Diligent. Ethical. Comprehensive.
Choosing a clinician can be confusing or overwhelming, especially during a difficult time in one’s life. To help, get to know a little more about Dr. Edwards and the associates.
Dr. Shannon Edwards, Psy.D.
Dr. Edwards is the only licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania with seven years of academic training in forensic psychology. After earning her Master of Arts degree in Forensic Psychology, she remained at The Chicago School where she completed her Doctoral degree in Clinical Forensic Psychology.
A Pittsburgh native, Dr. Edwards returned following her formal education and applied training, where she opened a private practice downtown to serve the local community and beyond. Having been academically trained in law and psychology, she has been competently providing psycho-legal services across the Commonwealth since December 2015.
During her tenure in private practice, Dr. Edwards’ evaluative experiences have included provision of parental capacity, child custody, and general mental health evaluations for family and juvenile courts; providing wrongful death, immigration, contestation of wills/estate, and personal injury evaluations for civil court; and delivering a broad range of evaluations for criminal court including competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, diminished capacity, mitigation or treatment, juvenile life without parole, and general psychological evaluations. She is available for retention in jury consultation or selection, as well as routinely providing expert consultation and review services across divisions.
Dr. Edwards provides co-parenting therapy, is a certified collaborative divorce coach, and a Parenting Coordinator. If your case requires mediation, Dr. Edwards is also a certified mediator. Unsure? Ask us!
Dr. Edwards has advocated and written portions of state and federal mental health bills, subsequently signed into law. Some of the most impactful include The 21st Century Cures Act, signed into law in 2015; Pennsylvania’s Psychologist Practice Act, amended in 2016; and Pennsylvania’s Mental Health Procedure’s Act, amended and signed into law in 2018, which included AOT. Dr. Edwards is passionate about providing services and resources to the severely mentally ill interacting with the justice system, as well as providing comprehensive services and resources to individuals involved with other facets of our legal system.
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Ms. Golling earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 2016 from Washington & Jefferson College before going on to complete her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with a forensic emphasis from Carlow University in 2021. She began her professional training as an intern at Edwards & Assoc. in 2020, subsequently joining the practice as an associate following graduation. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University.
Ms. Golling’s clinical experience includes the administration of psychological and neuropsychological assessment measures to be included in evaluations for family, civil, and criminal court matters. She has been trained on and administered a broad range of standardized intelligence, adaptive functioning, and objective personality instruments, as part of comprehensive evaluations involving custody, civil, and criminal proceedings. Her therapeutic and research work support the assessment process through the collection of objective psychological data and clinical observations.
Ms. Golling provides individual psychotherapy utilizing trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches. Her clinical experience includes working with adults, families, court-involved individuals, and LGBTQ+ clients. She has provided therapeutic services addressing a broad range of mental health concerns, including crisis intervention, emotional regulation, trauma-related symptoms, and adjustment difficulties.
In addition to psychotherapy services, Ms. Golling remains committed to ongoing professional development through advanced doctoral training and continuing education in clinical and forensic psychology.
Emily Golling, M.A.
Hayley White, M.A.
Ms. White is a recent Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate from Florida State University with a strong foundation in social work, criminal justice, psychology, and forensic practice. Passionate about social justice and advocacy, she is committed to empowering individuals and families through evidence-based, client-centered interventions. Ms. White earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, where she facilitated restorative justice programming through Bridges to Life, helping foster accountability, healing, and personal growth among incarcerated individuals. Her academic and professional experiences have strengthened her skills in psychosocial assessment, case management, trauma-informed care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and systems-based practice.
Throughout her graduate training, Hayley gained experience working with diverse populations involved in complex legal, mental health, and family systems. As a Social Work Intern with Advancing Real Change, she supported mitigation investigations in capital defense cases by conducting research, reviewing records, and helping identify the social and environmental factors that shaped clients’ lives. She also completed an internship with Child and Youth Services, where she worked with mothers and families affected by substance use disorders, providing assessments, resource coordination, and support focused on recovery and family preservation.
Ms. White began as an intern with Edwards & Assoc., and has since joined the practice as an associate. Her ongoing work with Edwards & Assoc. includes providing specialized clinical and forensic services for family and criminal court matters. Combining expertise in social work, forensic practice, child welfare, and restorative justice, Ms. White is dedicated to promoting healing, resilience, and equitable outcomes for individuals navigating challenging life circumstances.