Allison Hilemon, Psy.D. - Owner and Clinical Director

Dr. Hilemon began her undergraduate studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, studying philosophy and religion. Longing to return to the mountains, she transferred to Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where she received a B.A. in Psychology, Philosophy, and Religion. Following a brief sabbatical from academia, she moved to Portland, Oregon to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology, receiving her M.A. and Psy.D. from Pacific University. While in Portland, Dr. Hilemon worked with adults, adolescents, and couples at the Portland Psychological Services Center, providing individual, group, and couples therapy and conducting psychological assessments. During this time, Dr. Hilemon also co-created and facilitated an art therapy program in the Portland area for homeless youth struggling with substance abuse, major mental illness, and gang involvement. In 2001, Dr. Hilemon joined Project Quest Integrative Health Center, providing individual, group, and couples therapy to clients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS as well as facilitating outreach nutritional programs for terminally ill patients. Dr. Hilemon began working with at-risk adolescent boys in 2002 at St. Mary's Home for Boys, a residential treatment center located in Beaverton, Oregon. While at St. Mary's, Dr. Hilemon provided individual and family therapy, as well as psychological evaluations and assessments for adolescent boys with psychological disorders including schizophrenia, reactive attachment disorder, PTSD, dissociative disorders, substance abuse, and mood and anxiety disorders. Dr. Hilemon worked with both sexual abuse victims and perpetrators and facilitated trauma recovery groups. While at St. Mary's, Dr. Hilemon became certified in EMDR, providing trauma therapy to clients suffering from PTSD and dissociative disorders.

During her training in clinical psychology, Dr. Hilemon developed an appreciation and interest in indigenous healing traditions, traveling and working with numerous healing traditions around the world. Dr. Hilemon spent a year conducting research on substance and trauma treatment at a health center in the Amazon region of Peru, focused on integrating indigenous healing perspectives into contemporary clinical psychology.

Dr. Hilemon moved to Utah in 2006 and joined the clinical team at Second Nature Entrada, providing wilderness therapy to adults. During her time at Entrada, Dr. Hilemon worked with clinically complicated clients struggling with such issues as complex PTSD, dissociative disorders, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, attachment and adoption issues, depression and anxiety, and brief psychosis. During her seven years at Second Nature, Dr. Hilemon developed a deep appreciation for the complex treatment needs of her clients and the value of a flexible treatment approach. In 2012, Dr. Hilemon started Whipporwill to provide quality clinical work in a context tailored to meet the ever-changing needs of the individual.