Dr. Shannon Curry, PsyD, MSCP
Dr. Shannon Curry is a clinical and forensic psychologist, licensed in both California and Hawaii. She owns the Curry Psychology Group, a leading multi-specialty counseling center in Orange County, CA, and has 15 years of experience conducting research, therapy, and psychological evaluations pertaining to trauma, violence, and relationships.
Dr. Curry has more than 15 years of experience providing therapy and assessment services across military, forensic, and community settings.
As Director of the Curry Psychology Group, Dr. Curry helps military and civilian clients transform their relationships, overcome grief and trauma, and achieve overall life improvement. She is committed to social justice work, and serves on the advisory board for the University of California Center for Unconventional Security Affairs (CUSA); engaging in research and programming to address global issues of poverty, warfare, violence, and sustainability. Her own research on culturally-responsive trauma therapy in international communities has received awards from the American Psychological Association and Psychology Beyond Borders.
Dr. Curry regularly serves as a psychologist expert and independent forensic evaluator for state courts, law enforcement agencies, the U.S. military, and private attorneys. She enjoys utilizing her psychological expertise to provide clear, articulate, and well-researched opinions in both civil and criminal matters. Dr. Curry is a certified forensic examiner for the Hawaii Department of Courts and Corrections and a registered psychological evaluator for California courts and law enforcement agencies.
CREDENTIALS
Dr. Curry earned her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University. She also holds a postdoctoral Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychopharmacology (MSCP) from Alliant University, making her one of a handful of psychologists nationwide with eligibility for prescriptive authority in military jurisdictions.
She completed her doctoral internship in psychology at Tripler Army Medical Center, an American Psychological Association (APA)–Accredited training site, where she was one of only two civilian interns admitted to the otherwise all-military cohort. Under the purview of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National Center for PTSD, Dr. Curry received intensive and unparalleled training in combat psychology, trauma, and the assessment and treatment of PTSD.
Dr. Curry furthered her specialization in trauma and forensic psychology with a two-year post-doctoral residency at Hawaii State Hospital. While there, she served as Co-Chair of the Hospital’s Board for Trauma-Informed Care and led the hospital’s transition to a trauma-informed, reduced-restraint model of care.
ADDITIONAL SPECIALTY AREAS
Dr. Curry also specializes in the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy, a highly effective and practical approach to relationship improvement. She has completed all three levels of Gottman training and is a Workshop Leader/Educator for both the Gottman “Seven Principles of Making Relationships Work” and “Bringing Baby Home” programs.
Dr. Curry also holds a unique specialization in animal-assisted therapy, having previously served on the boards of Hawaii State Hospital’s Animal Assisted Therapy Program and the Hawaii Canine Assistance Network (HI-CAN) service dog organization. In her latter role, Dr. Curry led a program for Wounded Warriors wherein they assisted with the training of future service dogs. Today, Dr. Curry is a certified therapy dog handler through the National Alliance of Therapy Dogs. She regularly lectures on the mental health benefits of animal-assisted therapy and the distinguishing requirements between service dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support animals. Dr. Curry’s own dog, Gunnar, is a trained and certified therapy dog who can be spotted making the rounds at the Curry Psychology Group office.