Gabriel Cartagena, PhD

Gabriel H. Cartagena, PhD, is a clinical health psychologist specializing in psycho-oncology, providing psychosocial support for cancer-related distress. He is the primary clinical psychologist for cancer survivors at the Yale Psycho-Oncology Program (YPOP) at Smilow Cancer Hospital.

Cartagena is committed to providing care that acknowledges and respects each patient's individual needs and goals. “In the context of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, there’s a sense of helplessness and hopelessness,” he says. “What often gets lost in the mix is what’s valuable to you. One of the key aspects in my work is to work with the individual one-on-one to truly understand the richness of their life, what is valuable to them, and what’s important to them throughout this process.”

Cartagena’s personal experiences fueled his interest in public health and the connections between psychology and medicine. “I grew up in a military family from Puerto Rico, and I observed significant disparities regarding cancer mortality and occurrence between the diaspora and my homeland,” he says. “All of my previous experiences have informed the way that I advocate for the patient.”

In addition to his clinical work, Cartagena is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. His research focuses on cancer health disparities, the impact of intimate partner violence on cancer outcomes, and health psychology.

Cartagena received his doctorate in clinical health psychology from the University of Florida. He completed his predoctoral fellowship at Yale School of Medicine's Clinical/Community Psychology Internship Program in Behavioral Medicine and his postdoctoral residency at VA Connecticut Healthcare System.