Poster presented at the 43^rd Anxiety and Depression Association of America conference, Washington DC.
Wu, J. L., Potluri, S., Parigoris, R., Lopez, A., & Hayes-Skelton, S. A. (2022, November). Cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, and self-compassion as predictors of treatment outcome in cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder. Poster presented at the 57^th Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Conference, New York, NY.
Potluri, S., & Patel, A. (2020, May). When Trauma Isn’t “Post”: Exploring Ongoing Adversity Among Indian Women from Slums Using a Continuous Traumatic Stress Framework. [Poster session canceled]. 32^nd American Psychological Science Annual Convention, Chicago, IL. (Note: poster nominated SSCP Student Poster and Global Mental Health Poster Competition)
Potluri, S., Van Kirk, N., Kelley, K.N., Falkenstein, M.J., Nota, J.A., Elias, J.A., & Krompinger, J.W. (2019, November). Short- and Long-term Treatment Gains Following IRT for Severe OCRDs. Poster presented at the 53^rd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.
Falkenstein, M.J., Potluri, S., Kelley, K.N, Hernandez-Vallant, A., Krompinger, J.W., Webb, C.A, & Beard, C. (2019, November). Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation Bias in an Intensive/residential Treatment Program for Obsessive Compulsive Related Disorders (OCRDs). Poster presented at the 53^rd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.
Kelley, K.N., Nota, J. A., Van Kirk, N., Falkenstein, M.J., Potluri, S., & Krompinger, J.W. (2019, November). Development and Validation of a Repetitive Negative Thinking Response Scale for the Treatment of Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. Poster presented at the 53^rd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.
Kelley, K.N., Potluri, S., Falkenstein, M.J., & Krompinger, J.W. (2019, November). The Role of Social Support in Maintaining Treatment Gains for Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. Poster presented at the 53^rd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.
Kelley, K., Falkenstein, M.J., Potluri, S., Geagea, A., & Krompinger, J.W. (2019, March). Family Accommodation and Symptom Dimensions in OCD. Poster presented at the 39^thAnxiety and Depression Association of America conference, Chicago, IL.
Van Kirk, N., Kelley, K. N., Potluri, S., Krompinger, J. W., Elias, J. A, & Davey, D. (2019, March). Impact of client satisfaction on long-term outcomes in OCD. Poster presented at the 39th annual meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Chicago, IL.
Capel, L., Bishop, C., Silverman, M., Potluri, S., Kelly, K.N., Falkenstein, M.J., Nota, J. A., & Krompinger, J.W. (2019, January). Family Accommodation as a Predictive Measure for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Outcome. Poster presented at the 10^th annual McLean Research Day, Belmont, MA.
Shapiro, L., Kelley, K., Van Kirk, N., Potluri, S., Krompinger, J.W. Impact of Conscious-Related Factors on Intensive/Residential Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Implications for Targeted Treatment Approaches. Poster presented at the 10^th annual McLean Research Day, Belmont, MA.
Potluri, S., Nota, J.A., Krompinger, J.W., Hernandez-Vallant, A., & Elias J.A. (2018, November). Repetitive negative thinking (brooding and worry) mediates the relation between perfectionistic beliefs and treatment outcome in individuals with severe obsessive compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs). Poster presented at the 52^nd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, D.C.
Potluri, S., Falkenstein, M.J., Schreck, M., Beard, C., & Elias J.A. (2018, November). Obsessional beliefs and treatment outcome in treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Poster presented at the 52^nd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, D.C.
Kelley, K.N., Potluri, S., Falkenstein, M.J., & Krompinger, J.W. (2018, November). Exploring dimensions of perfectionism: Potential treatment targets for body-focused repetitive behaviors. Poster presented at the 52^nd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, D.C.
Hernandez-Vallant, A., Potluri, S., Falkenstein, M., & Elias, J.A. (2018, November). Symptom presentation and treatment response in Latino/a individuals in intensive/residential treatment for obsessive-compulsive related disorders (OCRDs). Poster presented at the 52^nd annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, D.C.
Falkenstein, M.J., Nota, J.A., Krompinger, J.W., Schreck, M., Garner, L.E., Potluri, S., … Elias, J.A. (2018, November). Trajectories of treatment response in OCD: A growth mixture modeling approach. Poster presented at the 52^nd Annual Convention of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.
