Photo of Byron D. Brooks

Byron D. Brooks PhD

Clinical Health Psychologist

Assistant Professor of Clinical Family & Community Medicine, and Psychiatry

he/him

Contact

Email:

bbrooks8 [at] uic.edu

Mailing Address:

1919 W. Taylor Street (MC 663) Department of Family & Community Medicine Chicago, IL 60612

About

Dr. Brooks (he/him) is a Clinical Health Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Family & Community Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine. He serves as the Director of Behavioral Medicine for UIC’s Department of Family & Community Medicine and is part of the Core Faculty of the UIC Family Medicine Residency Program.

Dr. Brooks’ clinical, research, and service interests are rooted in Clinical Health Psychology, Positive Psychology, and Intersectionality to bolster well-being and health among minoritized communities and mitigate health inequities. His clinical interests include helping individuals manage chronic health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, pain, and HIV. Dr. Brooks has a special interest in working with Black LGBTQIA+ individuals. His research is broadly focused on intersectional factors and positive experiences of Black LGBTQIA+ people.

Dr. Brooks earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Clemson University, master’s degree in Clinical Counseling from The Citadel, and his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from East Tennessee State University. He completed both his Clinical Psychology Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Chicago where he specialized in Clinical Health Psychology.

Clinical Health Psychology

Chronic Disease Management

Weight Management

LGBTQIA+ Health

  • Denis, K., Brooks, B., Nsier, H., Victorian, J., Lassiter, J., & Motley, D. (2025). “It means freedom”: A qualitative exploration of joy among Black queer folx. Sexualities. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460724130855

    Job, S. A., Kaniuka, A. R., Todd, E. A., Storey, B., & Brooks, B. (2024). Pride and protests: A mixed-methods examination of LGBTQ+ activism and well-being. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 36(2), 273-304. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538720.2023.2252756

    Cramer, R.J., Hawgood, J., Kaniuka, A.R., Brooks, B., & Baker, J. (2024). Updated suicide prevention core competencies for mental health professionals: Implications for training, research, and practice. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 31(3), 275-293. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/cps0000172

    Brooks, B., Job, S., Kaniuka, A., Kolb, R., Unda Charvel, P., & Araújo, F. (2023). Healthcare discrimination and treatment adherence among sexual and gender minority individuals living with chronic illness: The mediating effects of anticipated discrimination and depressive symptoms. Psychology & Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2023.2220008

    Motley, D., Victorian, J., Denis, K., & Brooks, B. (2023). Applying an intersectionality framework to health services research. Families, Systems, & Health, 41(4) 417-423. https://doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000859

    Brooks, B., & Smith, Z. (2022). Participant compensation in health equity research: How equitable is it? Families, Systems, & Health, 40(3), 415-417. https://doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000729

    Brooks, B., Kanuika, A., Motley, D., Job, S., & Williams, S. (2022). “We are just magic:” A qualitative examination of self-love among Black same-gender loving men. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 28(2), 280-289. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000529

    Brooks, B., Kanuika, A., Kelliher-Rabon, J., Sirois, F., & Hirsch, J. (2022). Social support and subjective health in fibromyalgia: Self-compassion as a mediator. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 29(2), 375-383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-021-09832-x

    Kaniuka, A., Job, S., Brooks, B., Williams, S. (2021). Gratitude and suicidal ideation among sexual minority individuals: Theoretical mechanisms of the protective role of attention to the positive. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 16(6), 819-830. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1818814

    Brooks, B., Job, S., Clark, E., Todd, E., & Williams, S. (2020). Concealment as a moderator between anticipated stigma and psychiatric symptoms. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 24(3), 240- 257. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2020.1721037

    Brown, A., Sang, J., Bukowski, L., Meanley, S., Brooks, B., & Chandler, C. (2019). Discrimination, coping, and depression among Black men who have sex with men. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 12(6), 112-134.  https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/vol12/iss6/9

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