Davenport Psychology is pleased to welcome Allyson Fellows, Psy.D., to our team of doctoral-level psychologists serving clients in Sarasota and Venice, FL. Dr. Fellows brings specialized expertise in areas that strengthen our practice’s ability to serve the diverse mental health needs of Southwest Florida — particularly in women’s mental health, sexual trauma recovery, and affirming care for LGBTQ+ individuals.
What Dr. Fellows Brings to the Practice
Dr. Fellows holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) and is a licensed psychologist in the state of Florida. Her clinical training includes extensive work in trauma-focused interventions, relational therapy, and culturally responsive care for populations that have historically been underserved or misunderstood by the mental health system.
Her approach integrates several evidence-based modalities. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) provides the structured, goal-oriented framework for addressing anxiety, depression, and trauma responses. Relational-cultural therapy addresses the role of connection, disconnection, and power dynamics in psychological well-being — an approach particularly relevant for clients whose distress is rooted in relationship patterns or systemic marginalization. And trauma-focused interventions, including TF-CBT and prolonged exposure principles, guide her work with survivors of sexual violence and interpersonal trauma.
Specialized Focus: Women’s Mental Health
Women face mental health challenges shaped by biological, psychological, and social factors that interact in ways unique to their experience. Hormonal fluctuations across the lifespan — from puberty through perimenopause — influence mood, anxiety, and cognitive function. Societal expectations around caregiving, professional achievement, and appearance create chronic stress that compounds clinical symptoms. And women are disproportionately affected by certain conditions: they are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2024).
Dr. Fellows addresses these intersecting factors with an approach that is both clinically rigorous and deeply attentive to context. She works with women navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, reproductive health challenges, relationship difficulties, and the cumulative toll of managing multiple roles in a culture that often treats women’s emotional needs as secondary. Her work draws on research demonstrating that gender-responsive treatment — therapy that explicitly acknowledges and addresses the gendered dimensions of women’s distress — produces better outcomes than gender-neutral approaches (APA, 2024).
Specialized Focus: Sexual Trauma Recovery
Sexual trauma is among the most psychologically damaging forms of interpersonal violence, and its effects extend far beyond the event itself. Survivors frequently experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, chronic shame, difficulties with trust and intimacy, somatic symptoms, and disruptions in their sense of identity and safety. The CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey has documented that nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 38 men in the United States have experienced completed or attempted rape at some point in their lifetime (CDC, 2024).
Dr. Fellows provides trauma-focused therapy in a clinical environment designed to prioritize safety, pacing, and client autonomy. The therapeutic process begins with stabilization — building the coping resources and relational trust necessary to approach traumatic material without becoming overwhelmed. Processing work proceeds at the client’s pace, using structured techniques that allow survivors to make meaning of their experiences without retraumatization. The goal is not simply symptom reduction, but the restoration of the client’s sense of agency, safety, and connection.
Research published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress has consistently shown that trauma-focused psychotherapy — including cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure — is the most effective treatment for PTSD resulting from sexual violence, with recovery rates significantly higher than medication alone (Resick et al., 2012).
Specialized Focus: Affirming Care for LGBTQ+ Individuals
LGBTQ+ individuals face elevated rates of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and substance use — not because of their identity, but because of the chronic stress of navigating a society that marginalizes and stigmatizes that identity. This framework, known as minority stress theory, has been extensively validated in the research literature. A foundational study in Psychological Bulletin demonstrated that the cumulative impact of prejudice, discrimination, and internalized stigma produces measurable mental health disparities in sexual and gender minority populations (Meyer, 2003).
Dr. Fellows provides affirming therapy that treats the client’s sexual orientation and gender identity as inherent aspects of who they are — not as problems to be solved. This matters because LGBTQ+ individuals seeking therapy have historically encountered providers who pathologized their identity, applied conversion-oriented frameworks, or simply lacked the knowledge to address the specific stressors facing this population. Research published in Implementation Science Communications has documented the effectiveness of LGBTQ-supportive cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing minority stress-related symptoms while strengthening identity-related resilience (Pachankis et al., 2024).
Her work with LGBTQ+ clients addresses issues including identity development and coming out, navigating family rejection or conditional acceptance, relationship challenges specific to same-sex or gender-diverse partnerships, the psychological impact of discrimination and microaggressions, and the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity with other marginalized identities.
Expanding Our Team’s Capacity
Dr. Fellows joins a team of five doctoral-level psychologists at Davenport Psychology. Her addition expands our capacity to serve clients across both our Sarasota and Venice locations, with particular depth in areas where the need for specialized, evidence-based care continues to grow. She is accepting new clients for individual therapy and is available both in-person and via telehealth throughout Florida and 40+ PSYPACT states.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Fellows or any member of our team, call (941) 702-2457 or visit our services page to learn more about what we offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Fellows accepting new patients?
Yes. Dr. Fellows is currently accepting new clients at both our Sarasota and Venice offices, as well as via telehealth.
Does Dr. Fellows work with men as well as women?
Yes. While Dr. Fellows has specialized expertise in women’s mental health, she works with clients of all genders. Her clinical training encompasses the full range of adult mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, and life transitions.
What does “affirming care” mean in practice?
Affirming care means that a client’s sexual orientation and gender identity are treated as natural aspects of who they are — never as symptoms, disorders, or things that need to change. The therapist’s role is to help the client navigate the challenges they face in a world that may not fully accept their identity, while supporting their overall mental health and well-being.
Do I need to have experienced sexual trauma to see Dr. Fellows?
No. Sexual trauma recovery is one of Dr. Fellows’ specializations, but she provides therapy for the full range of adult mental health concerns. You do not need a specific diagnosis or presenting issue to begin therapy.
References
American Psychological Association. (2024). Women and girls. https://www.apa.org/topics/women-girls
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Sexual violence. https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/about/index.html
Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674-697. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12956539/
National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). Major depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
Pachankis, J. E., et al. (2024). Implementing LGBTQ-supportive cognitive-behavioral therapy. Implementation Science Communications, 5, 657. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-024-00657-x
Resick, P. A., Bovin, M. J., Calloway, A. L., Dick, A. M., King, M. W., Mitchell, K. S., … & Wolf, E. J. (2012). A critical evaluation of the complex PTSD literature. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 25(3), 241-251.
Learn more about our Sarasota office, our Venice office, and our team of licensed psychologists at Davenport Psychology.
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