Dr. Soffia Palsdottir is currently the chief psychologist at Mental Health Center of America, developing clinical services, supervising mental health professionals, and conducting comprehensive psychological assessments for general mental health concerns. Dr. Palsdottir’s work specializes in adult and adolescent psychotherapy, anxiety, trauma, depression, stress management, interpersonal conflict and management, chronic medical illness, psycho-oncology, physician burnout and compassion fatigue. Dr. Palsdottir has a strong interest in the psychological impact of illness, adjustment to illness, impact of stress and lifestyle choices such as poor diet and lack of exercise on wellbeing, nutritional psychiatry and the mind body connection. She approaches therapy from a psychodynamic perspective and integrates other techniques such as mindfulness-based interventions, existential and cognitive-behavioral into treatment as appropriate.
Education
Dr. Soffia Palsdottir is a licensed clinical psychologist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Iceland. She obtained a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Arizona School of Professional Psychology and a PsyD in clinical psychology from the same university. Dr. Palsdottir completed her doctoral internship at Southwest Behavioral & Health and post-doctoral fellowship through the Arizona Psychology Training Consortium at A Better Today Recovery Services.
Professional History
Dr. Soffia Palsdottir has experience working in inpatient psychiatric care, community mental health, psychological assessment, and substance abuse treatment. She was a faculty associate at the School of Social Work at Arizona State University where she taught classes in Mindfulness. In 2017 she joined Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Psycho Oncology Section of Division of Onco Medicine. She specializes in the field of psycho oncology assisting cancer patients and their support teams to cope with the wide array of psychological, emotional, social, and physical challenges and symptoms accompanying cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
Dr. Soffia Palsdottir is an active member in her professional field in various roles. She is a current chair of Continued Education for Society of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Division 39 of APA. She serves on the Continued Education Committee of the APA. Dr. Palsdottir is a member of the Medical and Addictions working group of the COVID-19 Psychology Task Force (established by 14 divisions of the American Psychological Association) and a member of Southwest Behavioral and Health Institutional Review Board.
Personal Interests
When Dr. Soffia Palsdottir is not busy with her work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children, reading, and running. The family enjoys hiking with their two goldendoodles, traveling, spending time with friends and extended family, and enjoying a good meal and conversation.
