Shashonk Illam, Psy.D.

“The brain is wider than the sky.”

— Emily Dickinson

About Dr. Illam

Dr. Shashonk Illam is a CA-licensed psychologist with specialty training in clinical neuropsychology. He provides neuropsychological assessment services for patients with a wide range of neurological, medical, developmental, and psychiatric conditions, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, epilepsy, brain tumors, movement disorders, and neurodevelopmental and learning concerns. He has worked in a variety of interdisciplinary settings, including VA healthcare systems, academic and community medical centers, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient neurology and oncology clinics, and pediatric medical settings. His training has included specialized experience in concussion assessment and management, epilepsy, neuro-oncology, movement disorders, and evaluations for deep brain stimulation. He has also evaluated former professional athletes through the NFL Brain and Body Program, with a focus on the potential effects of repetitive head injury.

Dr. Illam earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Loma Linda University and completed his APA-accredited predoctoral internship at the VA Kansas City Health Care System, with a specialty in clinical neuropsychology. He subsequently completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at Baptist Medical Center/Wolfson Children’s Hospital, receiving advanced training in both adult and pediatric neuropsychology. His fellowship included outpatient neuropsychological assessment, inpatient rehabilitation, and interdisciplinary consultation with medical providers, rehabilitation professionals, families, and educational systems.

Dr. Illam’s approach to neuropsychological assessment emphasizes understanding each patient within the context of their individual medical, psychological, developmental, and functional history. His training has emphasized integrative case formulation, neurobehavioral examination, differential diagnosis, individualized feedback, and evidence-based recommendations. He strives to make the assessment process useful beyond diagnosis by providing patients and families with a clearer understanding of cognitive strengths and difficulties and practical recommendations to help guide treatment and everyday functioning.

License:

CA License: PSY36902