Aaron Neiman

I am a cultural anthropologist studying the use of apps and websites to meet rising demand for mental health services. In particular, I am interested in automated, self-guided programs which replace the human clinician– a phenomenon I conceptualize as "therapy without therapists."

 

My first book project is titled Psychic Retreats: The New Politics of Mental Health in the Global North. It considers how, in a time of escalating social and ecological crises, wealthy neoliberal societies turn to these inexpensive e-mental health programs as a ‘band-aid’ measure.

 

Prior to my current appointment as a postdoc at the Center for Mental Health Services at Washington University in St. Louis, I received my PhD in Anthropology from Stanford University in 2023.

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In addition to the 'psy' disciplines, computer-human interaction, my interests also include political economy, drugs, popular culture, and film.