Evidence-Based Therapy with a Personalized Touch
About Dr. Lydia Hansell
I earned my doctorate in clinical psychology with honors from Pepperdine University. I completed my internship at the VA Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center in Los Angeles and my post-doctoral fellowship at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System where I received specialized training in gold standard trauma-focused treatments such as Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy. As part of my post-doctoral research, I developed and co-led a Moral Injury and Repair group for Vietnam Veterans.
My prior experience includes clinical work as part of a comprehensive Dialectical Behavioral Therapy team, both at the Veterans Administration and as part of an established group practice in Los Angeles/Orange County. As part of the leadership team at an Orange Country immersion treatment program, I developed and coordinated a range of clinical programming and led diagnostic, clinical consultation, and treatment team meetings for clinicians and staff.
Prior to my doctoral training in clinical psychology, I earned an M.A. in International Policy with a focus on Terrorism Studies and Nuclear Non-Proliferation from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. My research at the RAND Corporation included work on cult and paramilitary groups, as well as on programs aimed at building psychological resiliency in military service members.
A personalized approach
I treat a range of emotional health issues such as depression, anxiety, complicated grief, emotion dysregulation, and the effects of trauma and chronic stress. I also assist clients through times of major change, or who are in the process of a major life transition: retirement, career change, starting a family, or re-entering the world of work.
I utilize a range of evidence-based therapies in my practice including:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)*
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP)
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i)
* Please note that I offer DBT-informed therapy.
Integrative Practices
Additional Elements
Breathing and meditative movement
Whiteboarding
Experiential exercises
Narration
Imaginal and/or in-vivo exposures
Mindfulness
Behavioral tracking
Expressive journaling
Behavioral chain analysis
Values mapping