Dr. Shana Bellow is a licensed clinical perinatal psychologist and is a part of Inova’s women’s behavioral health program with over twenty years of clinical, program management, and research experience. Prior to joining INOVA, Dr. Bellow worked many years as a clinician and supervisor in school based and early childhood mental health with the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health.  She has extensive experience working within medical systems and providing integrated outpatient care within INOVA, Kaiser Permanente as well as group private practice. Dr. Bellow’s maternal and child health professional journey began during her internship and faculty position at Tulane University School of Medicine where she led a maternal child mental health initiative within the New Orleans Health Department as well as trained Nurse Family Partnership home visitation nurses across the state of Louisiana in infant mental health. She also co-wrote an implementation grant to address lack of access to maternal mental health resources within underserved, predominately African American communities.  

She was drawn to the women’s behavioral health team for the opportunity to promote equitable access to emotional health and wellness for all birthing persons, parents, and their infants. She has expertise with birthing persons and their families during the perinatal and postpartum periods as well as healing from trauma, grief, and loss.  Dr. Bellow strives to equip individuals with tools to promote self-advocacy, pursue healthy outcomes and understands that even during the most difficult situations, there is the potential for growth and healing.

After completing her undergraduate degree at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Bellow earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at the University of Cincinnati. She completed an internship in the psychiatry department of Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans with a focus on infant and maternal mental health, followed by fellowship training in pediatric consultation-liaison at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital. She is specially trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, obsessive compulsive disorder exposure response prevention, attachment based and trauma-focused therapy, and perinatal and postpartum mental health.