Addressing Mental Health Needs During A Time Of Social Isolation

Dr. Anna McCarthy completed her BA in psychology (graduating cum laude) and MA in psychology (graduating summa cum laude) at CSULB. Dr. McCarthy completed her PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Houston. She engaged in clinical training at Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. Dr. McCarthy completed post-doctoral certifications in Cognitive Processing Therapy (an empirically supported treatment for PTSD, endorsed by the National Center for PTSD), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (a mindfulness-based empirically supported treatment for depression) and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (an empirically supported treatment for relationship issues).

Dr. McCarthy has extensive experience working with victims of trauma (childhood, interpersonal, sexual, combat, natural disasters etc.) and has worked in residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities, as well as working as the program director of the Mindful Healing Outpatient Program. Her work with an alcohol dependent trauma victim was featured on the Emmy award-winning TV show “Intervention.” Dr. McCarthy spent many years working as a staff psychologist at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System where she and a colleague developed a three-part orientation program for Veterans seeking psychological services that reduced wait time for services, helped Veterans obtain the specific services they needed, and prepared them to make the most of mental health services available to them.