Introduction
Kristin Niel, PhD, joined Children's Healthcare of Atlanta as a pediatric psychologist in 2022. After receiving her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Georgia, Dr. Niel earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Illinois Institute of Technology. She completed her predoctoral internship in pediatric psychology through the Mailman Center for Child Development at University of Miami Health Systems. Her passion for supporting patients and families with chronic and/or terminal health complications led Dr. Niel to complete a two-year postdoctoral clinical-research fellowship at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. During the fellowship, she worked with youth diagnosed with oncologic processes, sickle cell disease, and HIV/AIDS. Dr. Niel then spent her first several years as an early career psychologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as a member of their multidisciplinary inpatient consultation/liaison service, providing care for youth hospitalized with a myriad of medical illnesses.
In her spare time, you will find Dr. Niel knitting, consuming True Crime podcasts and documentaries, loving on her niece and nephews, and traveling with her partner.
Focus of Practice
- Pediatric psychology
Areas of Interest
- Coping with medical illness
- Adherence to complex medical regimens
- Posttraumatic growth following medical trauma
- Coping with pain and pain management
- Reduction of health disparities
Locations
Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta Behavioral and Mental Health Clinic
1605 Chantilly Drive NE, Suite 110 Atlanta, GA 30324 Get Directions 404-785-5437Childrens Physician Group - Neuropsychology
Egleston Hospital, 1405 Clifton Road NE Atlanta, GA 30322 Get Directions 404-785-2849Professional Affiliations
- American Psychological Association
- Society of Pediatric Psychology
- Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
- The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
- Georgia Psychological Association
- Pediatric Heart Transplant Society
Research & Publications
Dr. Niel's primary research and clinical interests include bolstering youth and their family's capacity for coping with illness, adherence to complex medical regimens, resilience in the face of medical trauma, and pain management. In addition, Dr. Niel has a specific interest in contributing to the reduction of health disparities, providing culturally humble mental health care within the context of interdisciplinary medical teams, and working to highlight and dismantle the structures and systems that create and perpetuate health inequities.