Jonathan Kanter, PhD
CSSC Director, Research Associate Professor
Dr. Kanter received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Washington in 2002. Shortly afterwards he became a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In Milwaukee, Dr. Kanter spent several years collaborating closely with members of the Black community on issues of social and political activism (including police brutality and voter rights), racism and discrimination, mental health stigma, and culturally appropriate treatments of depression. Dr. Kanter also spent several years working closely with Latino researchers and community members to develop culturally informed treatments for depression in Latino community settings for low-income Latino immigrants. Dr. Kanter also worked closely with members of the Muslim community in the United Kingdom on Islam-consistent approaches to depression treatment. His lab consisted of a multi-cultural team of committed student researchers working on individual and collective projects.
In 2013, Dr. Kanter came to the University of Washington to direct the Center for the Science of Social Connection (CSSC). As Director, he brings a wealth of experience working in the trenches with people of color and disenfranchised groups as a team member, as well as working with scholars and scientists internationally.
Dr. Kanter is regularly invited to give talks and workshops nationally and internationally on topics of interest to the Center, including anti-racism workshops which seek to help white people grow and overcome racism, workshops for therapists on how to improve psychotherapy relationships and help clients with relational problems, and behavioral treatments for depression.
Scientifically, Dr. Kanter approaches projects with a contextual behavioral science model that integrates disciplines, including evolution science, neuroscience, anthropology and psychology, within a behavioral science foundation. He lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife Gwynne Kohl, who is also a clinical psychologist, and their 11-year-old daughter Zoe.
