SPECIALIZATION
Dr. Tyler A. Gerdin (pronounced "Jer"-"dean")
Licensed, Board Certified Clinical Psychologist
Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology
Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine
Dr. Gerdin is a clinical psychologist specializing in the assessment of developmental & psychiatric disorders. He uses neuropsychological assessments, academic tests, intelligence tests, and a variety of personality assessments to form a wholistic picture of his patients. He often works with patients whose developmental or psychiatric diagnoses have been missed or masked for years.
He also enjoys providing psychotherapy for teens and adults struggling with mood and anxiety disorders. In treatment, Dr. Gerdin primarily uses the evidence-based Emotion-Focused Therapy and a variety of relational and cognitive techniques to help treat mood disorders, improve emotion regulation, work on relational issues, and provide needed tools for life's daily challenges. Due to his knowledge of neurodiversity (such as ADHD, ASD, Learning Disorders, High IQ), he works well with people who “experience the world differently”—Dr. Gerdin helps these people to work on self-acceptance, lower anxiety, find tools for navigating everyday life, and deepen relationships.
While Dr. Gerdin has a strong intellectual bent with a love of philosophy and big ideas, he is skilled in making complex ideas clear. In the end, he is a practical person. Dr. Gerdin is also experienced in working with people of a variety of religious backgrounds and sees processing faith and spirituality as a crucial part of many peoples’ healing.
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TRAINING AND CREDENTIALS
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Studied philosophy, theology, and psychology at Bethel University in Saint Paul, MN.
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Masters in Clinical Psychology from George Fox University.
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Doctorate In Clinical Psychology at George Fox Univeristy.
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Practicum training experiences including: public schools, college counseling centers, the Oregon State Hospital, and assessing psychiatric risk for the Emergency Department at Newberg Providence Hospital.
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Doctoral internship at the Reading Hospital Medical Center in West Reading, PA.
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Post-Doctoral Residency in assessment ad psychotherapy at Sundstrom Clinical Services in West Linn, OR.
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Manager of Assessment Services at Sundstrom Clinical Services.
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Completed Edwards Psychotherapy's Emotion Focused Therapy intensive training program and supervision
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Certified EMDR Therapist
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Dr. Gerdin has achieved board certification in clinical psychology (ABPP)- 4% of psychologists in the USA have earned this rigorous credential. To earn this distinction, three senior psychologist assessed Dr. Gerdin's professional competence through a detailed, in-depth scrutiny of Dr. Gerdin's therapy & assessment work. He is one of six psychologists in all eastern Washington to hold this credential.
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He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology
HOW I GOT INTO PSYCHOLOGY
"I learned to listen to people before I knew the 'right' answers."
I was born and raised in rural Minnesota, the son of parents who were models of integrity and service to others. Even with this great support and example, I still went through my own share of struggles, which have helped me to understand others' hardships. As a high schooler, I worked at my father's auto repair shop changing and repairing tires. While it was important to learn the value of hard work, I also discerned that I wanted to spend my life working with people. During my college summers breaks, I worked at a camp and cared for eight boys a week over the 10-week span. I was given a double share of the "complex kids" and worked to find creative ways to support these kids/teens with a variety of developmental needs.
After college, I worked in Minneapolis Public Schools with teens who were recently released from juvenile detention. One six-month assignment really stood out to me: I became a one-on-one assistant to a non-verbal boy with autism. Before meeting him, three aids quite working with him due to the student's violent behaviors. During my time with this precious boy, I learned to see what triggered the violence and found joy in making school a safe environment for his learning. Later, I worked as a nursing assistant with developmentally disabled adults - I hungered to be a part of their treatment teams so I could make changes to bring greater happiness and autonomy to their everyday lives.
It was such a gift for me to develop relationships with kids and adults with developmental and psychiatric challenges before completing masters and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology. These experiences taught me that making trusting relationships is always the first priority. I learned to listen to people before I knew the “right answers” that graduate training would give.
When not doing the work I love, I spend time with my wife and children, and enjoy running/working out, and downhill and slalom waterskiing. I'm passionate about community building, splitting firewood (it reminds me of home in Minnesota), and collecting more books than I can possibly read. Even though I had a scholarship to play the trombone in college, you probably won't be hearing brass music coming from my office anytime soon. I feel grateful to live in Spokane and want to be a good neighbor.
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