Vivian A. Shelton, Psy.D.
Dr. Vivian A. Shelton is the Director of Evolutionary Wellbeing and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in treatment for adults, youth & children, and maintains a private practice in McLean, Virginia.
With 20 years experience as a therapist, and as a graduate of The American School of Professional Psychology (Honolulu, APA accredited) specializing in Clinical Psychology, she is currently serving as private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients in McLean, Virginia. Early in her career she specialized working with children, adolescent, and family populations with particular emphasis in trauma and abuse, eating disorders, and cross-cultural issues. Over the years, Dr. Shelton has provided treatment for adults and children in Washington DC, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Virginia in settings including inpatient, outpatient, private practice, and schools for children with emotional/behavioral problems and learning disabilities. She has also worked with military personnel and their families in Hawaii and ex-patriots overseas. During a 5-year professional hiatus, she lived in Central Asia and provided pro-bono therapy and consultation to ex-patriots and local individuals. Her overseas experience in conjunction to her work in Hawaii and Washington DC has enhanced her understanding and work with people of diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, particularly as it relates to assimilation, acculturation, and re-entry
While in Massachusetts, Dr. Shelton worked on a Bariatric Treatment Team where she provided educational workshops, psychological evaluations, and conducted post surgery support groups to patients undergoing weight loss surgery. Her interest in obesity extends not only to people who consider surgery as a treatment option, but those interested in losing weight and living a healthy well-balanced life without surgical intervention. She is particularly knowledgable and sensitive to issues associated with obesity. To continue her professional development in this area, she is an integrated health member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Nutrition and Metabolism Society. Dr. Shelton presented at the Ancestral Health Symposium in Los Angeles, CA in August 2011, Boston, MA in August 2012, and Atlanta, GA in 2013.
Dr. Shelton uses diverse approaches to help her patients become the most fully themselves, achieve overall health and wellness, and live a life that they love. Dr. Shelton treats a variety of psychological disorders and adjustment related problems to include but not limited to mood disorders, anxiety, low self esteem, trauma, abuse, and issues related to relationships and career problems. With children and adolescents she is particularly skilled with working with those resistant to therapy and who have problems with emotional regulation, behavior management, attachment issues, and school adjustment problems. Dr. Shelton has special interests in obesity, body image, and bariatric patient populations. Dr. Shelton provides individual psychotherapy, play therapy, couples therapy, family therapy and group psychotherapy. She conducts psychological evaluations for bariatric patients as is required prior to surgery. She is also available for consultation and trainings.
Dr. Shelton offers a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and contextual understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing. Dr. Shelton's approach is relaxed, yet professional, and she provides a warm and inviting atmosphere in which individual’s can feel comfortable and heard. Confidentiality and privacy are of the utmost importance in Dr. Shelton's work with clients, & collaborative, cooperative work with clients is key.
John Leso, Ph.D
Dr. John Leso has been licensed as a psychologist for over 20 years and has provided a broad range of mental health treatment and consultative services worldwide through a combination of government service and, more recently, private practice. He served on the faculties of the U.S Army Medical Department Center and School and the U.S. Army School of Aviation Medicine, and he was the Chief of Health Psychology Services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Dr. Leso was a first responder following the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon and is certified by the International Association of Trauma Professionals as a Clinical Trauma Professional. Relatedly, he has interest and expertise in providing psychological support to individuals (and their families) who have deployed to war zones and other high risk areas as part of their government service.
Dr. Leso works primarily with adults and encourages clients to explore and achieve their personal best, leveraging their strengths in a collaborative, goal-oriented approach. Using cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness techniques, Dr. Leso has successfully helped clients with a variety of issues heal and grow, including depression, anxiety, OCD, insomnia, relationship problems, grief and loss and career transitions. He is experienced in LGBT and diversity issues, fluent in Spanish and has specialized training in cross cultural psychology. A firm believer in the link between physical and mental health, Dr. Leso is also a registered yoga instructor and has offered workshops on mind-body fitness, healthy living and maximizing personal potential.
Dr. Leso earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Johns Hopkins University, a Master’s Degree from the University of Florida and his Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Albany. He has is credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists and is licensed in Virginia, the District of Columbia and New York.