Curriculum Vitae

Andrew J. Leone, Psy.D.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY 32516

Los Angeles & Thousand Oaks

415.519.5961

drandrewjleone@gmail.com

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EDUCATION

2008-2015 Doctorate of Clinical Psychology - January 2015

American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University San Francisco Bay Area

Alameda, CA 

Aug. 2010 Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology

American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University San Francisco Bay Area

Alameda, CA 

Aug. 2008 Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy

American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University San Francisco Bay Area

Alameda, CA 

May 2004 Bachelor of Arts

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

  College of Arts & Sciences/ College of Visual and Performing Arts

                     Major: Psychology, Minor: Communication and Rhetorical Studies

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE 

6/15-10/16 Vantage Point Recovery, Lifestyle Management INC. - Thousand Oaks, CA

Post-Doctoral Experience/ Clinical Psychologist

While at Vantage Point, I offered cutting edge integrated evidenced-based therapies that were remarkably effective and delivered in both individual and group settings.  The customized treatment plans were highly collaborative and responsive to the individual’s unique needs. The therapeutic team was comprised of caring practitioners who were deeply committed to serve others and valued their own continued personal growth and transformation as tools that enhance their professional lives. Focus was on short-term crisis intervention and skill building for clients who were transitioning to lower levels of care.  Vantage pointed operated both Intensive-Outpatient programs (IOP) as well as a Partial-hospitalization program (PHP). Group focus included DBT, seeking safety, relapse prevention, social skill building, Codependency, and Solution-focused groups. 

7/13- 8/14   ANKA Behavioral Health Inc. - Concord, CA

Predoctoral Psychology Intern (APPIC Accredited)

Nierika House & Phoenix Center & US Probation

I provided services at two facilities within the Anka Health Care system.  Nierika House is a brief inpatient crisis stabilization residential facility in a Community Mental Health setting.  This 16-bed facility receives post-hospitalization and community referrals for individuals with acute mental health crisis.  Most patients have chronic and severe psychiatric diagnosis with approximately 75% of the patient population being Dual-Diagnoses patients.  Delivery of brief solution-focused CBT individual therapies in addition to process and psychoeducational groups are provided on a daily basis.  Extensive consultation with psychiatrist, case managers, nurses and discharge planners regarding patient treatment and placement are also critical responsibilities in the milieu.

Phoenix Center is a social rehabilitation day treatment program, for individuals who experience severe and persistent mental illness, that focuses on creating a context in which patients have the opportunity to attain their highest potential for functioning in the community.  Delivery of individual therapy in addition to process and psychoeducational groups is provided on a daily basis within the context of increasing patient insight and functioning.  My work in the US Probation program at Phoenix Center is twofold: Substance abuse assessment and mental health referrals are processed and recommendations are made for therapeutic services based on client need.  Clients are then seen in groups and individual context with a focus on relapse prevention, reintegration into activities of daily living post-release and general mental health well being.  There is extensive contact and consultation with probation officers in the treatment planning-phase in order to fully implement treatment goals and monitor client progress.

9/11-6/13 Pacific Center for Human Growth - Berkeley, CA

Practicum Trainee

The Pacific Center primarily serves the local LGBTQI community but offers mental health services to the greater Bay Area community.  I carried a caseload of 13 individual clients per week in addition to co-facilitating weekly groups including coming out groups, exploring sexual identity groups, transgendered support groups, and the youth peer support group.  My work at Pacific Center served a culturally diverse population consisting of adults, couples, and families ranging in age from 14 to 75 years.  A major component of my work at Pacific Center was with the East Bay AIDS Center at Summit Hospital in Oakland.  My services here coupled elements of case management, such as medication compliance and patient health monitoring, with the provision of providing individual psychotherapy to HIV positive clients in the Bay area.  I also co-facilitated various men’s groups in conjunction with EBAC staff. 

