With over 20 years of wide-ranging professional experience and training, I have developed into a highly skilled generalist with a few areas of particular expertise. Examples include undue influence or coercive control in both individual and group settings (cults) and climate or eco-anxiety. The common thread is dedication to meeting clients’ needs as they arise especially where other clinical resources are limited. Key to this endeavor is a willingness to remain curious, develop multiple professional skills, and continue thinking “outside the box.”
VITA
| 1983 | Bachelor of Science, Business Management & Administration, Pepperdine University | |
| 1980-1992 | Small business management and administration | |
| 1990-1992 | Volunteer Counselor, Jewish Family Services Cult Clinic, Los Angeles | |
| 1990-1992 | Speaker, Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles Commission on Cults and Missionaries | |
| Aug. 1996-Aug. 1997 | Practicum Placement, Catholic Charities Center for Psychological Services, Van Nuys | |
| 1996-1998 | Volunteer Therapeutic Shadow and Advisor, Hill and Dale Family Learning Center, Gramercy Place, Los Angeles | |
| June 1997 | Master of Arts, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles | |
| Aug. 1997-Jun. 1998 | Psychology Intern, Children, Youth, Family Services Consortium, Alhambra | |
| Aug. 1998-Aug. 1999 | Psychology Intern, Julia Ann Singer Center, Los Angeles | |
| Sept. 1999-Jun. 2000 | Counselor, Our Lady of the Valley School, Canoga Park Catholic Charities Center for Psychological Services, Van Nuys | |
| Apr. 2000-Mar. 2002 | Registered Psychological Assistant, Counseling Center of Santa Monica, Los Angeles | |
| February 2002 | Doctor of Philosophy, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles (Multicultural and Community Clinical Proficiency) | |
| Apr. 2002-May. 2005 | Registered Psychological Assistant to Katina K. Kostoulas, Ph.D., Los Angeles | |
| May 2005 – Present | Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Private Practice, Los Angeles | |
| Sept. 2006 – Jul 2008 | Provisional Staff Member with Psychology Privileges, Brotman Medical Center Dept. of Behavioral Medicine, Culver City |
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
| 1992 | Communication Workshop for Cult Awareness Network Affiliates, Annual CAN Conference, Los Angeles, CA |
| 1993 | Panel Chair: Cult Phenomenon: Cult Affiliation and Clinical Assessment, Los Angeles County Psychological Association Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA |
| 1999 | Presentation, Factors Associated with Post-cult Distress: Research FindingsSymposium Panel Member, Toward a Common Research Agenda, Annual Conference of the American Family Foundation, St. Paul, MN |
| 2001 | Presentation, Trauma Research Applied to the Study of Cult-related Distress, Annual Conference of the American Family Foundation, Newark, NJ |
| 2002 | Presentation, The Prevalence of Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse Among Former Cult Members as Compared to the General Population, Annual Conference of the American Family Foundation, Orlando, FL |
| 2002 | Expert Interviewee, AM Radio Station KFWB Talk Show: Mind Control |
| 2003 | Coordinator, Psychological Research, Parts I & II And Presentation, Cults and New Religions: Findings from the Psychological Research, Annual Conference of the American Family Foundation, Orange, CA |
| 2009 | Expert Interviewee for History Channel show “That’s Impossible: Mind Control” |
| 2016 | Presentation, Cults: An OverviewPanelist, Cults & Sex Trafficking Conference, University of Southern California |
| 2018 | Presentation, The Integration of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Neurofeedback (with Alpha-Theta) To Treat Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Trauma, Advanced Clinical Summit, Los Angeles, CA |
| 2018 | Presentation, Cults: An Overview, Recovering from Cults and Coercive Control: A Workshop for Former Members and Families, Los Angeles, CA |
Winocur, N., Sorensen, C., Vaughn, P.K., Whitney, J. & Foy, D.W. (November, 1996). Factors associated with post-cult distress: Addressing the controversy empirically. A poster presented at the 12th annual conference of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, San Francisco.
Winocur, N., Whitney, J., Sorensen, C., Vaughn, P.K., & Foy, D.W.(1997). The Individual Cult Experience Index: The assessment of cult involvement and its relationship to post-cult distress. Cultic Studies Journal, 14(2), 290-306.
CONSULTATIONS
| 2007 | Study and Report on the Efficacy of Jews for Judaism Counseling Services and Proposal for Future Evaluation (including instruments, methods, procedures and analyses). |
MEMBERSHIPS
The American Psychological Association (APA)
The Los Angeles County Psychological Association (LACPA)
Climate Psychology Alliance of North America
The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) and
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Providing services for adults of all ages in the following areas:
*Climate/Eco Anxiety and Grief
*Asperger’s Syndrome
*Gifted and Twice-Exceptional (gifted with learning, developmental and/or psychiatric conditions)
*Bipolar Disorder
*Mindfulness and Positive Psychology
*Depression and Anxiety
*Cult Involvement, Coercive Control, Abusive Relationships and Mind Control