COVID Update: I am doing a hybrid of Zoom and in-person with those fully vaccinated.
North Hollywood, CA 91606
About Ali
Education
I have a BA in Deaf Studies (with an emphasis in the Arts and Education) from CSUN, an MA in Marital and Family Therapy from Phillips University, and a PsyD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Ryokan.
Both my master's thesis and doctoral dissertation were on the subject of treating the family as a system when one member comes out as LGBTQIA++.
My internships were at the Los Angeles LGBT Community Services Center and Valley Family Center and in Private Practice. Currently, I work for Shine A Light Counseling Center.
I have done extensive post-doctoral training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) under a slew of highly-respected trainers and the amazing creator of EFT, Dr. Sue Johnson.
EFT Training:
2019 Externship: Sue Johnson, PhD & Scott Wooley, PhD
2020 Externship: Rebecca Jorgenson PhD & Scott Wooley, PhD (on clinical team)
2021 Core Skills: George Faller, MS, Lisa Palmer-Olsen, PsyD, Ryan Rana, PhD
2019-Pres Mastery Courses: Jim Furrow, PhD, Lisa Palmer-Olson, PsyD, Sharon Chatkupt Lee, PsyD
Other fun facts about me
- I am a trained improvisor, having completed the conservatory at Second City.
- I am proficient in American Sign Language.
- I spent many years working as a portrait photographer for children of celebrities.
- I have raised two amazing daughters. One is a doula and is in Oregon getting her college degree. And one is a college graduate, applying for grad school and living her dream in NY.
- Other than freshman year of college at UC, Santa Cruz where I took my first Humanistic Psychology class in the middle of a redwood forest, I have lived in southern CA my entire life.
- I won the Jack Bell Distinguished Service Award for my work with children of LGBTQ Parents (COLAGE).
- I am an ordained minister and available to officiate your loving union.