Kimberly Pratt, LCSW, Founder/Contributor
Kim is a passionate advocate of personal growth and healing. She has been a licensed clinical social worker and in private practice as a therapist to adults of all ages since 2007. Prior to her clinical career, she worked in the information technology sector in the SF Bay Area. She is a proud spouse; co-parent to two beautiful non-human beings; a longtime practitioner of mindfulness meditation; and an aging jock. Her formal education was received at UC Berkeley (Masters in Social Work) and the University of Michigan (B.A. in Anthropology), where she also played varsity tennis (Go Blue!).
To learn more about Kim’s therapy practice, please visit: www.kimpratt.com.
Christine Selig, PhD., Advisor/Contributor
Christine Selig received her PhD in social and cultural studies in education from the University of California, Berkeley, and also holds a certificate in Nutrition Education from the Nutritional Education Institute. She has over 10 years of experience in applied social science research in non-profit, for profit, foundation and government collaborations. Christine is a certified peer counseling teacher, with over 20 years of experience teaching peer counseling skills to people from diverse backgrounds, identities and ages. She currently leads workshops on developing basic or advanced counseling skills and social justice. She is passionate about improving health on the individual and community level. For more information about Christine’s research and consulting work, please go to www.linkedin.com/in/christineselig/.
Laney Cline King, LCSW, Advisor/Contributor
Laney received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of California, San Diego and her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University, New York. She is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) with over 10 years of experience helping children and families in a variety of nonprofit settings. As a certified LEAN nutrition coach, she currently provides workshops to families wanting to lead healthier lifestyles. At this time, Laney is most involved with the toughest job of her career, raising her three children in the San Francisco Bay Area.
For more information on Laney’s work, visit http://laneyclineking.com/.
Kevin Ryan, MA, LPC, Advisor/Contributor
Kevin is a master psychotherapist of 25 years. He maintains a private practice in Durham, NC, where he co-runs the Triangle Center for Integrative Therapy with his wife, Janice Geller. Kevin’s work is informed by Self-relations psychotherapy and extensive training in meditation and body based therapies. He strives to help people see the positive possibilities available in their current conflicts and has worked extensively with individuals, couples, and young people. Kevin received his B.S. in Economics from UC Berkeley and his Masters in Psychology from the California Institute for Integral Studies (CIIS). For more information about Kevin’s work, please visit: Triangle Center for Integrative Therapy.
Christina Vo, M.S., Contributor
Christina received a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Masters in Social and Public Communication from the Department of Social Psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has worked for UNDP, UNICEF and Solidaridad in Hanoi, Vietnam and was a Global Leadership Fellow for the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. Christina has a deep interest in psychology and well-being, and hopes her writing will have a positive impact on others.
For more information about Christina’s work, please visit www.christinavo.com.
John Carson, M.Ed., Contributor
John received a Bachelor of Arts in the Study of Religion from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Masters of Education in Psychology and Counseling with a concentration in Athletic Counseling from Springfield College. He is currently studying in the PsyD Clinical Psychology program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He has spent the last seven years working as an advisor with student-athletes at various universities. His primary interest is the mind-body relationship, its relationship to human expression, and its impact on the overall well-being of the individual.
Elizabeth Hopper, Contributor
Elizabeth received her PhD in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she conducted research on positive psychology and gratitude. Prior to attending UCSB, she received her BA in Psychology and Peace & Conflict Studies from UC Berkeley and worked in a research lab at UC San Francisco studying health psychology. Her research interests include gratitude, positive emotions, close relationships, and health. When she’s not writing about psychology, Elizabeth can often be found exploring the Bay Area and spending time with her dog, Luna. In addition to HealthyPsych, Elizabeth’s writing has also been published by the Greater Good Science Center.
Ivy Hall, Ph.D. Contributor
Ivy is a licensed clinical psychologist working at the California Department of State Hospitals. She graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Psychology and received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University in 2013. She has extensive experience in treating individuals with substance abuse and dual diagnoses, anxiety, depression and mood disorders, chronic pain and illness, PTSD, and end-of-life issues. She has provided services to a variety of populations (Veterans, dually-diagnosed, Axis II, young adults and families, incarcerated persons), across multiple modalities (inpatient, residential, and outpatient) using a variety of treatment approaches (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)). She is passionate about incorporating diversity into her work and personal life. Outside of work, she loves to cook, run, workout, and root for the Giants, Niners, and Warriors!
Aysha Ives, M.S., Contributor
Aysha has a Master’s Degree in Psychology and has provided services as a Therapist and Success Coach for over a decade. With a love for God and a passion to help as many people as possible, she has expanded her services to include Professional Writing with specializations in Mental Health, Behavioral Health, and Spirituality. Aysha has published three books and has served as a Contributor for HealthyPsych.com, Psych Central, wikiHow, Insight Telepsychiatry, Mind Over Media, LLC, various churches and other private clients. You can learn more about Aysha and purchase her books by visiting Aysha’s Author Page on Amazon. You can also find Aysha on her website at www.
Cassandra Powers, N.P., Contributor
Cassandra received her Master’s in Nursing from The University of Southern Maine and her undergraduate degree from Brown University. She is certified as a Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and works in community mental health in Portland, Maine. She enjoys working with clients from a holistic perspective, helping others gain insight into the connection between physical and mental health. Cassandra was the editor of Yoga Wisdom and also writes about mental health issues; an article she co-authored, “The Will to Thrive”, was published in Issues in Mental Health Nursing. She enjoys living in Portland and its many opportunities to spend time outside.
Chiara Viscomi, M.A., C.M.T., Contributor
Chiara Viscomi, MA, LMFT (MFC #104851) is a practicing licensed marriage and family therapist in California. She received her master’s in counseling psychology with a certificate in creative expression at Sofia University (formerly known as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology). Prior to that, Chiara received a BA in psychology and a BFA in drama at the Experimental Theatre Wing at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is passionate about expressive arts therapy, Jungian psychology, transpersonal psychology, and integrative approaches to wellness. In addition to her clinical work, Chiara is a longtime professional writer and editor in the healthcare field, as well as a musician and performing artist.
To find out more about her approach to psychotherapy, visit www.lapishealingarts.com. [Bio updated June 2018.]