Benson Cooke, PhD

Dr. Benson George Cooke is Professor of Counseling and Psychology and Clinical Coordinator for the Graduate Mental Health Counseling Program at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington DC. He is a prolific author and popular speaker who has addressed diverse audiences at national and international conferences, symposiums, workshops, professional institutes, and local and national radio and television programs. The author of numerous journal articles, magazine articles, and book chapters, Cooke wrote and co-authored five text books titled Personal Empowerment for People of Color: Keys to Success in Higher Education (2001); All About Depression (2013); and Socio-Economic and Education Factors Impacting American Political Systems: Emerging Research and Opportunities (2018), Selected Aspects of Mentoring: Advice, Challenges and Approaches (2019), and All About Depression: Issues, Treatment and Resources, 2nd Edition (2019).

He is the former national president of the Association of Black Psychologists 2009-2011 and the recipient of numerous national community-service, educational/faculty excellence, scholarship and professional service awards. In 2016, Dr. Cooke received the 2016 ABPsi Distinguished Psychologist Award for his career contributions to the discipline and the literature and practice of psychology that has supported culturally salient mental health treatment for the African American community. Cooke also made significant contributions to the national guidelines intended to provide culturally competent therapeutic responses to disaster relief following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Dr. Cooke holds an Ed.D. in Counseling Psychology & Mental Health Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; an M.S. in Clinical Psychology, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and a B.A. in Psychology from Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA. Prior to his current role at the University of the District of Columbia he held appointments at the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Amherst; Xavier University of Louisiana (XU), and George Mason University (GMU).