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Curriculum Vitae

Experience: Clinical Academic Research Speaking Engagements Teaching

Education Publications Organizations References


Clinical Experience (top)

3/1999-
Present
Private Practice
West Hollywood, CA
3/2004-
8/2005
Eisner Pediatric & Family Medical Center
Supervisor
Los Angeles, CA
7/1996-
6/1998
Reiss-Davis Child Study Center
Post-Doctoral Fellow/Registered Psychologist
Los Angeles, CA
1/1992-
3/1999
Dr. Margaret Toomin
Psychological Assistant
Santa Monica, CA
6/1997-
Present
The Healthy Divorce Clinic
Co-founder
In association with Dr. Jose Lopez
Santa Monica, CA
1/1990-
12/1991
Dr. Peter Zucker
Psychological Assistant
Santa Monica, CA
10/1982-
12/1989
Dr. Elaine Karr
Psychological Assistant
Los Angeles, CA
10/1982-
2/1987
Hillel Hebrew Academy
School Counselor
Beverly Hills, CA
6/1983-
9/1983

6/1984-
9/1984
Los Angels Free Clinic
Staff Therapist
Los Angeles, CA
5/1982-
10/1982
Chabad Drug Rehabilitation Center
Staff Therapist
Los Angeles, CA

Academic Experience (top)

4/1994-
Present
Dr. Stanley Greenspan
Senior Clinician/Floor Time Interventionist
D.I.R/Floor Time Certification: April 2006
Bethesda, Maryland

Teaching Assignments (top)

8/2005-
Present
UCLA Medical Staff
Clinical Staff
Los Angeles, CA
6/2003
5/2005
UCSD Extension
Floor Time model of play intervention with special needs children
7/1998-
Present
Ryokan College
Instructor in Master’s and Psy.D. Programs
Los Angeles, CA

Research Experience (top)

4/1989-
12/1991
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute
Research Assistant for Dr. Susan Smalley
Los Angeles, CA
6/1987-
12/1991
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute
Research Assistant for Dr. Walid Shekim
Los Angeles, CA
2/1987-
12/1991
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute
Research Assistant for Drs. Dennis Cantwell, Michael Strober and Walid Shekim
Los Angeles, CA
6/1978-
5/1980
National Institute of Mental Health
Research Assistant for Dr. Leon Cytryn
Bethesda, Maryland
6/1978-
5/1980
Children's Hospital of Washington, D.C.
Research Assistant for Dr. Donald McKnew
Washington, D.C.

Speaking Engagements (top)
(Floortime and DIR model of Intervention)