Potluri, S., Falkenstein, M. J., Schreck, M., Beard, C., & Elias J. A. (2018, July). The role that dysfunctional belief domains and previous ERP experience play in treatment response for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Poster presented at the 25^th annual meeting of the International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation, Washington, DC.
Dodig, E., Hernandez-Vallant, A., Potluri, S., Van Kirk, N., & Elias, J.A. (2018, July). The effects of traumatic life events on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptomology in a clinical sample of patients in intensive/residential treatment (IRT). Poster presented at the 25^th annual meeting of the International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation, Washington, DC.
Roberts, M.Z., Hernandez-Vallant, A., Potluri, S., Nota, J.A., Falkenstein, M.J., & Elias, J.A. (2018, July). The personality inventory for the DSM-5 in an intensive/residential treatment sample of adults with obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Poster presented at the 25^th annual meeting of the International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation, Washington, DC.
Shapiro, L., Silverman, M., Keniston, K., Leutwyler, R., Potluri, S., Van Kirk, N., … Elias, J.A. (2018, July). Scrupulosity and guilt in intensive/residential treatment (IRT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Poster presented at the 25th annual meeting of the International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation, Washington, DC
Potluri, S., Valmas, M., Hermolin-Rabinowitz, M., Krompinger, J. W., Brennan, B., Van Kirk, N., … Elias, J. A. (2018, April). Ethnic group differences in intensive/residential treatment (IRT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Poster presented at 38^th annual meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Washington, D.C.
Hernandez-Vallant, A., Potluri, S., Wadsworth, L, Schreck, M., Krompinger, J.W., Van Kirk, N., … Elias, J.A. (2018, April). Marginalized identities in intensive/residential treatment (IRT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Poster presented at 38^th annual meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Washington, D.C.
Hernandez-Vallant, A., Van Kirk, N., Potluri, S., Gagné, J.P., Krompinger, J.W., Brennan, B., … Elias, J.A. (2018, April). Validating a nine-item version of the obsessive beliefs questionnaire (OBQ). Poster presented at 38^th annual meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Washington, D.C.
Falkenstein, M.J., Nota, J.A., Krompinger, J.W., Garner, L.E., Potluri, S., Schreck, M., … Elias, J.A. (2018, April). Trajectories of treatment response in OCD: A latent class growth analysis. Poster presented at 38^th annual meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Washington, D.C.
Potluri, S., Valmas, M., Hermolin-Rabinowitz, M., Krompinger, J. W., Brennan, B., Van Kirk, N., … Elias, J. A. (2017, November). Asian Americans: Preliminary results from a residential setting for severe, treatment-refractory OCD. Poster presented at the 51^st annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, San Diego, CA.
Potluri, S., Needles, E. Shapiro, L., Van Kirk, N., Garner, L., Kopelman, E., … Elias, J. A. (2017, April). The role of guilt in obsessional belief domains and in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Poster presented at 37^th annual meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, San Francisco, CA.
Shapiro, L., Potluri, S., Van Kirk, N., Garner, L., Valmas, M., Tifft, E., Krompinger, J.W., Elias, J.A. (2017, January). Role of underlying conscience-related factors in the treatment of OCD: Guilt and locus of control. Poster presented at the 8^th annual McLean Research Day, Belmont, MA.
Genova, G.J., Brown, C.K., Chowdhry, S., Potluri, S., Van Kirk, N., Garner, L., … Elias J.A. (2017, January). The Impact of trauma and PTSD symptoms in clients with OCD: Dimensional variations. Poster presented at the 8^th annual McLean Research Day, Belmont, MA.
Needles, E., Potluri, S., Van Kirk, N., Garner, L., Tifft, E., Krompinger, J…. Elias, J. (2016, October). The impact of symptom dimension, dysfunctional beliefs, and trajectories of change on intensive/residential treatment for OCD. Poster presented at the 50^th annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, New York, NY.
Potluri, S., Ametaj, A.A., Barlow, D.H. (2016, October). Stress, anxiety, and depression in international versus American students: A comparison. Poster presented at the 50^th annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, New York, NY.