Shannon Brothers, PhD

As a pediatric psychologist, I specialize in treating children, adolescents and young adults with epilepsy and other chronic health conditions. I am passionate about helping children thrive and have the best possible quality of life despite having a chronic illness.

I take a collaborative and goal-oriented approach with families and patients to help them find their “new normal” by building adaptive strategies to cope with illness, manage challenging behaviors, modify negative thoughts to increase self-esteem and build a positive sense of self, and problem-solve barriers to epilepsy management.

I serve as a clinical psychologist for the Division of Neurology, within the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Cincinnati Children’s. I work on a multidisciplinary team of providers that includes neurologists, pharmacists, nurses, a social worker and a dietician to provide comprehensive services to our epilepsy patients.

Having a chronic illness can feel out of your control, make you feel different than others and sometimes makes certain activities harder, such as learning and managing your emotions. Furthermore, the way children and teens cope with illness-related challenges can look different at different ages. We will work together as a team to reduce chronic illness effects and enhance your child’s quality of life.

In my research, I’m interested in improving the quality of life for children and teens with epilepsy. I’m looking for ways to help them cope with their illness and alleviate behavioral health concerns, such as anxiety and depression.