8/10-6/11 PARTNERS Programs - San Rafael, CA 

Practicum Lead Therapist 

As senior staff, I led the clinical team that provided mental health services to elementary, middle and various high schools in the Novato Unified School System. Duties as lead therapist included assisting 1st year practicum students with in-vivo instruction and consultation, sitting in on sessions and providing feedback, and assisting with diagnostics and treatment planning. Managed team caseloads, tracking of service hours, and serving as liaison between the mental health team and the school administration.  Led peer consultation group on a weekly basis for the entire school clinical team.  I worked with a culturally diverse student body, parents, faculty, and staff. I provided ongoing weekly psychodynamically oriented therapy with behavioral interventions for an average caseload of 12-15 of the most severely disturbed clients.  I facilitated multiple groups including: social skills, friendship building, anti-bullying, anti-gang, substance abuse, and frustration tolerance groups.  Provided teacher and staff coaching, which involved in-vivo behavioral interventions, and provided crisis intervention for students and families in need.  I also co-facilitated weekly parenting groups for the greater parenting body on the district.

9/09-6/10 PARTNERS Programs- San Rafael, CA 

Practicum Trainee

Worked in a school-based program that provided mental health services at both elementary and middle schools in the Novato Unified School System.  I worked closely with school and district administrators to ensure successful implementation and execution of the program for the most advantageous outcome.  My goal was to assist teachers, administration, staff, and parents in working with their children to best enable students to succeed and grow.  I worked with a culturally diverse student body, parents, faculty, and staff.  I provided ongoing weekly psychodynamically oriented therapy with behavioral interventions for an average caseload of 10-12 students. I facilitated multiple groups including: social skills, friendship building, and frustration tolerance groups.  Provided teacher and staff coaching, which involved in-vivo behavioral interventions, and provided crisis intervention for students and families in need.

8/07-6/08 Walden House, Inc. Mental Health Department-San Francisco, CA 

Practicum Trainee: Treasure Island, Fillmore/Hayes Street Facilities 

Worked with a culturally diverse population within the adult residential component of the program and specialized in working with dually diagnosed individuals.  Diagnoses included: substance abuse coupled with depression, anxiety, PTSD, borderline and histrionic personality disorders, and psychosis.  I performed agency intakes and made recommendations for individual or group oriented therapies.  I co-facilitated various social skills and psychoeducational groups such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Men’s Seeking Safety, Grief and Loss, Relapse Prevention, Mindfulness and Meditation practice.  

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RELATED CLINICAL EXPEREINCE

09/10-Present  PARTNERS in Rehabilitation-San Rafael, CA

Independent Living Service Counselor/Therapist

I provide vocational and supported living services for adults with special needs to facilitate ways for them to live independent, integrated, rich and rewarding lives in their communities. Population includes adults with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, physical disabilities, and those suffering from psychological disorders.  My work is twofold.  One aspect is case management, which includes providing financial management assistance, medication and medical management, scheduling transportation, and managing overall client access to health care.  The second aspect is facilitating individual psychotherapy with behavioral interventions as well as facilitating various groups (i.e. relaxation group, social skills/hygiene group, anger management group). Also provide cognitive assessment and psychological testing upon agency request (i.e. WAIS, WISC, WRAT, TAT, House-Tree-Person, Rorschach).

6/10-8/10 STARS CAMP - Kentfield, CA

Senior Staff/Counselor  

Led a team of 20 counselors in 6-week intensive camp for severely emotionally disturbed and behaviorally challenged children.  Senior staff, duties included training 1st year practicum students by providing in-vivo demonstrations of behavioral interventions that focused on socialization and frustration tolerance as well as integrated personalized goals for each client allowing them to gain the experience of a regular summer camp style milieu.  Also responsible for organizing and facilitating several groups that 1st year practicum students would initially observe then lead independently.  Performed daily psychodynamic oriented psychotherapy with behavioral interventions for children diagnosed with Reactive Attachment disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fragile X syndrome, Bipolar disorder, psychosis. 

