About

Hello!  My name is Cathryn and I received my B.A. degree in Psychology from UCLA; my M.A. degree in Counseling Psychology from Pepperdine University, and my PhD (ABD) in International Psychology with a concentration in Trauma Response from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.  Currently, I am working on a PhD in Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health Policy and Practice at Northcentral University.  I have been licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist since 1996 (LMFT 33119).

Previously, I worked for UCLA's Career Counseling Center as a Psychometrist, and as a social worker for the Department of Children and Family Services.  Additionally, I worked as a Children's Mental Health Clinician for San Diego County Children's Mental Health.

Following my work with children, I conducted Psychiatric Evaluations for the Emergency Department at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, and at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center as an Emergency Department Patient Liaison/Analyst.

More recently, I worked as the Director of Family Services for a Native American Tribe, and as a Wraparound Clinical Program Manager for foster children at a nonprofit.

I have also maintained a private practice since 1996, previously in Laguna Hills, CA and have been practicing in Temecula since 2004. I specialize in marriage/couple therapy, family therapy, anger management, trauma, self-harm in teens, and parenting.  Evening and weekend appointments are available.

I work from my private home office (with a separate entrance) at the end of a cul-de-sac in the beautiful community of Harveston. This set-up maximizes your privacy, and enables you to feel comfortable and safe in a home-type environment...Many clients have shared with me they appreciate this environment because they don't have to enter a office where they may be seen and recognized...but if you prefer, I also offer online counseling in the State of California.  For more information, see my Services page.

If you think we might be a good fit, give me a call today for a free 10 minute consultation.

ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

• Elected President-Elect to the California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists (CAMFT) with term beginning on June 1, 2019.  Learn more here... CAMFT.org
• Board Secretary for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) as of June 4, 2016
• Board Director-at-Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) appointed June 5, 2015
• Founder and Past-President of the Southwest Riverside County Chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
• Clinical Member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
• Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)
• Associate Member of the American Psychological Association (APA).
• Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP).

WHAT IS A MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST?
Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family systems.

Marriage and family therapists are a highly experienced group of practitioners, with an average of 13 years of clinical practice in the field of marriage and family therapy. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders, other health and behavioral problems, and address a wide array of relationship issues within the context of the family system.

Marriage and Family Therapists broaden the traditional emphasis on the individual to attend to the nature and role of individuals in primary relationship networks such as marriage and the family.  MFTs take a holistic perspective to health care; they are concerned with the overall, long-term well-being of individuals and their families.
MFTs have graduate training (a Master’s or Doctoral degree) in marriage and family therapy and at least two years of clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists are recognized as a “core” mental health profession, along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing.