Loretta Sernekos, PhD, CRNP

Loretta Sernekos, PhD, CRNP, is an Advanced Senior Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and a dual board-certified nurse practitioner whose rare combination of doctoral training, primary care experience, and psychiatric expertise informs a deeply whole-person approach to mental health care.

Specialties & Focus Areas

• Mood disorders (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder)
• Anxiety disorders (panic disorder, generalized anxiety, OCD)
• ADHD
• Psychiatric conditions arising from chronic medical illness
• Pharmacology and evidence-based treatment

Who They Help

Loretta works with adolescents (18+) and adults, with a special interest in patients whose anxiety or mood challenges are intertwined with chronic physical health conditions. Her background in primary care gives her a unique ability to hold both dimensions of a patient’s health in view simultaneously.

Treatment Approach

Loretta brings a whole-person lens to psychiatric care, shaped by her years treating primary care patients and her ongoing teaching of pharmacology and pathophysiology at Penn. She emphasizes evidence-based diagnosis and treatment and previously taught stress management and relaxation techniques to patients with chronic pelvic pain.

Professional Background

Loretta holds a BA in Economics (Highest Honors, Stockton University), a PhD in Political Science from Rutgers University, and a BS in Nursing summa cum laude from Thomas Jefferson University. She earned her MSN in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Advanced Practice Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing from Johns Hopkins University. She is the 2023 recipient of the University of Pennsylvania Provost Award — given to one lecturer university-wide across all health science departments each year.

Certifications & Affiliations

• Dual Board Certified, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Advanced Senior Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
• Recipient, University of Pennsylvania Provost Award, 2023
• Licensed to prescribe psychiatric medications

Locations & Availability

Loretta Sernekos is licensed to practice and prescribe in New Jersey and Pennsylvania via telehealth.