6/09-8/09 STARS Camp-Kentfield, CA

Counselor

Member of the counseling staff for in an intensive 6-week camp based program that worked with severely emotionally disturbed and behaviorally challenged children and adolescents.  The camp milieu was a therapeutic day camp opportunity for children ages 4 – 17 years who experience peer isolation due to mild to severe psychological, behavioral and social problems including: Reactive attachment disorder, Bipolar disorder, adjustment disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, and psychosis.  Provided daily individual psychodynamic oriented psychotherapy with in-vivo behavioral interventions. Facilitated groups that helped children to adapt and grow socially, emotionally, and behaviorally, manage frustrations and anger, and develop social skills while enjoying a real camp experience

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

May 2019      A Change of Heart: How DBT helped me survive my heart transplant. The New    

                     Beginnings Center, Counseling and Integrative Health, Camarillo, CA: Educational Event.

Hearing at 36 that you have heart failure and that you need a heart transplant is something no one should ever have to endure.  It is a nightmare roller coaster of emotional and physical chaos… the likes of which most of us mere mortals have never imagined.  Given this new reality, it’s going to take everything you have and everything you don’t think you have to figure out how to navigate the unknown.  Utilizing the main tenants of DBT, I recounted my journey through heart failure and interweaved humor and often times desperate and feeble attempts at mindfulness into a real-life illustration of how distress tolerance and emotional regulation can both save your life and nearly break you at the same time. 

Summer 2015 Contribution to Special Edition of The Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology: 

    An Existential Phenomenological investigation of the experience of Gay men, acknowledging to themselves that they are attracted to other men.

March 2015 An Existential Phenomenological investigation of the experience of Gay men, acknowledging to themselves that they are attracted to other men.

Poster Presentation for APA Division 32: Society of Humanistic Psychology Annual Conference Chicago, Il.

Sept. 2010 How do we as a Community increase our awareness of Cultural Diversity and Sensitivity? 

Sinaloa Middle School Novato, CA: Diversity Training Seminar. In response to a district need on diversity and cultural awareness, I helped to organize, plan, and participate in panel discussion and presentation of material regarding combating racism, white privilege, colorism, “passing”, cultural perceptions versus reality, stereotyping, and solutions.

Oct. 2009 The Developmentally Delayed Adult and the Legal System

Marin County Sherriff’s Office. Marin Civic Center Office of Emergency Services. Participated in presentation of material to Marin County Law enforcement personnel on how to work with developmentally disabled persons.  Topics included stereotyping, misconceptions and misperceptions about the developmentally delayed population, and how to refer and work, and understand the population. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Aug 2011-2015 Clinical Research Project/Dissertation 

Chair: Ron Valle, PhD

Title:     An Existential Phenomenological investigation of the experience of Gay men, acknowledging to themselves that they are attracted to other men.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CLINICAL INTERESTS

* Investigation into social evolution psychology as it pertains to the LGBTQ community: history of equal rights movement and how social perceptions are/have changed: theories integrating models of treatment and understanding of adult development.

*Brief psychotherapeutic models for treating and working with adults in a developmental model: CBT and schema applications

*Applications for clinical hypnosis in working with trauma. 

*Multicultural applications in personality development for therapy with couples, families, and individuals.

* Treatment and care of individuals and their families awaiting organ transplant: mechanical support intervention (bridge to transplant) support, post-transplant treatment, resilience building. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CREDENTIALING

Licensed Psychologist, State of California: PSY 32516

Jan. 2011- Clinical Hypnotherapy Certification, San Francisco

Dec. 2011 Faculty: Naomi O’Keefe, PhD, Steve Johnston, PsyD: 200 Hour Clinical Certification

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

California Psychological Association (CPA)

Los Angeles County Psychological Association (LACPA)

Lesbian and Gay Psychotherapy Association (LAGPA)

American Psychological Association (APA)