EDUCATION and CREDENTIALS

Licensed Psychologist (2003). PSY 19411.

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, California (1991). Individual and Family Clinical Psychology proficiency.

M.A., Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, California (1989).

Master of Professional Writing, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California (1985). Specialization in screenwriting.

B.A., cum laude, Pomona College, Claremont, California (1977) in English Literature.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCES

PRIVATE PRACTICE, Santa Barbara, California (January 1, 2006 – present). Provided individual, couple and family therapy as part of a general practice, with an emphasis on anxious or depressed adults who may be stuck in relationship quagmires, parenting, helping women form healthy relationships with their mothers and children, and the concerns of artists.

REGISTERED PSYCHOLOGIST, C.A.L.M. (Child Abuse Listening & Mediation), Santa Barbara, California (July 2001-July 2002). Provided individual and family therapy to clients with unusually traumatic histories of child abuse and/or domestic violence.

REGISTERED PSYCHOLOGIST, Family Life Counseling Service, Santa Maria, California (September 1999-March 2001). Treated clients who were court-referred for substance abuse and domestic violence. Provided individual and family therapy to an ethnically diverse, primarily low-income population.

POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING, Early Childhood Center, Thalians Mental Health Center, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California (September 1996-August 1998). Co-led mother-toddler group focusing on healthy attachment and normal development. Trained in infant and toddler development.

POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING, Wright Institute, Los Angeles, California (October 1991-February 1992). Received advanced training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and clinical assessment. Provided intensive, long-term treatment to adult clients.

INTERN, University of Southern California Student Counseling Center, Los Angeles, California (August 1990-July 1991). APA-approved full-time internship with intensive training in short-term models of psychotherapy. Provided short-term and long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy as well as crisis intervention, outreach and consultation.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCES

CLINICAL SUPERVISOR, Family Thriving Program, a research project examining the prevention of child abuse, funded by the National Institutes of Health and administered through the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Development at UCSB (July 2001- 2005).

DISSERTATION, “The Effect of Additional Context on The Usage of Moral Orientation in The Measurement of Moral Reasoning: An Examination of Sex Differences” (1991). Conducted a study investigating bias in Lawrence Kohlberg’s instrument to measure moral reasoning as well as Carol Gilligan’s claim that context influences moral orientation use.

AWARDS

Nominated for Best Dissertation Award, California School of Professional Psychology (1991).

Grant from The Society for The Psychological Study of Social Issues, a division of APA (1990).

California School of Professional Psychology Research Award (1989).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

MEMBER, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (2007-present): Served as Member-at-Large, attended Board meetings and contributed ideas to revise SBCPA website content and increase membership.

PRESENTATIONS

"How to Be a Better Counselor," presentation on "success discipline" and other positive ways to engage and teach campers while fostering emotional growth and independence, to senior and junior counselors and counselors-in-training, Camp Haverim, Santa Barbara (July 11, 2018).

"How to Be a Better Counselor," presentation on "success discipline" and other positive ways to engage and teach campers while fostering emotional growth and independence, to senior and junior counselors and counselors-in-training, Camp Haverim, Santa Barbara July 7, 2017).

"Increasing Children’s Resilience through The Healing Power of Story," at the Santa Barbara County Psychological Association salon for continuing education. This talk offers experiential and didactic training in how adults can increase a child’s resilience when the child experiences loss, trauma, separation, or a difficult or painful change. Topics include the easy-to-learn technique of constructing a narrative, and making a Little Book, for a child who is suffering. This technique is one way psychologists can increase a child’s resilience and support parents and other significant adults in a child’s life (teachers, grandparents, caregivers) when that child faces a difficult or painful change. This class has value even for psychologists who work exclusively with adults. My talk draws on narrative psychology and first-hand clinical experience. I demonstrate with case material how this technique can be healing to children and reparative for adults. Examples of Little Books will be displayed and discussed (February 26, 2016).

"How to Be a Better Counselor," presentation on "success discipline" and other positive ways to engage and teach campers while fostering emotional growth and independence, to senior and junior counselors and counselors-in-training, Camp Haverim, Santa Barbara (July 15, 2010).

"On the Edge: A Narrative of Domestic Violence, Counter-transference and Clinical Decision-making," presentation to interns and staff at New Beginnings Counseling Center, Santa Barbara (June 14, 2010).

“On Shaky Ground: A Narrative of Special Needs, Counter-transference, and Clinical Decision-making in the Treatment of A Client with Parkinson’s Disease,” presentation at the Santa Barbara County Psychological Association salon for continuing education (October 30, 2009).

“The Seven Principles for Making Long-Term Relationships Work,” presentation to faculty and staff at the University of California at Santa Barbara’s Learn-at-Lunch program (May 6, 2009).

"Siblings’ Experiences with Childhood Cancer,” presentation to a parent support group of recent research, Cancer Center, Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara (March 11, 2009).

“Increasing Your Child’s Resilience through the Power of Story,” presentation to parents at Discoveries Learning Center, Santa Barbara (May 21, 2008).

“The Story of Alex: Treatment of a Survivor,” case conference presentation at the Hosford Counseling and Psychological Services Clinic, University of California at Santa Barbara (March 11, 2008).

“Increasing Your Child’s Resilience through the Power of Story,” presentation to parents at Starr-King Parent-Child Workshop, Santa Barbara (March 10, 2008).

“Managing Stress for Parents of a Child with Cancer, with Particular Focus on the Marital Unit,” facilitation of a parent support group, Cancer Center, Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara (October 3, 2007).

“Is A Child in Your Life Hurting? Learn How to Increase Your Child’s Resilience through The Power of Story,” workshop through Santa Barbara City College, Adult Education program (September 29, 2007).

“The Story of Alex: Treatment of a Survivor,” case conference presentation at the Student Counseling Center, Student Health Services, University of California at Santa Barbara (October 3, 2006).

"Full of Ourselves: Advancing Girl Power, Health and Leadership,” presentation and ongoing elective class for 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade girls at Santa Barbara Middle School, with Noemi Doohan, M.D. (September 2006 -December 2006).

“Developmental Milestones of Infants, Toddlers and Young Children,” presented to the home visitors in the Family Thriving Program at UCSB (October, 2003).

“How to Help Infants and Toddlers Be Better Sleepers,” presented to home visitors in the Great Beginnings team and Family Thriving Program at Child Abuse Listening & Mediation (November 13, 2001).

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

WRITER (2006-present): Writing Inquire Within: A Psychologist's Notebook: Psychotherapy Stories of Courage, Insight and Transformation, a non-fiction book.

SCREENWRITER (1986): Collaborated with Robert Pirosh, an Academy-Award winning screenwriter, on an original screenplay.

814 Willowglen Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 | PH (805) 284-8824 | dcs@drdeborahschiller.com Home

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