Laura Wandner, Ph.D.
Psychologist | Clinical
7131 Arlington Rd Apt 417 Bethesda MD, 20814About
Dr. Laura Wandner is a clinical health psychologist practicing in Bethesda, MD. Clinical health psychologists focus on promoting overall well-being as well as coping with acute and chronic illnesses. Dr. Wandner specializes in helping patients understand the mind-body connection, helping them to improve their quality of life despite experiencing acute or chronic health conditions, and improving the way they live despite stress and hardships. Dr. Wandner specializes in treating patients with acute and chronic pain, headaches, and migraines. Dr. Wandner also has extensive experience treating insomnia, weight management, and managing life stressors. As a clinical health psychologist, Dr. Wandner evaluates and treats patients through a variety of methods, most typically including psychotherapy or talk therapy. Dr. Wandner also conducts a variety of integrated mental health assessments to diagnose a mental condition or better understand the impacts of biopsychosocial factors impacting a patient’s health experience. Dr. Wandner’s practice is tele-therapy practice. Dr. Wandner is licensed in the state of Maryland and can see patients via tele-therapy in any of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) participating states (full list here). For more information about Dr. Wandner's practice, please visit her website - https://www.wandnerhealthandwellness.com
Education and Training
University of Florida PhD 2013
Provider Details
Laura Wandner, Ph.D.'s Expert Contributions
Can you treat depression without meds?
Yes, you can treat depression without medications. One of the evidence based treatments for depression is called Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depression. READ MORE
Expert Publications
Data provided by the National Library of Medicine- The influence of sex, race, and age on pain assessment and treatment decisions using virtual human technology: a cross-national comparison.
- Pain assessment and treatment decisions for virtual human patients.
- The role of anger in psychosocial subgrouping for patients with low back pain.
- Using virtual human technology to provide immediate feedback about participants' use of demographic cues and knowledge of their cue use.
- Assessment of the Influence of Demographic and Professional Characteristics on Health Care Providers' Pain Management Decisions Using Virtual Humans.
Areas of expertise and specialization
Professional Memberships
- US Association for the Study of Pain (USASP)
- International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)
- American Psychological Association
- Maryland Psychological Association (MPA)
- National Register of Health Service Psychologists
Fellowships
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System postdoctoral 2015
Charities and Philanthropic Endeavors
- Red Cross
What do you attribute your success to?
- meeting patients where they\'re at with empathy
Areas of research
Dr. Laura D. Wandner is a Program Officer in the Office of Pain Policy and Planning at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). She manages research programs within the Acute to Chronic Pain Signature Program (A2CPS) and the Helping to End Addiction Long-Term Initiative (HEAL). Prior to opening a private practice, Dr. Wandner held the position of clinical pain psychologist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). Dr. Wandner’s past research focused primarily on assessing how demographic characteristics impact providers’ pain management services; how patients and providers can use technology in pain management practices; the development of pain psychology competencies, identifying the core competencies that providers should have before working as a pain psychologist; and the examination of large datasets to help better understand how patient, provider, and facility characteristics impact patients with musculoskeletal disorders.
Laura Wandner, Ph.D.'s Practice location
Bethesda, MD 20814Get Direction
Laura Wandner, Ph.D.'s reviews
Write ReviewMedia Releases
Get to know Psychologist Dr. Laura Wandner, who serves patients in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Wandner, a committed and compassionate clinical health psychologist, is the Director of Wandner Health and Wellness, LLC. She is licensed to practice in the state of Maryland and can see patients via tele-therapy in any of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) participating states.
“My job is to provide a supportive and compassionate space where you can learn skills that will help you manage the thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, and behaviors that come with life’s challenges. We will work together using evidence-based strategies that are tailored to your needs. My goal is to empower you to prioritize your health and make space in your life for the things that matter most to you” expressed Dr. Wandner.
Her interests are in helping patients to understand the mind-body connection, helping them to improve their quality of life despite experiencing chronic health conditions, and improving the way that they live despite stress and hardships.
Specializing in health psychology, Dr. Wandner focuses on promoting overall well-being as well as coping with acute and chronic illnesses. She also specializes in treating patients with acute and chronic pain, headaches, and migraines, as well as has extensive experience treating insomnia, weight management, and managing life stressors.
