Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler

Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. She is also a mindfulness trainer and certified yoga instructor. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Cornell University, doctorate in clinical psychology from Northwestern University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in mental health services research at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System / University of Michigan.

Burnett-Zeigler has over 15 years of clinical experience providing psychological interventions to help clients with mood and anxiety disorders, stress management, and interpersonal relationships. She has an integrative therapeutic approach that includes supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation and mindfulness based interventions.

Her scholarly work focuses on the role that social determinants of health play in disparities in mental illness and treatment, particularly in the Black community. In her research, she examines the factors associated with access and engagement in mental health service utilization and uses this data to develop, test and implement acceptable and accessible evidence based interventions in community based settings.

Burnett-Zeigler is a fierce advocate for eliminating mental illness stigma and normalizing participation in mental health care. She is actively involved in the community and serves on several non-profit boards including Thresholds, Heartland Alliance Health and the African American Legacy of the Chicago Community Trust. She frequently consults with corporate, government, non-profit, and church groups to help them meet the mental health needs and improve the overall wellness of their constituents.

Burnett-Zeigler is a prolific contributor to the public discourse on mental health and wellness. Her op-eds have been featured in The New York Times, TIME magazine, The Hill and Chicago Tribune, to name a few. She has also been seen on CNN, WGN-TV and WTTW Chicago Tonight. Her forthcoming book “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen: The Emotional Lives of Black Women” will be published by Amistad Press, Summer 2021.

Burnett-Zeigler is a proud south-side Chicagoan. She enjoys the arts, yoga, and travel.