Beth Pearson, Ph.D.
Beth Pearson, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in both California and Michigan. She has extensive experience working with children, families, and young adults.
Dr. Pearson graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York in 2001. She received her Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and completed her clinical internship at the University of Michigan's Institute for Human Adjustment in Ann Arbor. Dr. Pearson completed her training as a postdoctoral fellow at Children's Health Council in Palo Alto. Dr. Pearson provided counseling to college students at Santa Clara University's Counseling and Psychological Services on a contract- basis during the 2009-2010 academic year. Dr. Pearson worked as a staff psychologist at Children's Health Council from 2009-2011 and in private practice with Barbara Brandt, PhD & Associates during Spring/Summer, 2012. Dr. Pearson developed Resilient PATHS in Autumn, 2012.
In her leisure time, Dr. Pearson enjoys reading fiction, training for marathons, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and friends.
Primary Areas of Specialization
Dr. Pearson's primary areas of specialization include:
Parent-Child Relationships- Helping parents to adjust to their new role as parents, to better understand their children's temperament/emotions and to respond to their children's behaviors more effectively, resulting in a more rewarding relationship. Parent-Child Relationship work also includes assisting adopted children and their parents to increase attachment/security.
Treatment of young children with disruptive behaviors (such as temper tantrums, noncompliance, sassing/back-talk and aggression) using Parent Child Interaction Therapy.
Treatment of children, adolescents, and college students who have experienced trauma/abuse using Child Parent Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, or Exposure Therapy.
Treatment of children, adolescents, and college students who experience anxiety (including social anxiety, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, specific phobias, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder), sleep difficulties, depression, or mood disorders using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy.
Group therapy to improve social skills in children with ADHD/impulsive behaviors
Counseling for College Students for issues including adjustment to loss (e.g. relationship ending; bereavement), anxiety/perfectionism, aggression/anger management, difficult transition to school, identity/career development, low self-esteem, relationship/sexual concerns, stress management, & test anxiety
Research
Dr. Pearson has researched and published in the areas of resilience, hope, optimism, coping, and pretend play. Some of her publications include:
- Russ, S.W., Pearson, B.L. (2011). Play Intervention and Prevention Programs in School Settings. In S.W. Russ & L.N. Niec (Eds.) Play in Clinical Practice: Evidence-Based Approaches. New York: The Guilford Press, pp. 318-334.
- Pearson, B.L. & Cordiano, T.S. (2010). Can We Play Again? Applying Positive Psychology Principles in Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy. In G.W. Burns, (Ed.), Happiness, Healing, Enhancement: Your Casebook Collection for Applying Positive Psychotherapy, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 267-278.
- Russ, S.W., Pearson, B.L., & Cain Spannagel, S.A. (2009). Play. In S. Lopez (Ed.) The Encyclopedia of Positive Psychology, Vol I. London: Blackwell Publishing, pp. 701-703.
- Pearson, B.L., Russ, S.W., & Cain Spannagel, S.A. (2008). Pretend Play and Positive Psychology: Natural Companions. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 3, 110-119.