OUR TEAM

ABOUT DR. YOANNA MCDOWELL, PH.D.

Dr. Yoanna McDowell is a licensed clinical psychologist based in the Seattle area. They view therapy as a space to gain better clarity of your experience and develop healthier, more authentic, responses to life’s challenges. Dr. McDowell views clients as the experts on themselves and believes clients can find solutions from within.

Dr. McDowell also believes it is important to consider a variety of life factors in treatment and takes a holistic therapeutic approach. Holistic treatment with Dr. McDowell can include a focus on mental health as well as physical well-being, relationships, identity-development, values/needs clarification, spirituality, and creativity (e.g., music, art, hobbies).

Dr. McDowell has years of clinical and research experience in substance use disorders (SUD) and commonly co-occurring disorders, like depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dr. McDowell received an addiction studies minor and worked on multiple alcohol use research projects as an undergraduate at Syracuse University. Dr. McDowell completed their Masters degree and PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia and minored in statistics. In graduate school, they studied alcohol use disorder classification and its co-occurrence with externalizing disorders, like antisocial personality disorder and conduct disorders. Dr. McDowell also received training in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, prolonged exposure, and mindfulness.

BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

Dr. McDowell completed their clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Seattle VA and worked as a substance use clinician and researcher. At the VA, they gained experience treating Veterans, combat-related trauma, childhood trauma, complex PTSD, race-related trauma, polysubstance use, chronic pain, and co-occurring SUD and mental health disorders. 

Additionally, Dr. McDowell also has extensive mindfulness training and provides stress-based and substance use-focused mindfulness interventions. Dr. McDowell also values providing treatment to underserved communities, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ and queer folks, as well as neurodivergent individuals. 

Dr. McDowell offers evidence-based treatment in-person in the Seattle area and via telehealth across Washington state. 

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (Statistics minor), University of Missouri-Columbia
• M.A. in Clinical Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia 
• B.S. in Psychology (Addiction Studies minor), Syracuse University

SPECIALTIES

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Depression
Anxiety
Substance use
Compulsive behavior
ADHD

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
 Anxiety
•  Depression
•  Substance use

Mindfulness Interventions
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
Mindfulness-based relapse prevention
Self-compassion and gratitude
Buddhist-based recovery approaches

Trauma-Focused Treatment
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Prolonged Exposure
Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure
PTSD-related nightmares
Moral injury and combat-related trauma

Motivational Interviewing/Motivation Enhancement Therapy
Nicotine dependence
Substance use 

Special Populations
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
LGBTQIA+ and queer folks 
Veterans and first-responders

CONTACT

Would you like to get in touch with Dr. McDowell? Contact them at: admin@psychologicalhealing.net