About Larry Shapiro, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist | Trauma Specialist | Founder of Quantum Behavioral, LLC

I earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1990 and completed additional training in substance abuse, adolescent mental health, and severe anxiety disorders. Over the years, I became frustrated with how the mental health system often pushed long, vague therapy with unclear outcomes and an emphasis on looking backwards rather than forwards. I wanted to help people actually get better, not just “cope.” My approach to psychotherapy has evolved to focus on elimination of symptoms, not coping.

I have continued to expand my training independently, developing advanced expertise in military psychology, trauma treatment, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. I founded Quantum Behavioral, LLC in 2022 as an exclusively telehealth psychology practice. What began during the COVID era quickly became something I deeply valued professionally. Telehealth often allows people to speak more naturally and comfortably from their own environment, creating a different kind of therapeutic access, insight, and momentum for meaningful change.

In addition to my clinical practice, I remain actively involved in education, consultation, and emerging treatment approaches. I serve as an Adjunct Instructor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine and as a clinical advisor to the Center for Holistic Interdisciplinary Research in Psychedelics (CHIRP).

I’ve lived in St. Louis for more than 35 years and currently split my time between St. Louis and Westfield, NJ, providing telehealth services to adults across the country who are seeking thoughtful and practical psychotherapy.

My Approach

Sometimes the mind gets stuck in patterns that make situations feel more threatening, hopeless, or overwhelming than they actually are. We begin to expect the worst, overestimate danger, or treat temporary setbacks as permanent problems. These patterns can create emotions that feel intense, confusing, or out of proportion to the situation itself. Over time, they can also drive behaviors that interfere with relationships, work, confidence, and daily life.

My approach focuses on identifying unhelpful patterns of thinking, understanding the emotions they create, and changing the behaviors that keep the cycle going. The goal is not to "think positively," but to think more accurately, respond more effectively, and regain a greater sense of freedom and flexibility in your life.

I draw on more than 30 years of clinical experience and integrate both traditional and non-traditional approaches to treatment. My work is particularly focused on helping people move forward when previous therapy, counseling, or medication has provided only limited relief or has failed to produce lasting change.

Why I Named It Quantum Behavioral

I chose the name Quantum Behavioral to reflect my belief that small, deliberate shifts in how someone thinks or behaves can produce outsized changes in how people feel and function. It doesn’t always take years of therapy or deep insights. Sometimes it takes the right framework applied with enough precision and accountability to break long-standing patterns of thought and behavior.