I have been trained in the delivery of psychotherapy, consultation, and psychological assessment.  I hold two Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology, with separate emphases on Marriage and Family Therapy, and Multicultural Community Psychology, while also having a doctorate degree in psychology from an American Psychological Association accredited university that focused on the study of multiculturalism, assessment, and systemic/developmental psychology.

I feel a great sense of privilege with having the opportunity to work with clients in such a close relationship, as they navigate the fascinating and challenging journey to make meaning and find purpose through the complexities of life. I take a lifespan developmental approach with clients, particularly through promoting self-compassion, encouraging the discovery of personal resilience, and helping identify and work through challenges on the transitional pathways of life. I strive to help people make sense of their experiences by illuminating choices along the way. My integrative approach is primarily informed by psychodynamic traditions, cognitive-behavioral therapies, and mindfulness practices through a multicultural/family systems framework.  In less dense terms, my approach involves using practical strategies to bring relief, while also focusing on the development of insight to help you get to know yourself better.  I believe that making changes is strengthened by anchoring it to our life histories and future directions.  I have been trained in both short-term and open-ended psychotherapies, thus I am prepared to walk with you for however much distance that you seek.

My clinical experiences have taken me to a range of wonderful settings where I have been able to hone my craft with diverse people with diverse needs.  I have spent significant time in forensic settings working with incarcerated youths, as well adult offenders in an outpatient community settings.  Additionally, I have worked in several community-based settings that involved conducting direct services with homeless women and their children.  In Ventura, I worked for a county clinic that served children and adolescents from a familial perspective by means of psychotherapy, consultation, and psychological assessment (for learning disability and academic accommodations).  At USC, I was given the opportunity to gain skills within college mental health, and apply developmental psychology for students in a rigorous academic setting.  These experiences paved the way for me to understand the importance of provided culturally-appropriate psychological services in a manner that supports the individual, family, and community.

With great privilege, I was able to complete my APA accredited internship residency at Stanford University, where I continued to develop and cement skills with providing services to university students in the form of psychotherapy (individual/couples), crisis response, outreach/presentation efforts, and community consultation.  I was able to apply my skills in technology into several programs that still exist today, as well as complete research looking at wellbeing for people of color and LGBTQIA students at Stanford.  I completed a postdoctoral residency at UC San Diego, where I was able to refine my skills in college mental health, as well as integrate my technology skills into clinical practice.  As web design was my previous career before psychology, I was able to take those skills and refocus them in creating mobile applications for UC San Diego.  I created and published the first mobile application for a university counseling center (http://caps.ucsd.edu/m for a preview), and designed several different technology outreach programs, which include using mobile applications within clinical appointments.  Fortunately, I have been afforded the opportunity to stay at UC San Diego, where I maintain a full-time role as a clinician and consultant for the university.  I have continued my mission of multiculturalism, therapy services, psychological assessment, and consultation.  I am currently working on bringing tele-mental health (video therapy/consultation) to UC San Diego, with an expected launch in January 2015.

Sorry for the long story, but as a consumer of psychological services, you deserve to know who you are working with!  I am incredibly fortunate to have gained such diverse experiences that I am well-equipped to offer therapy, psychological assessment/testing, and consultation in my private practice.  My training as a generalist means that I have comfort with most presenting issues and have research-supported methods to help you get to wellness in a fashion that still incorporates your uniqueness.  My consultation skills draw upon my expertise and proven experience in crisis responding (suicide prevention), technology (web design and integration of mobile applications into practice), and multiculturalism (ex. diversity in the workplace).  I thoroughly enjoy conducting psychological testing to help you understand yourself better using proven tools that illuminate strengths and areas of improvement.  I am especially trained in learning disability and ADHD testing for children, adolescents, and adults.  My foray into immigration evaluations is a reflection of my attention to social justice and sensitivity to cultural issues that need specialized focus.

Thank you getting to know me!  Please let me know if you have any questions about how I can help you get where and what you need.

Warmly,

Kevin M. Ramotar, Psy.D.