About Me

I am Dr. Stephanie Thompson (she/her), a licensed and Board Certified clinical psychologist in Washington. I believe that the working relationship between a psychologist and a client is essential, so let me tell you a bit about myself:

What are your professional interests?

I have a faculty, research appointment at UW. There I work to develop new therapies and to figure out how to make therapy more accessible. My most recent projects focused on how best to support pregnant women living in the context of poverty and an evaluation of the influence of the COVID-19 global health crisis on children’s development. At UW I additionally teach graduate-level courses in how to properly assess children’s mental health, how to deliver evidence-based treatments, and how to understand normative social and emotional development in children.  You have likely found me because I maintain a private practice in Bellevue where I see clients week to week.

The University research allows me to investigate, publish, and present meaningful findings about what we know about psychology and what we need to better understand. The teaching position brings me the reward of training future generations of therapists. The private practice brings me the joy of being part of real-life positive changes from week to week. I love the combination!

Where did you train?

I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Emory University, in Atlanta. I completed my master’s and doctoral degree in Child Clinical Psychology at the University of Washington.  I received my internship training at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. I completed my postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington, Center for Child and Family Well-being, as the Mindful Living and Practice fellow. I’m Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

I am fortunate to have been trained by great psychologists, many of whom developed the clinically effective treatments that I utilize. I have worked with clients across inpatient psychiatric settings, medical settings, and outpatient settings. These experiences have given me a chance to work with a wide range of individuals and families, some of whom were acutely sick. I found that everyone has strengths, has struggle at some point, and has promise, too.

Are you the right psychologist for me?

Maybe! Just as I believe that there needs to be a good fit between a psychologist and their  client, I believe strongly that psychologists should practice within their scope. That means that I accept patients I have the expertise and experience and capacity to help. If I’m not the best fit for a client, for example, if their concerns include an eating disorder or a primary substance abuse disorder, I refer them to a provider who I believe will be a good fit.  To get a sense if my expertise lines up with your concerns, click on my services page.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Some of my favorite past times include: Cheering on my family of awesome athletes, teaching the occasional yoga class, and guessing the tasting notes of a coffee bean. I’ve been known to organize the shopping list by grocery store aisle only to be at the grocery store without it. I routinely fall in love with products that then become discontinued.