She earned her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Michigan and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Bowling Green State University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus, Ohio) and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan Health System, before joining Children's Minnesota. Dr. Desai primarily sees patients referred for pain management and related concerns in the outpatient setting. She utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, including relaxation training and biofeedback, to restore functioning for children and teenagers with pain conditions and related medical conditions.