Shaneze Gayle Smith

Licensed clinical psychologist with a decade of clinical experience working across a lifespan who provides integrative, trauma-informed and culturally responsive treatment. I have specialized training in helping individuals with chronic illnesses, trauma survivors and parents. Regarding my own journey to and through motherhood, I am passionate about supporting women struggling with perinatal & postpartum concerns and work-life balance.

Education: Seton Hall University (Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology) Concentration- Health Psychology, Child and Adolescence

Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center (Psychology Residency: Child & Adolescent Specialization)

Walden University (M.S. in Forensic Psychology)

Rutgers- New Jersey Medical School (completed 3 years of training)

Rutgers University (B.A. in Cell Biology and Neuroscience)

Adjunct Professor & Doctoral Supervisor: Seton Hall University, Rutgers University

Psychology Training: Cognitive behavioral (CBT), Dialectical behavioral (DBT), Acceptance and commitment (ACT), Psychodynamic (relational & attachment based), ERP (exposure and response prevention), EFT (emotionally focused therapy) for couples

Medical Training/Completed Rotations: Neurology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Internal & Family Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology

Research: extensive research on the effects of trauma and stress on mental and physical health (e.g. mind body connection), health psychology, childhood abuse and neglect, resilience, integrative medicine, racial/ethnic stress & cultural identity for adolescents of color, workplace mistreatment and physician burnout, ADHD, anxiety, evidence-based treatments for justice involved families, and improving cultural competency in mental health providers.

Specialized Training:

Health psychology: Integrative hospital settings (pediatric & adult) with illnesses including diabetes, cancer, chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, gastrointestinal issues such as IBD (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis) and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), hypertension, sickle cell, PCOS, and migraines. Dr. Gayle Smith has direct medical experience having attended medical school for 3 years prior to her psychology training which provides her with unique perspective on the interplay between the mind and body.

Trauma

Experience: Childhood Trauma (including neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse), sexual assault, medical trauma & childbirth trauma.

Expertise in the following trauma therapies: certified inTF-CBT (Trauma-Focused CBT); CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy) & CPC-CBT (Combined Parent-Child CBT for Physical Abuse)

Parenting & Motherhood

Experience working with parents individually, parent couples (specifically those navigating cultural or racial differences), co-parents (for divorced/blended families), parent groups and parent-child dyads. Additionally, Dr. Gayle Smith has clinical experience working with mothers navigating issues pertaining to perinatal concerns, motherhood, work-life balance & postpartum diagnoses such as postpartum depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Child & Adolescent Training

Parent Management Training (PMT) and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) for ADHD, disruptive behaviors and oppositionality.

Adolescent DBT for teens & young adults with suicidality, self-harming & emotion regulation issues.

Positive Parenting Program

Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD, anxiety/phobias and school refusal.

Licensure:

I am licensed clinical psychologist who can provide treatment in the following states: New York, New Jersey, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.