Shaina Townsend, PhD
Dr. Shaina Townsend, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona’s Scottsdale and Phoenix clinics. She completed her doctoral training at Fielding Graduate University in 2023, with a concentration in health psychology.
Shaina Townsend completed her clinical internship at the Madison VA Medical Center and went on to work in Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) at the Phoenix VA following graduation.
She trained in the behavioral sleep clinic at the Madison VA and has experience treating insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, CPAP desensitization, and nightmares. Dr. Townsend primarily works from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) framework while incorporating an integrative approach. She has extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), ACT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and trauma-focused protocols, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), trauma-focused ACT, and Written Exposure Therapy.
Dr. Townsend specializes in working with complex trauma and trauma-related disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and sleep-wake disorders. She has a particular interest in supporting women’s health, the LGBTQ+ community, and Veterans, drawing on her ten years of service in the Army National Guard and Reserves. Dr. Townsend is committed to helping patients live a life worth living that is guided by their values, using a person-centered, evidence-based approach that empowers patients to make meaningful change.
Outside of work, Dr. Townsend enjoys spending time with her wife of five years and their energetic three-year-old son. She loves exploring new restaurants, hiking, splash pads, and community events.
“My life is 100% better, I am keeping the institutes cards on hand and have handed them out to people who say they have insomnia. Because I want everyone to experience the kind of positive transformation I have, after 5 years of debilitating insomnia, I have my life and my body back!”
– Real Patient Review
