Rachel Kentor, PhD

Dr. Kentor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. As a pediatric psychologist, she is dedicated to providing evidence-based care to children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic medical conditions. Her areas of specialty include oncology, bone marrow transplant, palliative care, and grief and bereavement.

Clinical Interests:

Dr. Kentor conducts evaluation and treatment of youth across inpatient and outpatient settings. She engages patients, families, and medical providers together as collaborators in care to provide comprehensive services tailored to each patient. Common treatment targets Dr. Kentor may address include: adjustment to diagnosis, anxiety, depression, non-adherence to medical regimen, pain management, disruptive behaviors, and support in complex medical decision making and end-of-life care. Dr. Kentor is committed to delivering evidence-based interventions, primarily cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and parent management training (PMT).

Research Interests:

Dr. Kentor is dedicated to conducting research that directly informs clinical practice within the areas of pediatric oncology, palliative care, and grief and bereavement. Her ongoing research projects explore illness-related communication with pediatric patients, impact of family functioning on child adjustment to disease, and anticipatory grief among dying children and their families.