Gainesville Psychologist

Gainesville Psychologist.com

Gainesville Psychologist.com

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Dr.Vanessa Schaeffer

About ME

Hello! I'm Dr.Vanessa Schaeffer.

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in working with older adults and the people who love and care for them.  I sit on the Board of Directors for the Community Council on Aging in Northeast Georgia and serve as an Advisory Board member for the Beyond Dementia Coalition.

As an official Psypact provider, I see clients via Telemental Health, so you can access my services from the comfort of your own home. Research shows these sessions are just as effective as in-person care, with easier access.

Authorized to provide telepsychology services across PSYPACT participating states.
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As a Geropsychologist (someone who specializes in treating adults age 65 and older), I am part of a very small group of providers with this focus.  In fact, only 1.2% of Psychologists describe their specialty as Geropsychology.

“The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.”
Robert Frost
Are you feeling alone?

Let's Work Together

My goal is to help you navigate this season, manage challenges, heal from loss, answer any questions, and optimize your experience of aging no matter what that journey looks like for you.

Here’s why I made this career change. I’m the only child of parents that I love very much and a few years ago I found my life interrupted in a very unexpected way. In October of 2018, my mother underwent a medical procedure that revealed she had Stage IV cancer. I traveled to be with her after her extensive surgery. Future plans to spend time with my mom became plans to help her navigate the final stage of her life.

I accompanied my mom as she transitioned from the hospital, to physical rehabilitation, and very quickly to a dedicated hospice facility. My mom never returned to her home after that first medical procedure. She passed away on December 31, 2018, a mere 75 days after her diagnosis.  It was the help, support and love of my village that got me through these challenging and difficult days. 

What I know

Here’s what I learned from being a caregiver and decision maker in the last months of my mother’s life:

  • Life is unpredictable
  • We cannot reverse inevitable issues that arise, but we can find support and assistance
  • Aging parents need and deserve support and care
  • Caregivers need and deserve support and care
  • It’s okay to ask for help
  • We must find ways to cherish the days we have with the people we love, for those days are limited, one way or another

Here I am at 7 months old, sitting on my great grandmother’s lap. Margaretha Schaeffer was born in 1897 and lived a full and happy life before she died at age 100.

"Aging is the solution, and not the problem."
Marc Agronin, MD