04/2010Summit Educational Series
Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX
04/2010Summit Educational Series
Tulsa, OK, Oklahoma City, OK
04/2010Summit Educational Series
Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA
04/2010Summit Educational Series
Los Angeles, CA
03/2010Summit Educational Series
New York, NY, White Plains, NY, West Hempstead, NY
03/2010Summit Educational Series
Anchorage, AK, Fairbanks, AK
02/2010Summit Educational Series
Crescent City, CA
01/2010Summit Educational Series
Raleigh, NC, Winston-Salem, CA, Charlotte, NC
01/2010CHADD
Los Angeles, CA
01/2010Summit Educational Series
Fort Myers, FL, Tampa, FL, Fort Lauderdale, FL
12/2009Mothers Against Autism
Webinar Interview
12/2009Selective Mutism Group
Online Expert Chat
12/2009Selective Mutism Group
Teleconference Professional Chat
12/2009Summit Educational Series
Salt Lake City, UT, Denver, CO, Colorado Springs CO
11/2009Summit Educational Series
Honolulu, HI, Hilo, HI
10/2009Summit Educational Series
Sacramento, CA, San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA
10/2009Association for Play Therapy National Conference
Atlanta, GA
09/2009Summit Educational Series
San Diego, CA, Anaheim, CA, Burbank, CA
09/2009Sunshine Preschool
Los Angeles, CA
08/2009American Psychological Association
Toronto, Canada
06/2009-07/2009Summit Educational Series
Bellingham, WA, Seattle, WA, Portland OR, Columbus, OH, Dayton, OH, Cincinnati, OH, Memphis, OH, Nashville, TN, Louisville, KY
06/2009Los Angeles Psychological Association, Special Interest Group Child and Adolescent Psychology
Los Angeles, CA
06/2009Montessori School
Los Angeles, CA
05/2009Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA
05/2009St. John's Medical Center
Santa Monica, CA
03/2009Southern California Regional Play Therapy Association
03/2009Summit Educational Series
Los Angeles, CA, Albuquerqe, NM, Tucson AZ, Phoeniz, AZ
03/2009Mt. Washington Elementary School
Los Angeles, CA
02/2009Autism Society of Ottawa
Ontario, Canada
01/09University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
12/08Orthodox Union Young Couple's Association
Los Angeles, CA
12/08Mount Washington Elementary School
Los Angeles, CA
12/08Yaachad Group for Special Needs Teens
Los Angeles, CA
10/2008International Play Therapy Association
Dallas, TX
7/2008Autism Association of America
Orlando, FL
5/2008Woodland Hills Torah Community - "An Introduction For Families To Floor Time; A Developmental Approach To The Treatment Of Autism"
Woodland Hills, CA
4/2008Valley Beth Shalom
Encino, CA
3/2008La Lycee Francois
3/2008Southern California Regional Play Therapy Association
2/2008Moderator: Interview with Dr. Norman Doidge; "The Brain that Changes Itself".
Beverly Hills, California
10/2007American Psychotherapy National Conference
6/2007Southern California Regional Play Therapy Association
5/2007Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles, CA
5/2007St. Ann's School for Young Women
4/2007University of California
San Diego, CA
3/2007Long Beach High School
Long Beach, CA
3/2007Hollywood School House
Los Angeles, CA
2/2007KinderCare/Occupational Therapy Group
Santa Monica, CA
1/2007Childhood Anxiety Network
Los Angeles, CA
12/2006Yachaad
Los Angeles, CA
12/2006Pepperdine University, Culver City Campus
Culver City, CA
5/2006Lorimar Continuing Education Series
Los Angeles, CA
4/2006Selective Mutism Chat Room
Online
4/2006Parent Support Group
Los Angeles, CA
2/2006Chabad
Los Angeles, CA
12/2005Yachaad
Los Angeles, CA
11/2005Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA
11/2005Valencia High School
Valencia, CA
11/2005California Family Law Association
San Francisco, CA
7/2005 & 05/2006Hollywood School House
Hollywood, CA
6/2005Verdugo Hills Autism Project
Encino, CA
5/2005Pepperdine University
Culver City, CA
5/2005University of Southern California San Diego/Extension
La Jolla, CA
3/2005Los Angeles Chapter of the American Psychological Association
Encino, CA
3/2005Board of Education
Expert Witness re: Implementation of the DIR model within a public school setting
Yucaipa, CA
3/2005Interviewed on Autism One
Internet radio program
2/2005Eisner Pediatric Center
Los Angeles, CA
2/2005Temple Aliyah
Woodland Hills, CA
2/2005Temple Beth Shalom
Encino, CA
2/2005The Orthodox Union
Brentwood, CA
10/2004Big Fun Therapeutic Gymnastic Facility
Culver City, CA
8/2004Hollywood School House
Hollywood, CA
3/2004Foothill Autism Alliance
Burbank, CA
3/2004Los Angeles United School District
Los Angeles, CA
2/2004House Ear Clinic
Los Angeles, CA
1/2004Early Child Intervention Center
East Orange, NJ
10/2003Reiss-Davis Child Study Center
Los Angeles, CA
9/2003United Autism Alliance
Pasadena, CA
6/2003
9/2003
SAR Academy
Riverdale, NY
8/2003Hollywood School House
Hollywood, CA
6/2003Play Therapists Association of Southern California
San Diego, CA
11/2003Autism Alliance of America
Pasadena, CA
1/2002Naomi Heller and Associates
Los Angeles, CA
11/2001
3/2002
10/2002
9/2003
10/2003
Santa Monica City College
Santa Monica, Ca
10/2001Garden of Angels
Santa Monica, CA
4/2000
11/2000
5/2002
Brentwood Presbyterian Nursery School
Brentwood, CA
1/2000
4/2000
Association of Speech and Occupational Therapists
California State University, Northridge

