Dr. Stephen Ball, Psy.D. Background and Education
Dr. Stephen Ball is a Licensed Psychologist (PSY 21155) working in private practice. He has earned his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology: Los Angeles (or Alliant University). His degree emphasis was on individual, family, and child psychology with a special emphasis on children. Dr. Ball has also earned a Masters of Arts in Cross-Cultural Counseling Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh where he focused his studies on working as a school counselor with "at-risk" African American adolescents involved in gangs.
Approach to Psychotherapy
Dr. Ball's approach to therapy involves utilizing cognitive-behavioral interventions, and parental collaboration to help clients reach their goals. In his work with children and adolescents, Dr. Ball emphasizes a genuine and practical attitude toward therapy which builds rapport quickly and encourages children and teens to feel respected, safe, and understood. He believes that children benefit most from consistent parenting and tries to instill an understanding of how an individual's context, interpersonal relationships, physiological responses, and environmental factors can influence problematic behavior.
He uses behavioral techniques with children to encourage them to construct novel ways to problem solve and overcome difficulties. Dr. Ball uses interpersonal therapy, parent training, therapeutic games, role-plays, and cognitive restructuring to help children and parents gain insight and confidence into how they are achieving their goals.
When working with adults or couples, Dr. Ball believes that an individual's problems must be understood within the context of their lifespan; this includes interpersonal experience, environmental factors, and emotional development. Each of these factors is seen to combine and influence current behaviors and feelings about the self. Understanding these influences is paramount to long-term change and can help clients identify how they can create healthy patterns of living.
Cognitive-Behavioral techniques are often utilized with clients to help create quantifiable change and a feeling of satisfaction with one's life.
Personal
Dr. Ball is married and has two children.
Resume available on request.
Stephen Ball, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist: Lic. # PSY21155
Dr. Cynthia Levy Background and Education
Dr. Cynthia Levy is a licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY29085) and a member of the staff at The Oaks Psychological Group.
She has earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University/California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego. Her degree emphasis was Forensic Psychology. At AIU/CSPP, as well as California State University, Northridge, Dr. Levy has earned Master of Arts degrees in clinical psychology, and prior to that earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Above all else, Dr. Levy places great value in establishing a comfortable, safe, warm, and supportive environment for her clients and their families.
Dr. Levy works from a strength-based approach to therapy, allowing her to work collaboratively with individuals and/or families to identify the greatest strengths that will help the client get the most out of their therapy. Dr. Levy's therapeutic style emphasizes both acceptance and empathy for the client. She is attentive to the needs of the client, and most frequently employs theoretical perspectives including Cognitive-Behavioral, Family Systems, and Dialectical Behavioral therapies. Working with a diverse and multicultural population has been emphasized in Dr. Levy’s formal training.
With respect to her clinical experience, Dr. Levy has worked with a highly diverse group of clients over the last several years.
She gained experience, over the course of two years, with welfare-to-work clientele at California Research Foundation’s CalWORKS, Step Forward program. Here, she provided psychological services to both male and female (adult and child) clients in individual and group therapy formats, as well as in the area of case management. She led therapeutic groups pertaining to domestic violence, maintaining healthy relationships, and substance abuse for numerous months, and was able to develop her own curriculum.
Prior to these experiences, Dr. Levy has worked extensively with children, teens, adults, and families at the San Diego Center for Children (Building Bridges Program), as well as the Juvenile Forensic Services in San Diego.
In addition, Dr. Levy gained valuable experience at the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Clinic (working with adults) at California State University, Northridge.
In general, she has worked with a variety of clinical issues and diagnoses, including trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (i.e. domestic violence, sexual abuse, and so forth). She has provided services to individuals with adjustment disorders, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, eating disorders, addictions, suicidally / parasuicidality, Autism spectrum disorders, Trichotillomania, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome, and Borderline Personality Disorder.
