Melissa Wheeler, PhD (Diné)

Wheeler, hails from the Navajo Nation in Arizona. As an interdisciplinary researcher, she examines cultural influence on mental and behavioral health and substance use prevention and treatment. She investigates these issues through Indigenous community-based participatory research interventions and prevention methods. As a postdoctoral resident, she provides compassionate and evidence-based therapy to help clients overcome various mental health concerns and substance use disorders. She is experienced in conducting psychological evaluations for diagnosing mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, PTSD, substance dependence, and other mental health challenges. Moreover, she has expertise providing neuropsychological evaluations to assess clients’ cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and language skills. Her goal is to serve rural Native American communities while also teaching in the postsecondary setting.