Education (top)

Psychology License, State of California, March 1999, PSY #16090

Graduate

The California Graduate Institute
Los Angeles, California
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
Awarded Degree: June 1996
Class Rank: Top 2%
Dissertation Title: Narcissistic mothers as a risk factor in the development of borderline personality disorder in their offspring.

Catholic University
Washington, D.C.
Masters Degree in Psychology
Class Rank: Top 5%
Masters Thesis: The impact of cystic fibrosis on the bonding between mother and child.

Undergraduate

Yeshiva University
New York, New York
Bachelor of Arts
Magna Cum Laude
Class Rank: Top 5%


Publications (top)

Monthly columnist for Family Magazine as Ask the Developmental Doctor: Dr. Esther Hess, as of July 2009 to present.

Ask the Expert, Guest columnist for American Play Therapy Journal, March 2010.

Hess, Esther B.: Mining Report: Best Practices in Autism. Association for Play Therapy, April, 2009.

Hess, Esther: Introduction to Floor/Time: A Developmental/Relational Approach to the Treatment of Autism. In: Play Therapy Magazine, March, 2009. Reprinted with permission from the Southern California Regional Play Therapy Association.

Hess, Esther: Introduction to Floor/Time: A Developmental/Relational Approach to the Treatment of Autism. In: Southern California Regional Play Therapy Association Newsletter, January, 2009

Hess, Esther: , In: Play Therapy Magazine, December 2008

Hess, E.B.: Why Is It So Hard To Say 'No' to Our Children With Special Needs, In TAPS Magazine, June 2007

Hess, E.B.: I Look At Life From Both Sides Now, in TAPS Magazine, March 2006

Hess, E.B.: "Floor Time: An Intervention with Children Impacted with Developmental Delays”, in American Play Therapist Newsletter, September 2005.

Hess, E.B.: Clinical Support Necessary When Supporting Parents Through the Diagnosis of Autism in their Child”, in American Play Therapist Newsletter, Dec/2004.

Guest Editor May/June 2004, Los Angles Psychologist

Hess, E.B.: Helping Families with the Challenges of Raising a Special Needs Child, in Los Angeles Psychologist, May/June 2004.

Hess, E.B.: Narcissistic Mothers as a Risk Factor in the Development of Borderline Personality Disorder in their Offspring, 1996.

Shekim, W.O., Cantwell, D.P., Hess, E.: Blood Cell Monoamine Receptor Activity in Adolescents with Affective Disorders. Sci Pro American Academy Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35th Annual Meeting, 1988, p.64.

Shekim, W.O. Antun F., Hess, E.B.: S-adenosyl-l-methonine (SAM) in adults with ADHD, RS. Results from an open trial. Psychopharm Bul., September 1988.

Shekim. W.O., Asarnow, R.F., Hess, E.: A clinical and demographic study of hyperactive adults. Presented at the 141st Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Montreal, May 1988.


Organizations (top)

Joined the board of directors for Autism Speaks, November 2009

Joined North Los Angeles County Task force of the California Senate on Autism and Related Disabilities, October 2009

Board member Childhood Anxiety Network, January 2009

Diplomat in Counseling, March 2007

Founding board member Switzer School; Autism Spectrum Disorder Division, Torrance, California, January 2006

Diplomat in Clinical Psychotherapy, August 2005

Diplomat in Child and Adolescent Psychology, September 2004

Member: Interdisciplinary Counsel for infancy and early childhood development. Dr. Stanley Greenspan, founder, 1998.

Associate member of the American Psychological Association, 1988

Board member of Nefesh. National Organization of Orthodox Mental Health Workers, February 1997


References (top)

Available on Request.