Dr. Shanda Priest, MD

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Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. Shanda Priest, who serves patients in Rockville, Maryland.

Dr. Priest is a warm and caring adult psychiatrist who specializes in women’s and young adult mental health treatment. She commonly works with patients to treat anxiety disorders, mood disorders including bipolar illness and depression, ADHD, schizophrenia, trauma disorders, adjustment disorders, and a host of other challenges. 

At Potomac Psychiatry in Rockville, Maryland, she uses evidence-based treatments including traditional and integrative approaches to evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric conditions. She often works with a treatment team composed of a nutritionist, psychotherapists, and other health specialists to provide a holistic care model. Ongoing care may include psychotherapy, medication management, skill building, and a number of other interventions.

Back in the early days of her academic career, Dr. Priest graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from North Carolina State University in 1996. She then went on to earn her medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2002. 

Furthering her training, she performed her internship in psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas in 2003. She followed this up with a residency in psychiatry at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2006, where she served as Chief Resident during her final year.

Following residency, Dr. Priest served as an active-duty psychiatrist in the US Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base from 2006-2011. There, she had the privilege of serving both active-duty service members and their families. In 2008, she deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan for 6 months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, providing direct care for soldiers, sailors, and airmen and command support. She was awarded the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Golden Border, Army Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, and the 5 NATO Medal and the Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short.

After her military service, Dr. Priest worked in several settings including community based, traditional outpatient care, inpatient care, and as a consultant for Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP). 

Licensed to practice medicine in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, she is affiliated with Holy Cross Hospital-Silver Spring. She enjoys meeting patients where they are, listening to their needs, and working with them to develop an optimal individualized treatment plan.

A member of the American Psychiatric Association, she is board-certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to serving the professions of psychiatry and neurology.

Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions. Psychiatrists evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, and evaluate treatment results.

Having partnered with patients on their journey to wellness, Dr. Priest has been named a Top Doctor by The Washingtonian in 2018 & a Top Doctor by Find a Top Doc in 2022.

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