Lisa J. Cohen received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the City University of New York. After obtaining her degree, she worked in several hospitals in the New York City area. In 1996, she came to Beth Israel Medical Center, now Mount Sinai Beth Israel, where she is currently Professor of Psychiatry and the Director of Research for Psychology and Psychiatry. Dr. Cohen divides her time between clinical work, teaching and scientific research. She works on an inpatient unit for people with severe psychopathology but also has a private practice where she treats people with milder conditions. Dr. Cohen has published many articles and book chapters on a wide range of topics, including obsessive compulsive disorder, opiate addiction and sexual abuse. Her current research focuses on the effects of psychological trauma on personality.

“Nobody thinks psychology and psychiatry are simple ... you could go to The Handy Psychology Answer Book and read the simple, useful explanation ... The book is sensibly organized, but there’s also an exhaustive index, making it easy to look into whatever comes to mind.” —Washington Post“With The Handy Psychology Answer Book, Cohen has made psychology topics accessible and interesting. … easy to read, easy to understand, applicable to everyday life, … It is a general overview of the field and the topics of psychology.” —PsychCentral.com“A field guide to psychology! Move over Dr. Phil and Dr. Laura and make way for the "serious science" of psychology. This book brings a scientific perspective to psychology but at the same time presents the life questions and our responses to them in a way that is understandable.” —National Science Teachers Association Recommends“Highly recommended. Bridges the divide between the pop psychology discussed on television talk shows and in magazines, which is often driven more by the entertainment value of the topics than the science behind them, and academic research that is published in journals, in language that is inaccessible to the average person.” —Choice“Using language a cut above today's on-air pop psychology but mercifully free of jargon, The Handy Psychology Answer Book uses knowledge gained from psychology to answer these and nearly 1,000 other questions.” —Einstein Magazine“The book excels in explaining human behavior. Whether it be the beginner student with an interest in psychology or the well-experienced psychiatrist, anyone is sure to find something intriguing. Dr. Cohen succeeds in her mission of advancing the accessibility of psychology.” —The Residents' Journal“By introducing fun facts with history of psychology, as well as answering questions on how psychology applies to everyday issues, Dr. Cohen delivers a fascinating guide to a general audience. Recommended.” —Christian Library Journal“... This well-named reference offers pithy peeks into the many facets of the human psyche.”  —Library Journal“… a comprehensive guide to the science of psychology. … The author meticulously explains definitions of terms, as well as walks readers through the natural progression of psychological processes. … informative and succinct, making the book a quick and easy reference tool. … a useful resource to educators, librarians, and readers interested in learning about the brain and its impact on human behavior.”  —VOYA“Offering a conversational writing style … answers about 1,300 common questions regarding psychology. … This second edition reflects the latest research and the latest DSM standards.”  —Book News