Amir Levine

Dr. Amir Levine is a psychiatrist, molecular neuroscientist, and associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, where he also serves as director of the SecureLab. Levine is among a select group of child psychiatrists trained in both clinical and molecular approaches to the study of human development. After completing his residency in adult and child psychiatry at Columbia University, Levine specialized in molecular neuroscience under the mentorship of Nobel laureate Eric Kandel. He worked at Columbia as a principal investigator, collaborating with Eric Kandel and researcher Denise Kandel on a National Institutes of Health-sponsored research project.

Levine's research focuses on gene regulation in various mental states, with a particular emphasis on the molecular processes unique to the developing brain. He studies how experiences during development shape adult behavior and phenotype, and has a special interest in how changes in the adolescent brain increase the risk for addiction and mood disorders. The Levine Laboratory investigates the role of social involvement in enhancing health and resilience, conducting translational research that ranges from developing new psychotherapies to basic neuroscience studies in rodents to better understand brain circuitry involved in social behavior. His findings have been patented and may contribute to new treatments for addiction and mood disorders in both adolescents and adults.

Levine is the co-author of "Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment," which has sold millions of copies and been translated into numerous languages. The book introduced attachment theory to a broad audience, providing a scientific framework for understanding relationship patterns. Levine has advanced attachment theory by developing original frameworks, including CARRP, SIMIs, and Secure Priming Therapy. His clinical work led to the development of Secure Priming Therapy, a treatment approach that integrates attachment science, clinical psychology, and neuroscience to help individuals adopt more secure relational patterns.

His follow-up book, "Secure," explores how to build secure relationships and a secure life by examining both social and internal worlds from a new perspective. In "Secure," Levine discusses the concept of earned security, examining how relationships can reshape neural wiring and how individuals can move from insecurity to stability.

Levine maintains a private practice, supervising and training therapists worldwide in attachment neuroscience-based treatments designed to help individuals achieve greater security. He is board-certified in adult psychiatry and is a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Society for Social Neuroscience. Levine has appeared on platforms such as the University of Chicago's "Big Brains" podcast and the Aspen Ideas Festival, where he translates neuroscience research into practical tools for improving mental health and relationships.