Dr. Levy completed her doctoral dissertation, the title of which was, “The Lived Experience and Relationship History of Gay and Heterosexual Male Victims of Intimate Partner Violence,” and has a great interest in continuing to work with the LGBT community. Her Master’s thesis was expanded upon and published in a journal focusing on Schizophrenia research. She has presented her work at formal conferences such as the Western Psychological Association. She also has a good deal of psychological testing experience, as well as research experience. Additionally, Dr. Levy has an extensive work history that includes teaching, mentoring, and tutoring children and adolescents at local organizations such as the Special Needs Resource Center, Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes, and Stephen S. Wise private elementary school.
If you have any questions for Dr. Levy or would like to speak to her further to make an appointment, please call the office number at 818-597-9333.
Dr. Carly Tysch, Psy.D., Psychological Assistant, Supervised by Dr. Stephen Ball Background and Education
Dr. Tysch has her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and has experience in conducting therapy with diverse populations in the Los Angeles and San Diego area. She has focused her clinical work on the treatment of adults and adolescents. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, anger management, relationship issues, and substance abuse and recovery.
Dr. Tysch received a doctorate in psychology from California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, and focused her studies on anxiety disorders. She completed her doctoral dissertation and research on Generalized Anxiety Disorder and its impact on romantic relationships.
Dr. Tysch completed her APPIC accredited internship at Sovereign, an adolescent dual diagnosis residential treatment center in San Diego. She provided therapeutic support to teens with substance abuse issues and mental health diagnoses. In addition, she provided therapy to client’s families as they progressed through their treatment.
Dr. Tysch completed her practicum at a multitude of facilities including Sharp Mesa Vista Adolescent Cognitive Intensive Outpatient Program where she conducted therapeutic group therapy and individual therapy with teens.
At Sharper Future her work focused on working with adults in recovery and mental health concerns. Each of these practicum sites offered Dr. Tysch an array of clinical experiences with both adults and adolescents and where she had access to several different types of treatment modalities. Dr. Tysch offers a heartfelt approach that tailors her therapeutic approach to fit each client’s individual needs.
Dr. Tysch utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients better connect their thoughts, behaviors and feelings to their everyday life. Using this modality helps facilitate lasting personal change and the insight can be applied to a multitude of life situations. Each client is provided with a safe environment to open up about difficulties and is met with understanding and acceptance. Working to meet therapeutic goals through collaboration allows each session to be individualized for each client and their needs.
Dr. Daniel Greenwald, Psy.D., Psychological Assistant, Supervised by Dr. Stephen Ball Background and Education
Dr. Greenwald received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles. He has focused his clinical work on treatment of children, adolescents, adults and families.
Dr. Greenwald completed his dissertation on how family therapy can be an important intervention to help individuals with legal challenges to stay out of the legal system.
Dr. Greenwald completed his APA accredited internship at Valley Oaks Health in the child and adolescent center in Lafayette, Indiana. Within this year-long program, he provided therapy to children, adolescents, and families.
Dr. Greenwald specializes in treating Major Depression, Anxiety Disorders, OCD, intrusive thoughts, ADHD, trauma, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and individuals on the Autism Spectrum.
Dr. Greenwald uses evidence-based methods to understand each person’s unique emotional experiences, self-concept and worldview. He approaches therapy in collaboration with his clients and utilizes their insights to guide his understanding of how they interpret their daily life. In that process, Dr. Greenwald uses cognitive-behavioral therapy to help individuals through their unique emotional experiences and guide them to a healthy mind set. He emphasizes an empathetic and nonjudgmental style in order to create a space that is conducive to reflection and change in one’s life.
Dr. Greenwald utilizes various evidence-based interventions to also help improve self-esteem, and focus on unhealthy coping methods. When working with children and adolescents, Dr. Greenwald will often take a family systems approach. He feels that the family is an integral part of a person’s well-being and believes that children and teens benefit most when they feel supported at home as well as in therapy.
Dr. Greenwald utilizes his extensive training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and family systems interventions to help clients achieve their goals.