Valessa St. Pierre Mwanjawala, Psy.D.

Dr. Valessa St. Pierre Mwanjawala (Dr. Valessa) currently serves as an Assistant Director of Counseling/Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, Staff Psychologist at Ohio University’s Counseling and Psychological Services. She is an embedded clinician within the D&I Offices. Dr. Valessa is an alumnus of Ohio University and can speak to some of the unique experiences of being a Bobcat! Dr. Valessa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Anthropology with Honors at Binghamton University (SUNY Binghamton). Upon graduating from SUNY Binghamton, she served as a National Science Foundation Fellow at the University of North Texas. After completing her fellowship, Valessa moved from New York to Athens Ohio to earn her Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University. Dr. Valessa has spent her career serving diverse individuals between the ages of 5-95 years of age in psychotherapy and research. Dr. Valessa utilizes empirically based programs and has training in treating various disorders and trained in testing. Dr. Valessa served a two-year term as co-chair for the Society of Behavioral Medicine and served as an Adjunct Professor at Eastern Kentucky University, Ohio University, and Cleveland State University. Dr. Valessa attended a performing arts Junior High School in New York, and has a past in singing (soprano), songwriting, dancing, painting, and designing clothes. Dr. Valessa had a small business while in High School designing clothes and re-purposing garments. Valessa earned a Fine Arts Medal from the Museum of Natural History for her paintings. Prior to publishing works in graduate school, Valessa wrote “Why I dread Red” published by the New York City Public Library. Dr. Valessa is from the Caribbean, and her native languages are French and Haitian Creole.