Hi,
I’m Dr. Cathy Schaefer!
I am originally from Chicago, and lived in Michigan, Florida, and Texas, before settling down in California. What I love most about living in California is easy access to so many outdoor activities, especially hiking. I’m a second generation, Filipino-American raising a multi-racial child, and so I understand the challenge of finding your own way in parenting that still honors each parents’ backgrounds. My pronouns are she/her.
Who do you work with?
I work with children and adolescents ages 2-16 and their families, providing screenings, comprehensive assessment, therapy, and parent support sessions. I have over 10 years of experience working with a wide range of presenting concerns, such as developmental delays, emotional dysregulation, anxiety (including PANDAS/PANS), selective mutism, ADHD, autism (including PDA), giftedness/twice exceptionality, self-esteem concerns, and adjustment due to divorce, trauma, or other significant life events. I am passionate about working with adoptees and their families by addressing early traumas, supporting an open dialogue between parents and adoptees, and helping to understand the complex intersection between neurodivergence and adoption.
What approaches do you use?
I have training in a variety of evidence-based practices, and I have found that it is most effective to learn about and honor an individual’s personality, learning style, neurotype, and family culture, and then flexibly incorporate strategies from there. Some approaches that I may pull from include attachment-based neuroscience, child centered play therapy, bibliotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure responsive prevention, and DIR/Floortime.
What is your experience?
Over my career, I have been enriched by learning from and working alongside professionals from other disciplines (special education, speech and language, occupational therapy, physical therapy), which largely informed my ability to integrate a whole child perspective in how I conceptualize assessment and/or therapy. I received my doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Florida, with a specialization in Early Childhood Studies. I previously worked as a school psychologist in LAUSD, Florida, and Houston, and in private practices in LA and Houston. I have provided school consultation services within the private and public sector, which included professional development, trainings, and conference presentations. I have consulted with early childhood education centers to implement universal screening programs that incorporate parent input. Most recently, I served as the Director of Assessment at the Center for Connection providing interdisciplinary care.