Monica R. Whitehead, PhD

Biography

As a pediatric psychologist, I provide prevention and intervention services for children through young adults, in a primary care setting. I strive to give my patients and their families a specific plan and strategies to address their needs every time I see them. I want families to know that when they meet me, they are going to get someone genuine, family-focused and a little bit silly.
I will always take their concerns seriously, and if in the process, I can connect with them through humor, all the better.

I first became interested in psychology as a high school freshman when I learned about Freud in an English class. My passion for helping children grew as I learned more about psychopathology in college. As a first-generation college student, when it was time to choose a career, I went with my gut. I entered into a clinical psychology graduate program, and happily, it has been the right field for me.

In my practice, I highly value and adhere to evidence-based approaches to care. I ensure that my patients and their families feel empowered as I’m sure their world can sometimes feel out of control, and I want them to recognize what they can control.

I value teaming up with my medical colleagues to address my patients’ problems in a setting that families find comfortable and familiar. I find it very rewarding to address concerns as they arise and to provide real-time therapeutic services.

In addition to helping patients, I’m involved in research. My research interests include emotional and social functioning in anxious youth, therapeutic process variables, and evaluating short-term interventions and quality improvement in the primary care setting.

In my free time, my family and I enjoy watching stand-up comedy, arguing over who has the best college football team, going on walks with our dogs and spending time outside together. I also occasionally catch the running bug and run half marathons.