Shelia Cassidy

Welcome. I am Dr. Shelia Cassidy, PsyD, a licensed seasoned clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience guiding clients' unique paths of self-discovery and healing. My compassionate approach is grounded in evidence-based interventions that have successfully helped many individuals manage emotional and psychological challenges. Passion towards mental health guides my dedication towards assisting individuals, couples and families in the journey of navigating the complexities of life and relationships.

Personal Style: You have made an important decision towards making some changes in your life. It is a strength to reach out considering therapy as a road to that destination.

Professional Qualifications: I graduated in 2001 with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD). Prior to that I also have a Master of Arts degree in Psychology and a Baccalaureate of Science degree in Urban Life/Criminal Justice.

Settings: My professional experience includes private practice, Asst. Professor/Clinical Neuropsychologist at the University of Arkansas Medical School, Military Psychology, and Correctional Psychology. You are right to assume that I have assessed and treated people from all walks of life and diverse cultures with a wide variety of mental health concerns.

Expertise Areas: Neurocognitive and Psychological assessment for children, adults, & geriatric patients, Psychotherapy for a wide range of mood, anxiety, behavior, neurologic, medical, and developmental disorders, as well as a multitude of relationship difficulties.

People have unique experiences and characteristics leading toward consideration of therapy and/or coaching to help you get your life back on track. I believe the relationship with your therapist necessitates warmth, respect, trust, support, and understanding. Collaboration with clients is essential to their success. My goal with clients is to help each individual strategize, identify, practice, and become confident in skills addressing important concerns in life.

My training in neuropsychology means that I am interested in understanding you and your personal situation from developmental, medical, cognitive, and mental health perspectives which leads to my holistic approach. It is my hope that we will uncover what is and is NOT working in your current life. Exploring strategies practicing new behaviors and beliefs that you can apply in daily life is an important part of working towards a higher level of life satisfaction.

During our first session, we will be learning about you and what you would like to accomplish in therapy. I am very empathetic towards the struggles each of us face in life. We will discuss different types of therapy and how they apply to your unique situation. My therapy toolkit includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET), and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). The initial therapy sessions involve setting a few goals toward achieving realistic positive outcomes in your life. Your personal safety and the safety of others will be promoting during each session.

All therapy approaches I use are based in extensive research that has validated their effectiveness. Depending on the concerns we address, some treatment courses are brief (2 to 4 sessions). Others are of moderate complexity requiring 8 to 12 therapy sessions. Other conditions are highly complex and may require a longer course of treatment.