Practice Philosophy 

Dr. Jonathan Shepherd is a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, who works with children and their families as well as adults. Renowned for his caring and nurturing bedside manner, Dr. Shepherd serves and provides treatment for clients in a variety of areas including anxiety and mood disorders, ADHD, and PTSD, among others.  His mission is to improve the well-being and mental health outcomes of children and adults by providing evidence-based, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care. With a focus on the family, he strongly involves parents in treatment to minimize conflicts, enhance communication, ensure medication compliance, and resolve family challenges. Dr. Shepherd considers all of a patient’s medical conditions and collaborates with fellow providers to ensure optimal care. He also offers prenatal care for pregnant women with mental health concerns.  Sensitive to issues of race, religion, and culture, he develops treatment plans that honor a patient’s background and personal experiences in developing treatment plans that will have the greatest impact on mental health. 

Areas of Expertise 

Dr. Shepherd specializes in treating children and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. His skills include conducting diagnostic assessments, developing multi-modal treatment options, and medication management. With a passion for treating children and teens, he takes the time to make sure patients feel heard and understood. He communicates diagnoses, assessments, treatment recommendations, and medication options clearly and straightforwardly, offering age-appropriate explanations that make sense to parents, children, and adult patients. He has expertise in distinguishing between ADHD and anxiety and provides appropriate treatments that impact a patient’s distress and ability to function. In addition to assessment and psychiatric treatment, he also provides supportive therapy, drawing from cognitive behavior therapy techniques. 

Experience and Training

Dr. Shepherd is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School and Adult Psychiatry Program as well as the Johns Hopkins University Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship. He was bestowed the honor of Fellow by the American Psychiatric Association in 2020 and Distinguished Fellow by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2019 for representing excellence and his significant contributions to the field of psychiatry.  In February 2024, Dr. Shepherd was inducted into the American College of Psychiatrists, a prestigious honor bestowed by his fellow psychiatric colleagues.  In addition to The Ross Center, Dr. Shepherd is also employed as the Chief Clinical Officer for the Department of Behavioral Health for the entire District of Columbia, where he is responsible for the development, management, and oversight of the public behavioral health system for adults, children, and their families. Dr. Shepherd serves on numerous boards and participates in several organizations that impact and shape the programs for the mental well-being of persons in diverse settings and various communities. He also serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Black Mental Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the mental health needs of the African American community.