Throughout her academic career, Dr. Wandner graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Government from Connecticut College in 2007. She then went on to earn both her Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Clinical and Health Psychology, Behavioral Medicine track, from the University of Florida in 2011 and 2014, respectively.
Furthering her training, she performed her clinical internship (rotations in chronic pain, psycho-oncology, tobacco cessation, weight and diabetes management, primary care treatments, and inpatient consultation liaison services) with VA Connecticut Healthcare System in 2014. She then completed her postdoctoral fellowship (Rotations in the integrative pain clinic, opioid reassessment clinic, anesthesiology pain clinic, primary care setting, and spinal cord stimulator evaluation clinic) with the said establishment in 2015.
While she has spent the majority of her career working in hospital settings, Dr. Wandner now seeks to increase community access to health psychology services. In her part-time private practice, she hopes to continue helping patients live their best values-driven life.
She takes a very collaborative approach to ensure that each patient feels that they are being heard and that their goals are being met. Her therapeutic style is warm, genuine, and empathetic, remaining present while working with each patient on navigating physical and emotional obstacles together.
“I want to understand what is important to you about your lived experiences and your identities – such as your culture, ethnicity, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, and/or abilities – and draw on your personal strengths to help you reach your goals,” stated Dr. Wandner.
Among her professional affiliations, she is an active member of the US Association for the Study of Pain (USASP), the International Association for the Study of Pain, the American Psychological Association, the Maryland Psychological Association, and the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.
A Program Officer in the Office of Pain Policy and Planning at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Dr. Wandner manages programs within the Acute to Chronic Pain Signature Program (A2CPS) and the Helping to End Addiction Long-Term Initiative (HEAL). She also leads the HEAL Initiative’s Common Data Element (CDE) Initiative.
Prior to opening a private practice, she held the position of clinical pain psychologist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Psychology is the science of behavior and mind. It includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, as well as feeling and thought. It is an academic discipline of immense scope. Psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat the psychological problems and behavioral dysfunctions resulting from, or related to, physical and mental health. In addition, they play a major role in the promotion of healthy behavior, preventing diseases and improving patients’ quality of life.
Pertaining to her philanthropic endeavors, Dr. Wandner is a volunteer with the Red Cross.
Recommended Articles
- Healing and Recovery After Breast Cancer Diagnosis
What was (or would be) the first thoughts and emotions you would experience if a doctor ever looked you square in your eyes and said, “I’m sorry but you have breast cancer”?For Mary, diagnosed when she was in her late 30s, her first thought was “no I don’t,” and of course her first words...
- What Is ADHD: Get the Facts
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often referred to as ADHS is a detrimental brain condition characterized by a continuous pattern of impulsivity, inattention or hyperactivity. All these symptoms interrupt the patient’s developmental growth:...
- Muscular Dystrophy in Children
Muscular dystrophy or MD is a genetic disorder that stops the body from producing enough proteins to develop the muscles and keep them healthy. This fault in the genetic structure slowly weakens the body as the person ages. It is really heartbreaking to hear a parent say, “My child has muscular...
- What are the Causes of Upper and Middle Back Pain?
Upper, middle, or lower back pain is one of the most common conditions that people visit the doctor for. Upper and middle refers to the region from the base of the neck to the base of rib cage at the back. The bones in this region work in association with the rib cage and protect internal organs...
- What are the Symptoms of ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a condition that can affect learning and one's ability to mingle with others. As the name indicates, a lack of attention and hyperactivity are the major symptoms, which would be seen at a level that is inconsistent with the growth and...
- Can Bisphosphonates Stop Breast Cancer from Spreading to Bones?
Two years ago, at the age of 44, Susan Leonard was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer – a disease that affects over 260,000 American women on an annual basis. In order to keep her cancer from recurring, she had to undergo countless treatments, including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, a double...
Nearby Providers
- Dr. Hoorie Siddique PH.D.962 Wayne Avenue Silver Spring MD 20910
- Dr. David Newton Danforth Jr PH.D.Center for Cancer Research National Cancer Institute Bethesda MD 20892
- Dr. Hayley B. Sherwood, PhD PHD2579 John Milton Dr Herndon VA 20171
- Marcus VanSickle PH.D.- Alexandria VA 22309
- Dr. Susan Frank PHD46179 Westlake Dr Potomac Falls VA 20165
- Leslie K. Dalton6073 Arlington Boulevard Falls Church VA 22044