Dr. Peter Sheras Named Winner of 2025 Alfred M. Wellner Lifetime Achievement Award for Practice

The National Register of Health Service Psychologists is proud to present the 2025 Alfred M. Wellner Lifetime Achievement Award for Practice to Dr. Peter Sheras. 

This award is named in honor of the National Register’s first Executive Officer, Alfred M. Wellner, PhD. The Wellner awards, offered for research and practice, are the highest honors bestowed by the National Register. The practice award is presented to a National Register credentialed psychologist who has demonstrated—via clinical innovation, outreach, legislation, community engagement, or policy and social advocacy—that they have advanced the standing of health service psychology.  

The National Register’s Awards Committee selected Dr. Sheras for the Wellner Award for Practice based on his numerous and outstanding contributions to the profession through advocacy, teaching, practice, mentorship, and professional involvement at the state and national level. 

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Sheras said, “I am greatly honored to have received the Alfred M. Wellner Lifetime Achievement Award for Practice from the National Register. I joined the register in 1976 as a new Assistant Professor with a commitment to the practice and the training of Clinical Psychologists held to the highest standards. Now, nearly 50 years later, The Register has insured that these standards are maintained and it has provided much needed resources and support for those who share that commitment. There are so many Psychologists who deserve this recognition and I humbly accept this award on their behalf as well.” 

Peter Sheras, PhD, is a practicing clinical psychologist and Professor Emeritus in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia where he served and the Chair of the Department of Human Services and Director of Clinical Training in the Clinical and School Psychology Program. He is the author or co-author of 9 books and numerous articles on adolescents, parenting stress, violence, bullying, advocacy and Couples Therapy. He taught courses at UVA on the Science of Happiness, Psychotherapy, and Ethics in Psychology. He and his wife publish and practice in the area of relationships and couples. He is a past member of the Virginia State Board of Psychology and is Past-Chair of the Policy and Planning Board of the American Psychological Association. He is a Past-President of the Virginia Psychological Association, APA Divisions 31 and 46 and the Past-Chair of the APA Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) and the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP now sunset). Peter served as the mental health coordinator for his local Red Cross Chapter, Chair of his local Community Services Board and Federal Advocacy Coordinator for his state association. 

Dr. Sheras has been credentialed by the National Register since 1976.

About the National Register of Health Service Psychologists  

The National Register of Health Service Psychologists was established in 1974 and is the largest nonprofit credentialing organization for licensed psychologists and psychology doctoral students. The National Register is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving healthcare by identifying psychologists who meet specific education and training standards, and by verifying these professionals to consumers, healthcare organizations, and regulatory bodies. The National Register currently credentials 10,000 Health Service Psychologists and has approximately 5,000 psychology doctoral student and postdoctoral trainee members in its Associate Program. For more information, visit www.nationalregister.org.  

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For more information about this announcement, contact the National Register at 202.783.7663.