Dr Shirley Impellizzeri

Dr Shirley Impellizzeri UCLA-trained Clinical Psychologist, Trauma Specialist, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. This inspiration led her to pursue a career in Psychology.

Best-selling author and co-host of Psychology & the Soul, featured on Dr. Drew & The Doctors, specializing in trauma, healing, and mind-body connection. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dr. Shirley was inspired by a psychology course she took while attending three years of high school in her parent's native Argentina. After finishing her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology at UCLA and a Masters o

f Arts Degree in Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, Dr. Shirley began working in group homes counseling teenagers and their families. While she was getting her PhD from UCLA she investigated child abuse with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Her fluency in Spanish has enabled Dr. Shirley to work effectively with Southern California's diverse latino community. As a hands on doctor, she has seen the worst cases of abuse imaginable. She currently works with individuals, couples, families and runs support groups. In addition, Dr. Shirley evaluates families in possible child abuse situations while preparing psychological evaluations and testifying in court as an Expert Witness. Dr. Shirley's patients come from all walks of life and a wide variety of case issues. Her interest in spirituality has lead her to incorporate spirituality into her work on many different levels. She believes that understanding the combination of mind and spirit can greatly contribute to a patient's healing process.

Growth doesn't always feel like fireworks — sometimes it feels like realizing a relationship, job, or habit that used to...
09/02/2026

Growth doesn't always feel like fireworks — sometimes it feels like realizing a relationship, job, or habit that used to feel like home now feels like a costume you've outgrown.
That's not betrayal. That's your nervous system updating in real time.
Tag someone who needs this reminder today, especially if you're navigating a season of outgrowing what once felt safe.

Eclipse season is still lingering… 🌙✨Due to unforeseen circumstances, we need to cancel tonight’s episode of Psychology ...
09/01/2026

Eclipse season is still lingering… 🌙✨

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we need to cancel tonight’s episode of Psychology & the Soul.

Sometimes the unexpected asks us to shift, regroup, and trust the timing. We appreciate your understanding and continued support.

We’ll be back for our next show, where we’ll share a little more about what happened and, of course, continue the meaningful conversations we love having with all of you.

Until then, take good care of yourselves—and maybe give eclipse season a little extra grace. 💙✨

With love,
The Psychology & the Soul Team

For many people, peace doesn't feel familiar at first.When you've spent a long time living in survival mode, calm can fe...
08/31/2026

For many people, peace doesn't feel familiar at first.

When you've spent a long time living in survival mode, calm can feel uncomfortable—or even unsettling—because your mind and body have become used to staying alert. That isn't a personal failure. It's a reflection of how your nervous system adapted to protect you.

Healing is a gentle process of helping your body discover that peace is safe, too.

With time, patience, and supportive experiences, moments of calm can begin to feel less unfamiliar and more like home. You don't have to force yourself to "relax." Healing happens as your nervous system gradually learns that the present is different from the past.

Permit yourself to move at your own pace. Every peaceful moment is helping build a new foundation—one rooted in safety, trust, and hope.

What if fear isn’t telling you the truth?You can know you’re capable…and still freeze.You can want something deeply…and ...
08/30/2026

What if fear isn’t telling you the truth?

You can know you’re capable…
and still freeze.
You can want something deeply…
and still talk yourself out of it.

You can be successful…
and still hear the voice that says:

“What if I fail?”

On the next Psychology & the Soul™, Kellee White, LMFT, and Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri, PhD, are joined by consulting hypnotist and music-industry veteran Bill Cinque for a powerful conversation about:
• fear and anticipatory anxiety
• subconscious patterns
• self-doubt and confidence
• why success doesn’t always silence insecurity
• what hypnosis really is — and what it isn’t
• fear of failure vs. fear of being seen
• intuition vs. anxiety
• how old beliefs can begin to change

Bill will also guide us through a short, non-clinical focus and confidence experience — followed by both the psychological and hypnosis perspectives on what just happened.

The Mind Behind the Fear
How Your Subconscious Shapes Anxiety, Confidence & the Life You Believe You Can Have
September 1 | 5:00 PM PDT
Live on YouTube, Facebook & Instagram

Maybe fear can come with you… but it doesn’t get to drive.
Have you ever considered being hypnotized?

