About Dr. McCune Shyver

Dr. Ashley McCune Shyver, PhD

• Background

  Dr. Ashley McCune Shyver was born in Minnesota but was raised in the Kansas City area. She became interested in psychology at a young age and began pursuing her studies as an undergraduate at The University of Kansas. She is often asked how she became interested in this field, and the answer is, she is simply fascinated by human behavior. Dr. Ashley McCune Shyver has always wanted to help individuals in the counseling setting, and strongly believes that science and research must inform this process. She greatly values education and training and believes that learning is a never-ending process.
  
  Although she has lived abroad in England and fell in love with Boston in graduate school, she has always thought of Kansas City as home. Dr. McCune Shyver is married and keeps busy caring for her two young boys. Outside of her family, her greatest loves are traveling, reading, and taking long leisurely walks with her Newfoundland Barbara.

• Education and Training

  Dr. McCune Shyver is a psychologist with extensive education and training. She earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Missouri – Kansas City where she was trained under a scientist-practitioner model. While earning her doctorate, Dr. McCune Shyver was a member of the Eating, Sleep, and Circadian Rhythm laboratory and dedicated her research to advancing the understanding and treatment of Night Eating Syndrome. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center where she received substantial training in the treatment of substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  
  Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Dr. McCune Shyver attended Boston University where she earned a master’s degree in General Psychology. She later earned her master’s in Counseling and Guidance with an emphasis in couples and family work.
  
  Dr. McCune Shyver’s clinical training sites include:
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center
  • Children’s Mercy Integrative Pain Management Clinic
  • Kansas City Center for Anxiety Treatment
  • Insight Counseling, LLC
  • University of Missouri-Kansas City Community Counseling and Assessment Services
  
  In addition to her education, Dr. McCune Shyver served as the Director of Admissions for an inpatient eating disorder treatment center from 2004-2011. In this work, she assessed eating behavior for thousands of individuals, made recommendations for care based on severity of symptoms, and helped patients and families coordinate the care they needed. With her education and experience combined, Dr. McCune Shyver is an expert in the assessment and treatment of eating behavior.
  
  Dr. McCune Shyver has been involved in psychological research since 2003. Her primary research interests include eating disorders and she dedicated much of her academic career to the understanding and treatment of Night Eating Syndrome. As a result, she is one of the only psychologists in the nation trained in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of Night Eating Syndrome. Dr. McCune Shyver has publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and her research has been routinely presented at national and international conferences.
  
  While Dr. McCune Shyver specializes in eating disorders, she also has substantial training and experience treating depression and anxiety disorders, which often co-occur with eating issues. She earned a separate master’s degree dedicated to counseling couples and families. She understands of the importance of family dynamics and how healthy relationships promote general well-being.

• Treatment Philosophy

  Dr. McCune Shyver believes that each of her patients can achieve and are deserving of peace and beauty in their life. Every person starts counseling with personal goals and Dr. McCune Shyver tailors scientifically-supported treatments to meet the individualized needs of each of her patients. She uses an integrative counseling style, but draws heavily from cognitive-behavioral, dialectical-behavioral, and acceptance-based therapies. In treatment, Dr. McCune Shyver works collaboratively with each patient, family, and additional treatment providers to help promote a healthy balance to thinking styles and behaviors, while simultaneously helping to develop productive coping strategies. In her work with couples and families, Dr. McCune Shyver uses evidence-based therapies to strengthen relationships, enhance communication, as well as to provide support to parents caring for a child with an eating disorder.