Linda Shepherd, PsyD

Dr. Linda Shepherd is a California Board of Psychology Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Shepherd is an accomplished researcher and clinical psychologist. She began her academic career by obtaining a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA. She went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Public Management and Policy Analysis from California State University, Sacramento, obtained another Master’s Degree in Political Science with a specialization in Political Psychology from the University of California, Davis, followed by a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Davis with one of her specializations as Political Psychology.

Dr. Shepherd then taught courses in public policy, American government, and research methodology as well as conducted independent study courses for students in the field of political psychology. Transitioning to clinical psychology, Dr. Shepherd completed a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of Hawaii and a PsyD in Clinical Psychology with honors from California Southern University. Dr. Shepherd completed a pre-doctoral internship and a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical psychology at the Hawaii Island Health and Wellness Center on the Big Island of Hawaii. She was subsequently selected to become the Director of Mental Health Services for the Hawaii Island Health and Wellness Center. During her years with the Hawaii Island, Health and Wellness Center Dr. Shepherd provided direct client psychotherapy for inpatient and outpatient programs including intake, assessment, crisis intervention, individual psychotherapy, and group counseling for clients dealing with moderate to severe psychological disorders. Dr. Shepherd was also called upon to provide mindfulness training for inpatients as well as outpatients and taught clinical psychology training seminars that were offered to the public and to staff by the Hawaii Island Health and Wellness Center.

Dr. Shepherd is an authority on the topic of the psychological effects of mindfulness meditation. These include profound and enduring influences on structures within the brain, significant improvements in mood, and positive outcomes on measures of both mental and physical health. Dr. Shepherd’s recent research has sought to understand and explain why mindfulness meditation exerts its many positive influences and how mindfulness can be utilized to assist psychotherapeutic clients. Dr. Shepherd is also a Certified Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher and a Board Certified Integrative Health Coach. She specializes in strengths-based psychotherapy focused on the development of well-being and quality of life by identifying client strengths, capabilities, and resources; assisting individuals to understand and achieve goals; supporting resilience as a process; acknowledging growth, insight, and wisdom; developing happiness; as well as discovering unique meaning and purpose in each individual life.

California License Number: PSY30145