Shawna Guerrero

I started studying psychology in 2007, and after completing my education, I served 10 years as a naval psychologist in the U.S. Navy before becoming a 100% disabled veteran. My military career began at the President's Hospital, where I spent 5 years as the specialty evaluation coordinator at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In this role, I determined what kind of mental health evaluations were needed for individuals seeking to work at the White House, obtain security clearances, or pursue other special positions. When COVID hit, I was stationed at 29 Palms, where I developed and implemented virtual mental health services for Marines at satellite bases that had no mental health professionals on their installations - a program that is still running today. For my final 3 years of active duty, I served as the sole psychologist for a 7,000-Marine infantry unit, which involved a lot of heavy lifting and tragedy, but also the rewarding experience of seeing people progress, stay on active duty, and get back to doing their jobs. I also hold a SEER (survival, evasion, and escape) specialty, which qualifies me to support prisoners of war in their transition back to normal daily life. Now in civilian life, I run a private practice where I focus on helping people reach their personal goals, similar to executive coaching, while also working for the VA conducting evaluations to ensure veterans leaving the military receive the benefits they're entitled to based on their mental health treatment. I'm currently developing an exciting new project - an internship program at a local equine ranch to provide equine therapy for veterans.