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 been a researcher in the UW Department of Psychology for over a decade. I work to develop new therapies and figure out how to make therapy more accessible. My most recent projects focus on how best to support pregnant women living in the context of poverty and the influence of the COVID-19 global health crisis on children’s development. At UW I teach graduate-level courses on topics such as 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. I have authored dozens and dozens of peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters, present regularly at national and international conferences, and served on the National Task Force that developed the training guidelines for the field of child psychology.

Where did you study?

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, psychologists must practice within their scope of expertise and practice limitations. That means that I’m not the best fit for a client with an eating disorder, a primary substance abuse disorder, or active self-harm and suicidality. To get a sense if my expertise lines up with your concerns, click on my services page. If we meet and either of us feels the fit is off, I will refer you to a better suited provider. 

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.