Our Team | SDTG

About Us

Our team of licensed mental health professionals use evidence-based practices to help clients overcome challenges and create positive changes in their lives. Through our work, we help our clients develop essential skills such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and coping skills to live their best lives.

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Hi! My name is Melissa Pinn and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

I am passionate about working with children, teens, and families who are affected by anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and other developmental and learning differences. It is my mission to help struggling children, teens, and families navigate a sometimes demanding and challenging world.

I have had the privilege of working as a therapist for over 19 years in settings ranging from schools, non-profits, and private practice. I have extensive training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, executive functioning training, mindfulness practices, Social Thinking frameworks, interpersonal neurobiology and positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS). I combine my experience in social emotional development, mindfulness training, and positive psychology to support my clients.

I take a collaborative, compassionate, strength based approach to help my clients launch a successful future- whatever that may mean for them. I love my work and am honored to share, play, learn, and grow with my clients.

I received my undergraduate degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison and my Masters degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Notre Dame De Namur University.

I am an outdoor adventurer and travel lover and a imperfect mom of 2 imperfect, loving children!

Treatment areas include:

• Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

• Social (pragmatic) communication disorder

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Executive functioning deficits

• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Adjustment disorders

Welcome! I am Dr. Nicole Guzman, a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 24952) who specializes in treating children, adolescents, and young adults. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. While there, Dr. Ivar Lovaas’ Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) course served as the catalyst for over 23 years of working with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a variety of other presenting issues. I also hold a master’s and doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. For the past several years, I have served as a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Psychology. I have extensive experience conducting both individual and group psychotherapy and am always open to developing new groups if the need exists. As a native Spanish speaker, I provide services in Spanish and English and enjoy working with children and families of diverse backgrounds. I am a strong believer in trying new things and when I am not working, I can be found eating at a new restaurant, trying out a new recipe, or exploring a new place, near or far! My most recent adventures took me to Italy and Hawaii and I have my eye on Japan next year!

Treatment areas include:
• Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
• Social (pragmatic) communication disorder
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Learning differences/disabilities
• Executive functioning deficits
• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Adjustment disorders

Hello, my name is Emily Orme. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with the state of California (LMFT 100362). I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Counseling from L.I.F.E. Pacific College in San Dimas. I went on to earn my Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University. I did my traineeship with Pueblo Elementary School where I worked with children who were in need of therapeutic support due to behavior difficulties or family life stressors. After earning my degree I worked for ten years as a foster care social worker. During this time I had the privilege of working with hundreds of children and their families during some of the most difficult and vulnerable times in their lives. I then started a new adventure working as a mental health therapist in a non-profit community clinic. There I gained experience working with children, youth, young adults and their families in a clinic setting as well as junior high and high school settings. I provided individual, collateral, and family sessions to help support the client’s progress towards their desired treatment goal. I enjoy working with children, teens, adults, and families who are working through difficulties related to depression, anxiety, adjustment difficulties, behavior difficulties, and trauma. I have a passion for providing a safe and supportive environment for my clients. When I am not at work I enjoy hiking, cooking, watching movies, or reading a good book!

Treatment areas include:

Depression
Anxiety
Adjustment disorder
Trauma
Grief and loss
Behavior difficulties
Family and life stressors

Hello and welcome! I am Dr. Brandy Macy, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 20536) with a specialty in working with children and families. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and my doctorate in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco. I have over fifteen years of experience working with children and families affected by autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, depression, anxiety, learning disorders, behavioral challenges, and other presenting problems. I have worked in a variety of settings including community mental health centers, hospitals, non-public agencies, child and adolescent units, and both private and public schools.

I provide psychological, psychodiagnostic, psychoeducational, and learning disability assessments as well as individual and family psychotherapy. I am experienced with the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process and have served as an Independent Education Evaluator (IEE) in school districts throughout Southern California.

Treatment areas include:

Psychological Evaluation and Assessment
Anxiety
ADHD
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Mood Disorders
Behavior challenges
Learning Disorders

Thanks for stopping by! I’m Dr. Karen Molano! I am a bilingual licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 23281) who specializes in children and adolescents to improve their brain health and overall wellbeing. I have had incredible success treating some of the most severe conditions in children of all ages. What’s my secret? I give people the gift of hope and wholeheartedly believe that all individuals have the ability to thrive; that each day is a new opportunity to become a better version of oneself; and that everyone we come across plays an important part in our journey. I believe that individuals hold the power to happiness and wellbeing within themselves and I set out to empower you and your family to discover a path to wellness that resonates and aligns with you!

Along my path, I earned my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. I have worked under the private and public sector as a clinician and a clinical supervisor under programs that serve children and adolescents ages 0-17, young adults, and their families. I have spent many years working in community mental health with children and adolescents that have endured various levels of neglect and abuse. I have extensive experience in leadership, infant and early childhood mental health, brain development, and trauma. I also have advanced training in neuro-nutrition and gut health, integrative mental health, divorce mediation, and completed the infant-parent mental health fellowship through the University of California Davis and the Parent-Infant and Child Institute, where I was trained by the world’s leading experts in infant and early development. I am now endorsed by the state of California as an Infant Family and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist.

A little more about me… I am a native of Colombia and fluently speak English and Spanish. I am also mother to the love of my life, my seven-year-old boy who was miraculously born after the many struggles of infertility. My love for my family, children, the universe, and for finding the everyday beauty and miracles that life has to offer lies at the heart of my passion.

Treatment Areas Include:

Depression
Anxiety
Adjustment Disorders
Behavioral Difficulties
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Infant and Early Childhood
Trauma
Mood Disorders
Divorce/Separation

I'm Dr. Dani Schaer and it's so nice to meet you! Being a teenager can often feel overwhelming and isolating. Sometimes, it feels as if no one else understands who you are and where you are coming from. Parents, it might feel just as overwhelming for you as you are doing your best to support your teens. No one can prepare you for what it’s like to watch someone you love deal with mental health struggles.

One of my greatest passions is to help teens develop confidence within themselves, so they can communicate their emotions and ask for support effectively. I strive to provide a safe environment for teens to express what is on their minds, learn invaluable coping skills, understand the mind-body connection and address relationship issues to build a sense of connection with themselves and others. I aim to create an understanding and empowering environment by using humor and gentle, yet direct challenges. I most definitely welcome feedback to maintain a collaborative approach.

I am also passionate about supporting 20-somethings navigating stress, burnout, transitions, identity, anxiety, depression, and trauma. From my perspective, this is a pivotal time to look inward, build insight, and creative adaptive coping.

I approach working with individuals in an empathic and nonjudgmental manner. I strongly feel that to help people, you must look at the entirety of a person and integrate all different aspects of their lives. This may look like including family members in session with their teens where everyone can assert their concerns, discuss how they want to be supported, and collaborate on how they want to move forward more positively. The goal of integrating parents in therapy is foster communication and help improve the relationship.

I utilize evidence-based practices, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychodynamic therapy, Functional Family Therapy, mind-body approaches, and Trauma Focused-CBT.

Treatment Areas Include:

Teens (12+)
20-somethings
Depression and Anxiety
Adjustment Disorder
Trauma
ADHD
Risky and self-harming behaviors
Life transitions and stressors
Navigating relationships (friendships, romantic, family)
Chemical Dependency