Daniel M Schneider, PsyD

Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

Daniel Schneider, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and a behavioral health specialist in the Trauma, Burn Division. He is a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Schneider participates in the research activities of the Firefighter’s Burn and Surgical Research Laboratory, whose goal is to improve the care of burn patients worldwide. His clinical and research interests include burn recovery and rehabilitation, alternative pain management, and health psychology.

Dr. Schneider specializes in addressing psychosocial factors within the scope of integrative care on the burn surgical team’s pre- and post-operative patients with major, surgical, skin conditions which include burn injury (inflicted from both heat and cold), amputations, necrotizing acute soft tissue infections (NASTI), hidradenitis (HS), stevens johnson syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). He is a key contributor on the Burn Team facilitating innovative strategies for the integration of medical and behavioral health with an emphasis on the biopsychosocial model of treatment for individuals served. He provides early assessment and interventions to individuals and their families on the inpatient ICU and step-down burn service units at MWHC in addition to the burn outpatient clinic. Dr. Schneider uses psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance & commitment therapy, mindfulness-based techniques, crisis interventions, grief counseling, individual and group therapy modalities, stress management, and relaxation training to treat individuals coping with a medical trauma.

Dr. Schneider received his undergraduate degree from the Florida State University as a double major in Criminology and Psychology. He completed his master’s and doctorate degrees from the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Washington, D.C. He completed an American Psychological Association (APA) Accredited Pre-Doctoral Clinical Psychology Internship at Friends Hospital in Philadelphia and then did his post-doctorate fellowship at Florida State Hospital with a focus on trauma and forensic issues, before beginning his Health-Medical Psychology career at MWHC. Additionally, he received his 200-hr vinyasa yoga teacher training certificate to incorporate mind-body integration as an additional asset to his clinical repertoire.

Philosophy of Care

“I am passionate about serving others, training students/residents and promoting safety and healing for individuals. My team and I diligently use our varying skills and knowledge to promote whole-patient wellness.”

“I strive to instill hope with guiding individuals to cope with physical or mental illness to reduce stress to foster recovery and an improved quality of life. My personal experience as a family member to a brother who sustained a spinal cord injury and paraplegia steered me to pursue the specialty of health psychology. The ability to show unconditional positive regard, authenticity, compassion, and empathic understanding to individuals and their families during times of a medical trauma, grief, uncertainty, and fear, guides my approach every day.”

“I firmly promote the importance of personal self-care in the scope of physical, spiritual, social, mental-emotional, and lifestyle domains to overcome life’s struggles for individuals served and compassion fatigue for colleagues within the helping profession.