08/26/2026

Why is it so hard to leave someone who hurts you?

If you've ever questioned your own reality, felt emotionally trapped, or wondered why intelligent, capable people stay in toxic relationships, this episode is for you.

Narcissistic relationships are often misunderstood. They rarely begin with cruelty—they begin with connection, affection, attention, and hope. Over time, manipulation, gaslighting, emotional dependency, and trauma bonding can slowly erode confidence, identity, and self-trust.

In this powerful episode of Psychology & the Soul™, Kellee White, LMFT, and Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri, PhD, separate psychological truth from social media myths while exploring what narcissistic abuse really looks like—and, more importantly, how healing begins.

In This Episode, We Explore:
• Trauma bonds and emotional manipulation
• Covert versus overt narcissism
• Gaslighting and reality distortion
• Love bombing and idealization cycles
• Why leaving can feel impossible
• Loss of identity in toxic relationships
• Rebuilding self-trust and confidence
• Recovery after emotional abuse
• Creating healthy relationships after narcissistic abuse

Thought-Provoking Questions
• How do you know if you're being manipulated?
• Why do narcissistic relationships feel impossible to leave?
• Can emotional abuse be harder to recognize than physical abuse?
• How do you stop doubting yourself after years of gaslighting?
• What does true healing actually look like?

As awareness of narcissism has grown, so has confusion. Not every difficult person is a narcissist, and not every unhealthy relationship follows the same pattern. This episode provides a balanced, compassionate, and evidence-informed conversation that helps viewers recognize manipulation, understand trauma bonds, and begin rebuilding a healthy sense of self.

Healing doesn't begin the moment you leave.

It begins the moment you start believing your own experience again.

Join Us LIVE
� Tuesday, August 25
� 5:00 PM PDT

Watch LIVE on:
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode of Psychology & the Soul™.

Connect With Us
� https://psychologyandthesoul.com

Interested in working with Kellee White or Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri?
Visit our website to learn more about private sessions, upcoming events, and additional educational resources.

If this episode speaks to you:
� Like this video
� Share your thoughts in the comments
� Share this episode with someone who may need it
� Subscribe for more conversations exploring psychology, emotional healing, relationships, neuroscience, and soulful living.

08/25/2026

Perfectionism often convinces us that we’re only worthy when we never make mistakes. But true healing begins when we recognize that our imperfections aren’t flaws to hide—they’re part of what makes us beautifully human. 💛

When we let go of impossible standards, we create space for self-compassion, authenticity, and growth. Learning to embrace our imperfections isn’t settling for less—it’s choosing to love ourselves as we are while continuing to grow into who we’re meant to become.

What would change if you treated yourself with the same kindness you offer everyone else?

Not every abusive relationship leaves bruises. Some leave you questioning your own reality.Have you ever been told you'r...
08/23/2026

Not every abusive relationship leaves bruises. Some leave you questioning your own reality.

Have you ever been told you're "too sensitive"... even though something didn't feel right?

Have you found yourself apologizing for things you didn't do, walking on eggshells, or slowly losing sight of who you used to be?

If so, you're not alone.

Join us for one of the most important conversations we've had on Psychology & the Soul™:

Surviving Narcissism: Why We Stay, Why We Leave & How We Heal
This episode goes beyond social media buzzwords to explore the real psychology behind narcissistic relationships, emotional abuse, manipulation, and healing.

Together we'll discuss:
• Trauma bonds and why leaving feels so difficult
• Covert versus overt narcissism
• Gaslighting and reality distortion
• Love bombing and the idealization cycle
• Losing yourself in toxic relationships
• Rebuilding self-trust and confidence
• Recovery after emotional abuse
• Creating a life beyond narcissistic relationships

We'll also explore powerful questions like:

How do you know if you're being manipulated?

Can emotional abuse be harder to recognize than physical abuse?

Why do narcissistic relationships feel impossible to leave?

How do you learn to trust yourself again?

Whether you've experienced narcissistic abuse personally or love someone who has, this conversation offers understanding, hope, and practical insight for healing.

📅 Tuesday, August 25
🕔 5:00 PM PDT
📍 LIVE on Facebook • YouTube • Instagram

Join Kellee White, LMFT and Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri, PhD for another meaningful episode of Psychology & the Soul™.

