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