About me

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (#33723) in Los Angeles, CA with expertise in evidence-based interventions for children, adolescents, young adults, pregnant/postpartum women and their families. I primarily specialize in treating anxiety and related disorders including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Perinatal OCD, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD), Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD), school refusal and school avoidance, Specific Phobia, Body-Focused Behaviors (BFRBs), depression, and parent-child stressors. I provide a variety of clinical services including psycho-diagnostic assessments, therapy and academic consultations. I am extensively trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). I also utilize third wave CBT interventions including acceptance and mindfulness based therapies. I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults in community mental health, outpatient and intensive outpatient programs for children and adults and have served as a staff clinical supervisor in an intensive outpatient program for pediatric OCD/Anxiety disorders. I work to unlock a person’s full potential by understanding his or her unique strengths and weaknesses in order to identify appropriate interventions to optimize academic, social, and emotional functioning. My research has focused on the role that social media plays on child development, romantic relationships, clinical disorders and clinical treatment. I earned my M.A. and Ph.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology and master’s degree in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Approach

I value collaborative, time limited, goal directed evidence-based treatment. Science is at the core of my work. I use evidence-based assessment and treatment methods to inform my practice. I collaborate with each patient to ensure that we meet personal goals through treatment. I also work directly with family members, school and medical professionals to ensure that treatment is directly impacting all affected areas of one’s life. By setting objective and observable goals, we will be able to track progress throughout therapy and determine if changes are being (and/or need to be) made. Patients will be able to walk away with practical tools and skills learned in therapy, lasting beyond the termination of therapy.

I understand that growth doesn’t just happen in an office; it happens at home, at school, at work, and even on social media. My mission is to work with individuals, families, doctors and teachers to achieve success and foster growth. I believe that therapy is only effective when combining empirically supported methods with personal connection, compassion and flexibility.

Credentials

EDUCATION

B.A., Political Science, McGill University

Ed.M., Human Development and Psychology, Harvard University

M.A., Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Child and Family Emphasis, California School of Professional Psychology

TRAINING

Post-doctoral fellowship, OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California

Pre-doctoral Internship, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, Child and Family Services Los Angeles

UCLA Child OCD Anxiety & Tic Disorders Clinic

UCLA Youth Stress & Mood Program (YSAM)

UCLA thinkSmart Program

UCLA Child OCD Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Rich and Associates, Social Skills Summer Camp

Saban Taper Behavioral Health

Pacific Psychological Associates

PUBLICATIONS

  • Hershfield, A. (2019, September). Courtship 2.0: Uncoupling in the social media era. In Alliant International University ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. 2020. 27542510

  • Hershfield, A. (2018, September). Loyalties in families. In Encyclopedia of Couples and Family Therapy. (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Springer.

  • Hershfield, A. (2018, September). Norman Paul. In Encyclopedia of Couples and Family Therapy. (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Springer.

  • Hershfield, A. (2016, Fall). It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens [Review of the book It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens, by D. boyd]. The Family Psychologist. 32 (3), 32-33.

  • Hershfield, A. (2016, February 20). Baby Blues. APA Division 35 FEMPOP.

  • Hershfield, A. (2015, December 10). Teenage Anxiety and Emotional Disorders in Female Youth (2). APA Division 35 FEMPOP.

  • Hershfield, A. (2014, June 13). Teenage Anxiety and Emotional Disorders in Female Youth (1). DrDina.ca.

  • Hershfield, A. (2014, May 3). Do I have ADHD? DrDina.ca.


SCHOLARLY AND COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS

  • Wegner, B., Tootell, A., Hershfield, A., & Hamel, J. (2020, August). Implementation and fidelity to Managing and Adapting Practices (MAP) at a community mental health setting. Talk presented to Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services executive team and Research and Evaluation Division, Inglewood, CA.

  • Hershfield, A. (2019, May). Assessment and intervention of pediatric OCD in community mental health settings. Talk presented to Didi Hirsch Child and Family Services, Glendale, CA.

  • Hershfield, A., & Park, D. (2019, March). Suicide prevention in school settings. Talk presented to the Santa Clarita School District Division of School Counsellors, Santa Clarita, CA.

  • Wang, P., Gersh, J., Hershfield, A., & Anderson, N. (2016, August). Mindfulness as a predictor for depression in young adults. Poster presented at the American Psychological Association Conference, Denver, CO.

  • Wang, P., Hershfield, A., Gersh, J., Baveda, K., Asarnow, L., Berk, M., Avina, C., & Asarnow, J. (2016, August). Sleep disturbance in youths with severe suicidality & repetitive self-harm. Poster presented at the American Psychological Association Conference, Denver, CO.

  • Hershfield, A.& Salerno, B. (2016, May). A model of problematic Internet use in adolescents. Poster presented at the California School of Professional Psychology Student Research Conference, Alhambra, CA.

  • Gersh, J., Hershfield, A., Wang, P., & Anderson, N. (2016, April). Sleep disturbance in youths with severe suicidality & repetitive self-harm: Is sleep disturbance a marker of elevated risk? Poster presented at the California Psychological Association, Irvine, CA.

  • Hershfield, A., Wang, P., Gersh, J., & Anderson, N. (2016, April). Life stress and daily hassles in NSSI and disordered eating in young adults. Poster presented at the California Psychological Association Conference, Irvine, CA.

  • Hershfield, A., Ricci, T., & Goodman, A. (2015, August). Millenial generation: Unique clinical issues in family psychology. Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Conference, Toronto, ON.

  • Hershfield, A., Ricci, T., & Bell, T. (2015, August). MOVE: A proposed intervention for combating internalizing disorders in affluent girls. Poster presented at the American Psychological Association Conference, Toronto, ON.

  • Hershfield, A. (2015, April). An examination of early onset bipolar disorder. Poster presented at the Family, Child & Couple Conference of Southern California, Pasadena, CA.

  • Ellis A., Hershfield, A., & Vora P. (2015, April). Frontal asymmetry and distress tolerance in adolescent mood disorders. Poster presented at the American Anxiety and Depression Conference, Miami, FL.

  • Hershfield, A. (2013, April). The Digital age and how parents of today are coping. Paper presented at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Student Research Conference, Cambridge, MA.