Meet The Team
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Christina Zandi, M.A., LMFT
Christina Zandi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been in private practice since 2010 and working in the mental health field since 2005. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Biola University and her Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology with a Child and Family emphasis from Chapman University. She sees individuals, couples, families and adolescents in her practice. Her specialties include treating eating disorders from a body positive perspective, depression, anxiety, personal growth and identity, codependency issues, relationship issues and trauma. In addition to private practice, Christina provides clinical supervision and training to Associate and Trainee MFT’s as well as serves as the Membership Chair on the Orange County Chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). She has worked in all levels of care in eating disorder recovery as well as substance abuse recovery. She has experience providing mental health services and program management within the education system and Department of Mental Health agencies working with a wide range of emotional disturbances. She is an insight oriented therapist who draws from psychodynamic, humanistic and attachment frameworks to help clients dig deep into themselves and their history to find the answers they need to live a more authentic, fulfilling life.
Ali Zandi PsyD, LMFT
Ali is a dual Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Marriage & Family Therapist. Ali provides psychological testing and evaluations. He specializes in the assessment of child and adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), adult Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disorders, and general psychological evaluations.
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Ali earned his Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. He also earned a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Chapman University. Ali has nearly two decades of experience providing counseling and assessment services. In addition to clinical work, Ali has held leadership and administrative roles in behavioral health agencies. Additionally, Ali has provided numerous trainings and talks on behavioral health-related topics.
Vanessa Patterson, M.A., LMFT
Vanessa Patterson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been treating clients since 2005. Vanessa immensely enjoys building relationships with and working with her clients and has had her own private practice since 2010. Concurrently she spent 10 years working in a community mental health agency providing treatment to low income families, working in conjunction with the Department of Mental Health and various local school districts, and running the agencies two largest programs. Vanessa also provides mentorship and supervision to new therapists on their journey to licensure. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Biola University and her Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology with a Child and Family emphasis from Chapman University.
Vanessa sees individuals, couples, families, adolescents, and children in her practice. One of her specialties is working with parents of children ages 0-5 and helping them navigate these wonderful but challenging years as well as treating perinatal and post-partum anxiety and/or depression that so often accompanies the early years of motherhood. She is certified in PCIT (Parent/Child Interaction Therapy) and works closely with parents of preschool and elementary age children drawing from the latest neuroscience related to a child's developing brain. Vanessa is a nationally certified cognitive behavioral therapist specializing in the treatment of trauma, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, life transitions and relationship difficulties. She also draws heavily from psychodynamic, attachment, and narrative frameworks to help her clients achieve their treatment goals.
Morgan Sheldon, MS, EMDR, LMFT
Morgan Sheldon is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has worked in treatment and recovery settings for over fifteen years at all levels of care. She obtained her Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling with emphases in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counseling from California State University, Fullerton, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior with an emphasis in psycholinguistics from the University of California, Irvine. She is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and is able to offer this service both virtually and in-person.
Morgan has a particular passion for serving those whose stories are overlooked--those in Fat, racially oppressed, disabled, neurodivergent, and genderqueer bodies and brains seeking safety in the same bodies that hold their traumas. She approaches therapy from a feminist and person-centered foundation and integrates tools from narrative and Gestalt therapy, EMDR and mindfulness, and DBT, CBT, and ACT. In the room, she often uses humor, storytelling/fandom, metaphor, and somatic experiencing to deepen insights and loves to integrate the special interests of her clients as well!
Heidi Pena, an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, is committed to assisting clients in exploring their lives from a fresh perspective. She works with a diverse range of clients, including adults, children, teenagers, families, and couples. Heidi holds an Associate of Science in Early Child Development and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Studies: Child Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She furthered her education by obtaining a Masters in Arts in Clinical Psychology from the same institution. Heidi specializes in helping individuals cope with mood disorders, eating disorders, body image issues, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and Autism. Her therapeutic approach is tailored to each client's unique needs, drawing from Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and Solution-Focused Therapy to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
Allison Zeen is an associate marriage and family therapist specializing in anxiety, OCD, and eating disorders. She works with adult individuals and couples, providing compassionate and effective therapy. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from The American University of Paris and a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University, Allison is well-equipped to support her clients. She integrates a variety of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), to help her clients overcome challenges and achieve their therapeutic goals. Her client-centered approach ensures that each individual's unique needs and circumstances are addressed with empathy and understanding. Originally from France and Venezuela, Allison brings a multicultural perspective to her work, allowing her to connect with clients from diverse backgrounds. Fluent in Spanish, French, and English, she offers therapy in all three languages, making her services accessible to a wide range of clients. Allison is dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment where clients can explore their issues and work towards lasting change.
