MARLENA MCEACHRON

Dr. Marlena McEachron is a licensed clinical psychologist and the owner of Northstar Center, a trauma-informed, evidence-based private practice in Loudoun County, Virginia, where she and her team provide individual therapy, family therapy, and testing services for children, adolescents, adults, and families.

Dr. McEachron earned her Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) and Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University in Washington, DC. She completed her doctorate in 2016 with a dissertation titled "Cultivating Multicultural Empathy through Mindfulness." Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, graduating magna cum laude from George Mason University in 2008.

Throughout her career, Dr. McEachron has treated individuals across the lifespan at various levels of care within the mental health system, including acute inpatient hospitals, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, and outpatient services. Other roles throughout her career have included conducting psychological and neuropsychological assessments and serving as a Clinical Psychology Training Program Supervisor, where she mentored the next generation of clinical psychologists. Currently serving as the Training Director, she trains aspiring clinical psychologists to treat trauma-related disorders.

Dr. McEachron specializes in treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, and trauma-related disorders, including dissociative conditions in adolescents and adults. She is trained in several evidence-based modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Psychodynamic Therapy. She also incorporates effective interventions from Family Systems Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Dr. McEachron is deeply committed to mindfulness meditation and philosophy, integrating key components such as nonjudgmental awareness and compassion into her therapeutic practice. She is trained in various evidence-based mindfulness-based approaches, including Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindful Self-Compassion, and Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness. With a strong personal practice, Dr. McEachron has participated in both day-long and multi-day silent meditation retreats. Previously, she shared her passion for mindfulness by offering training to others, facilitating workshops for clinical psychology students, and teaching mindfulness skills to patients in both group and individual therapy settings.