Meet Dr. Wesley Barnhart: Empathetic and Effective Care at MCG

About Dr. BARNHART

Therapy languages: English

Pronouns: they/he

Dr. Barnhart is a postdoctoral resident specializing in evidence-based treatments for eating disorders. While they work primarily with adolescents and adults who struggle with eating disorders, they also have interests in and extensive clinical experiences with evidence-based treatments for anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorders. Dr. Barnhart received a BA (psychology, 2016) and a BS (systems/behavioral neuroscience, 2019) from Ohio State University and subsequently worked for three years (2016-2019) as a clinical research assistant at the Nisonger Center, a division of the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where they participated in CDC-funded basic and translation research on health behaviors of people with disabilities. These experiences built a strong, generalist foundation in clinical science, driving Dr. Barnhart’s interest in clinical psychology and the scientist-practitioner model. He went on to earn a MA (2021) and PhD (2025) in clinical psychology from Bowling Green State University. Dr. Barnhart completed a doctoral psychology residency (2024-2025) focused on eating disorders at the Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, University of North Carolina School of Medicine. In addition to being a postdoctoral resident at the Mindfulness & Change Group, Dr. Barnhart is also a tenure-track faculty member in the department of psychology at Suffolk University. There, Dr. Barnhart is also a core clinical psychology faculty member and Director of the Elevating Minoritized Backgrounds in Research on Appearance Concerns and Eating Disorders, or EMBRACED, Lab.

As a clinician, Dr. Barnhart specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and regularly uses third-wave approaches, like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). They have received extensive training in CBT for eating disorders (CBT-E), cutting across all diagnostic presentations, as well as CBT for anxiety disorders. They have also received extensive training in family based treatment (FBT) for adolescents with eating disorders. Dr. Barnhart approaches all therapeutic relationships with warmth, safety, and empathy in support of trust and vulnerability in session. He also approaches all patients with a deep appreciation and recognition of multiculturalism and diversity as factors that intimately influence their lives. In making sense of presenting concerns, Dr. Barnhart’s case conceptualizations and treatment plans account for patients’ complex social contexts while also assessing functioning from biological, psychological, social, and cultural perspectives. Collectively, these approaches yield more cohesive information relevant to therapeutic gains.

As a researcher and Director of the EMBRACED Lab, Dr. Barnhart is dedicated to advancing our understanding of and treatments for eating disorders in minoritized and underrepresented populations. They use scientifically rigorous, transparent, and open science approaches to clarify the complex links between stigma, systems of oppression, and eating disorders. Dr. Barnhart has published over 90 peer-reviewed manuscripts, which are routinely featured in flagship eating disorders (e.g., International Journal of Eating Disorders) and body image (e.g., Body Image) journals. Their research has been cited over 1,400 times according to Google Scholar (h-index = 21). Dr. Barnhart serves as Editor for the Journal of Eating Disorders, and their research has been recognized through the receipt of several awards.