Dr. Abby Altman, Ph.D.
Geropsychologist
Highlights
- Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Anthropology
- Doctoral Degree in Counseling Psychology
- Fellowship trained in Geropsychology
- Assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School
- Member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers
Dr. Abby Altman is a geropsychologist and consultant for SeniorLiving.org who specilaizes in senior mental health and healthy aging. As the daughter of an occupational therapist who worked in nursing homes, she learned early on to appreciate, respect and learn from the experiences and wisdom of older adults.
Her interest in geriatrics took shape in college, where she worked in a memory lab and developed research projects on aging and health behaviors. During graduate school, she trained extensively in geriatric clinical settings and later spent several years as a behavioral consultant supporting individuals with dementia in assisted living and nursing homes.
Dr. Altman is the founder of Altman Interventions, a practice and consultancy dedicated to optimizing brain health and promoting resilient aging. Before transitioning into private practice, she served as a psychologist and program director in psychiatry, primary care and neurology at Mass General Brigham. Her clinical and coaching work focuses on evidence-based strategies for older adults and their families. She is honored to support clients who are navigating memory loss, dementia, caregiving challenges, brain health, lifestyle changes, and mental health concerns such as anxiety or depression.
In addition, Dr. Altman has a longstanding interest in motivation and health behavior change. She is passionate about collaborative, strengths-based approaches to helping individuals reach their goals, especially those related to aging, wellness and brain health. She has trained professionals in Motivational Interviewing locally, nationally and internationally.
Features and Contributions
Faculty at Annual Massachusetts General Hospital Academy Conference
Neuropsychiatry: A Comprehensive Update Conference
Faculty at Annual Harvard Medical School CME Conference
Lifestyle Medicine: Tools for Promoting Healthy Change (Pre-Course Full-Day Workshop: Mastering the Principles of Motivational Interviewing)
Co-Investigator
Kumar AB, Zide BS, Bhardwaj T, Lipschitz JM, Altman AN, Donovan NJ. Evaluating Feasibility, Value and Characteristics of an Intergenerational Friendly Telephone Visit Program During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2023 May; 31(5):341-352. PMID: 36635117.
Chapter Author
Altman AN, Willment KC, Morrissey L, Searl M, Campbell L. Psychosocial Interventions in Neuropsychiatry. In Silbersweig D, Daffner K, Safar L, editors. Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurology: Principles and Practice. New York: McGraw Hill; c2021. p.271-292
Presentations
McFeeley B, Krivanek T, Nicastri C, Ramirez-Salazar S, Babazadeh D, Altman AN, Daffner, K, Gale S. The Brain Health Champion Study: A Health Coaching Intervention With Mobile Technology in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Risk Factors for Dementia. 2022. Poster presented at the American Academy of Neurology, Seattle.