Dr. Simone Leavell Bruce is a licensed clinical psychologist at Matone Counseling & Testing. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky and earned a master’s and doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. She also completed a predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Simone has expert knowledge in the assessment and treatment of all types of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related anxiety disorders, and she provides training and supervision to other clinicians for OCD. Dr. Bruce has received extensive training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and utilizes the gold-standard, evidence-based modality to treat OCD, Exposure and Ritual Prevention (ExRP). She also utilizes mindfulness practices and aspects of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in her work. Other clinical areas of specialty include hoarding disorder, health/illness anxiety, adjustment disorders, social anxiety, and PTSD. Simone is highly knowledgeable of mental health issues associated with racism and discrimination among communities of color, and practices from a social justice-oriented lens. Simone has facilitated talks and contributed to the psychological literature on topics including OCD, hoarding disorder, and race-based trauma. She views the therapeutic relationship as a primary mechanism of change and promotes a collaborative and person-centered approach. She also recognizes the importance of culture and identity pieces and strives to practice from a culturally responsive framework that prioritizes diversity and multicultural differences. In addition to providing psychotherapy, Simone also enjoys administering psychological testing and evaluations.

When not working, Simone enjoys spending time with her family exploring Charlotte and surrounding areas.