Healing begins when you stop questioning your worth and start trusting your truth.

08/20/2026

True healing isn't about scrubbing away every flaw or never feeling triggered; it is the radical practice of holding all parts of yourself—the wonderful and the messy—without shame. Even those with decades of expertise in psychology face moments where knowledge cannot protect them from the realities of being human. Embracing the full spectrum of the human experience offers a path toward genuine self-acceptance, proving that perfection is not a prerequisite for wholeness.

08/19/2026

What happens when the person who was supposed to love and protect you becomes the source of your deepest rejection?

Parental rejection can create wounds that follow us long into adulthood.

It may appear as emotional distance, criticism, conditional love, abandonment, estrangement, favoritism, neglect, or the painful feeling that you were never fully accepted for who you are.

Those experiences can shape how we see ourselves, what we tolerate in relationships, how desperately we seek approval, and whether we believe we are worthy of love.

In this powerful episode of Psychology & the Soul™, Kellee White, LMFT, and Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri, PhD, explore the lasting psychological and emotional impact of parental rejection—and how healing can begin even when the relationship never changes.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• Estrangement and family disconnection
• Emotional neglect and parental rejection
• Conditional versus unconditional love
• Adult children, boundaries, and emotional safety
• Shame, guilt, and damaged self-worth
• Why adults continue seeking parental approval
• Grieving the parent you needed but never had
• Healing family wounds without reconciliation
• Reclaiming your identity, voice, and personal worth

Thought-Provoking Questions:

• Can rejection from a parent ever fully heal?
• Why do some adults spend their lives trying to earn parental love?
• What happens when family becomes emotionally unsafe?
• Can forgiveness exist without reconciliation?
• How do you stop defining yourself through a parent’s inability to love you well?

Parental rejection creates some of the deepest wounds people carry because it often becomes intertwined with identity.

A child rarely thinks, “My parent is emotionally limited.”

Instead, the child often believes, “Something must be wrong with me.”

That belief can follow us into adulthood—shaping relationships, confidence, achievement, boundaries, and the way we receive love.

But healing is possible.

Healing may not require reconciliation.

It may begin with grieving what you did not receive, recognizing that their limitations were never proof of your unworthiness, and learning to become a safe and loving presence for yourself.

Join Us LIVE

Tuesday, August 18
5:00 PM PDT

Watch on:

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Instagram

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode of Psychology & the Soul™.

Connect With Us

Visit psychologyandthesoul.com to learn more about Kellee White and Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri or to book a private session.

If this conversation resonates with you:

• Like this video
• Share your experience in the comments
• Send this episode to someone who may need it
• Subscribe for more conversations about psychology, healing, relationships, and soulful transformation

Some wounds begin before we ever have the words to explain them.When rejection comes from a parent, it can shape far mor...
08/16/2026

Some wounds begin before we ever have the words to explain them.

When rejection comes from a parent, it can shape far more than childhood. It can affect identity, relationships, boundaries, self-worth, and the lifelong need to feel chosen.

Join us LIVE for an honest and compassionate conversation:
Parental Rejection: The Hidden Wound That Lasts a Lifetime

We’ll explore:
• Estrangement and family disconnection
• Emotional neglect and rejection
• Conditional versus unconditional love
• Shame, guilt, and damaged self-worth
• Adult children, boundaries, and emotional safety
• Grieving the parent you needed but never had
• Healing family wounds without reconciliation
• Reclaiming your identity and worth

We’ll also ask:
Can rejection from a parent ever fully heal?
Why do some adults spend their lives seeking parental approval?
What happens when family becomes emotionally unsafe?
Can forgiveness exist without reconciliation?

Healing does not always mean repairing the relationship.

Sometimes healing means accepting what cannot change, releasing the belief that their rejection defines you, and finally choosing yourself.

Join Kellee White, LMFT, and Dr. Shirley Impellizzeri, PhD, for this deeply important episode of Psychology & the Soul™.

Tuesday, August 18
5:00 PM PDT
LIVE on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram

Address

9615 Brighton Way Suite 424
Beverly Hills, CA
90210

Telephone

+13108591102

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