Dr. Aaron Wallis earned his BA in Psychology from Texas Tech University and his PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. While in graduate school, Dr. Wallis was able to explore a few areas of clinical interest through research: substance use (cannabis), social skill development, and social media. Not only did he study these concepts through research; he was also able to hone his clinical skills working directly with young adults in several college counseling centers including Grand Valley State and the University of Colorado.

Dr. Wallis has a strong interest in the myriad issues that face adolescents and adults as we cope with an increasingly demanding and complex world. He has a particular passion for working with complex cases, substance use, anger and emotional management challenges, as well as executive functioning differences.

Dr. Wallis believes that if we understand why our brains work the way they do, we can learn to emphasize our strengths and approach our struggles with compassion instead of judgement. He also has a passion for psychological testing and believes that accurate and comprehensive diagnoses conducted with care and understanding is an integral part of treatment. Dr. Wallis loves learning and keeping up on the latest research, though he is most excited when he gets to share his learning with others, such as when giving professional presentations on addiction and attachment, substance use, substance-induced psychosis, and demystifying conflicting information about cannabis and other drugs. This is part of why Dr. Wallis is excited to work with Autism Learning Lab; knowledge is fundamental to growth and wellness and ALL’s focus on creating a deep, empirically supported knowledge base full of resources for people on the autism spectrum and their loved ones aligns perfectly with his goal of using knowledge to lessen suffering and improve treatment outcomes.

Growing up in a military family, Dr. Wallis had the privilege of living in many fascinating places before settling in the mountains of southern Colorado. When he’s not working, he likes to “get lost” in the wilderness with his wife and their dogs. He enjoys biking, reading, kayaking, exploring new foods and places, and generally being active and outside. He is also working on what may be a lifelong challenge of bringing Texas BBQ to Colorado.