Dr. Shelley Upton, PhD

Dr. Shelley Upton (she/her) is the Director of Assessment Services and a staff psychologist at Chicago Psychotherapy. She completed her PhD in school psychology at Louisiana State University and then completed her pre-doctoral internship in Clinical Child Psychology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Upton completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Interdisciplinary Assessment at Utah State University and a 2-year Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) fellowship with a specialization in autism. Prior to joining Chicago Psychotherapy, Dr. Upton worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Utah State University appointed by the Department of Psychology and Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence.

In her role as Director of Assessment, Dr. Upton specializes in the diagnosis of autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Dr. Upton also provides specialty evaluations for the purposes of procuring accommodations for high stakes tests (e.g., the ACT and SAT) and psychological immigration evaluations.

Dr. Upton has extensive expertise in working with neurodiverse clients of all ages. She is passionate about advocating for clients and their families and has worked in a variety of settings including schools, community clinics, training clinics, and medical clinics.

Dr. Upton is a skilled therapist, specializing in supporting neurodiverse clients across the lifespan who are experiencing anxiety, depression, and/or adjustment/transition stress. She has strong training in a range of evidence-based therapies, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Parent Management Training (PMT), and various social-emotional skills training programs. Dr. Upton has a special interest in working with clients adjusting to a recent diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder, individuals who are high-masking and/or late diagnosed, parents of neurodiverse children, and teenagers/young adults with a Pervasive Drive for Autonomy (PDA, also called Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile.

She has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses on research methodology, lifespan development, intellectual assessment, academic assessment, and advanced assessment topics. She has created online courses and led national webinars for providers on best practices related to the provision of services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities including how to incorporate clients’ diverse experiences and increase their access to effective care. She is committed to engaging in her community and ensuring that individuals from all walks of life have access to what they need to be successful. As a provider, she is open, curious about others’ perspectives, and adapts her approach to the unique combination of factors influencing client’s lives.

Dr. Upton is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Illinois. She is also a member of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), allowing her to serve clients located in PSYPACT participating states (https://psypact.gov/BlankCustom.asp?page=psypactmap), via telehealth.