Our Clinicians
Culturally Competent Care from Clinicians Who Understand the First Responder Life
At First Responder Psychological Services, we’ve built a team of exceptional, deeply committed mental health professionals who specialize in supporting law enforcement, fire service, EMS, military personnel, dispatchers, and their families.
Our clinicians come from first responder families or have worked in the field themselves, which means they offer care with both clinical skill and cultural understanding.
The clinicians listed below practice under Psychological Consulting Associates, Inc. and provide psychological evaluations, consultation, and short-term clinical services to public safety agencies. These services are distinct from intensive outpatient or residential treatment programs.
Reach out by phone to schedule an appointment, or email us and we’ll contact you to discuss next steps.
Leadership and Clinical Direction
Gina L. Gallivan, Ph.D., ABPP
Founder and President
Board-Certified Police & Public Safety Psychologist
More than 25 years of experience serving over 100 law enforcement, fire service and public safety agencies throughout California. Specializes in officer wellness, critical incident response, trauma recovery, and POST-compliant psychological evaluations. Serves in national leadership roles within the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and as a California POST Subject Matter Expert in officer wellness.
Kendra Devor, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
Licensed Psychologist
Specializes in trauma recovery, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues affecting first responders and their families. Extensive experience providing critical incident response following officer-involved shootings, line-of-duty deaths, and mass casualty events. Facilitates officer-involved shooting and major incident recovery retreats for public safety personnel.
Senior Police and Public Safety Psychology Specialists
Lawrence Ball, Psy.D., ABPP
Board-Certified Police & Public Safety Psychologist
Former Police Officer and Reserve Deputy Sheriff
Specializes in police psychology, POST-compliant pre-employment evaluations, and public safety psychological services for public safety personnel.
Rachel Coate, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Forensic and Public Safety Psychologist
Specializes in pre-employment peace officer evaluations, military and veteran mental health, PTSD evaluations, and forensic psychological assessment. Former U.S. Naval Academy psychologist and correctional mental health program director.
Stephanie Barone McKenny, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Former LAPD Police Psychologist
Specializes in police psychology, officer wellness, trauma recovery, and performance support for law enforcement personnel and elite operational units. Formerly provided consultation to LAPD SWAT, Air Support Division, undercover personnel, and other specialized law enforcement teams.
Kathleen Wellbrock, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Law Enforcement Mental Health Specialist
Specializes in police psychology, pre-employment evaluations, and critical incident response services for law enforcement, fire service, and public safety personnel. Extensive experience supporting agencies including LASD, DEA, and the CA Department of Corrections.
Trauma and First Responder Clinicians
Deborah Silveria, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist
Trauma and EMDR Specialist
Specializes in trauma recovery, grief counseling, and wellness training for first responders and public safety personnel. Provides national and international training in resiliency, trauma recovery, and critical incident response.
Michael Uthoff, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
First Responder Trauma Specialist
Specializes in trauma recovery, EMDR, crisis intervention, and relationship support for first responders and their families. Extensive experience providing critical incident support following mass casualty incidents and other high-stress operational events.
Gisette Uthoff, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Trauma and EMDR Specialist
Specializes in anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and trauma affecting first responders, couples, and individuals experiencing domestic violence, child abuse, infidelity, and other high-stress life events.
Tiffany Atalla, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
First Responder Wellness Specialist
Specializes in trauma recovery, wellness therapy, EMDR, crisis intervention, and peer support services for first responders and their families. Extensive experience developing peer support programs, critical incident response services, and resiliency training for public safety personnel nationwide.
Clint Christie, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Retired Firefighter/Paramedic
Specializes in trauma exposure, compassion fatigue, grief and loss, anger management, and wellness support for first responders and their families. Uses a holistic approach focused on resilience, life balance, and navigating the emotional demands of public safety work. Fluent in Spanish.
Cory Candelas, MS, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Trauma Specialist and Former Police Officer
Specializes in trauma recovery, EMDR, relationship issues, and wellness support for first responders, healthcare professionals, and their families. Provides trauma-focused care for individuals experiencing cumulative stress exposure and high-demand service careers.
Destiny Morris, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
First Responder Trauma Therapist
Specializes in trauma recovery, EMDR, anxiety, depression, and wellness support for first responders and their families. Provides culturally competent, solution-focused care informed by both clinical experience and a first responder family background.
Wendy Tafolla, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
First Responder Family Therapist
Specializes in therapy for first responders, their partners, and families experiencing communication challenges, stress, and difficulty transitioning between work and home life. Works with children, teens, and young adults using EMDR, play, art, and talk therapy approaches.
Emily Brennan, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Crisis Response and Public Safety Specialist
Specializes in crisis intervention, critical incident response, and mental health support for law enforcement personnel, families, and individuals experiencing psychiatric emergencies. Extensive experience working alongside public safety agencies in emergency response and crisis negotiation settings.
Dylan Bender, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Marine Veteran and Trauma Therapist
Specializes in trauma recovery, military transition, relationship issues, and wellness support for active duty military, veterans, and their families. Extensive experience working with combat veterans and high-performance populations through the Veterans Health Administration Vet Centers program.
Leslie Rankin, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
First Responder and EMDR Therapist
Specializes in grief counseling, trauma recovery, life transitions, and emotional support services for individuals and families. Supports first responders and their families experiencing critical incident stress, cumulative exposure, and operational wellness challenges related to public safety work.
Specialty Mental Health Clinicians
Derik Hossepian, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Integrative Mental Health Specialist
Specializes in anxiety, depression, stress, chronic illness, and medically complex mental health concerns using an evidence-based, integrative mind-body approach. Brings advanced training in psychology and medicine to support long-term resilience and well-being.
Jesse Spiegel, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Anxiety and Behavioral Specialist
Specializes in OCD, anxiety, insomnia, and behavioral-related disorders in children, adolescents, and adults using evidence-based treatment approaches. Serves in a leadership role with the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
David Plotkin, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Anxiety and Cognitive Behavioral Specialistt
Specializes in anxiety disorders, panic disorder, social anxiety, and stress management using evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy approaches. Extensive experience in clinical practice, research, and professional training in anxiety treatment.
Kathryn Saldana, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Clinical Health Specialist
Specializes in anxiety, trauma, insomnia, mood disorders, chronic illness adjustment, and women’s mental health, including pregnancy and postpartum support. Uses evidence-based approaches to help clients with life transitions, build resilience and improve overall well-being.
Claudia Giron, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
Specializes in family support, anxiety, stress management, personal growth, and resilience-focused therapy using evidence-based approaches. Fluent in Portuguese.
Alanah Roy, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Grief and Trauma Specialist
Specializes in anxiety, grief, sudden loss, chronic illness adjustment, and perinatal mental health for adults, children, and families. Extensive experience providing crisis support and evidence-based care.
Kaneeza Lafir, Psy.D., Ph.D., CAMS-II
Licensed Psychologist
Psychological Assessment and Family Specialist
Specializes in psychological assessment, relationship dynamics, trauma, anxiety, depression, and family systems therapy for children, adults, couples, and families. Extensive experience working across diverse cultural backgrounds, developmental concerns, and anger management treatment.
Kate Christie, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
First Responder Family Therapist
Specializes in couples therapy, relationship stress, infertility, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse affecting first responders and their families. Brings both personal and professional experience supporting the unique challenges of public safety family life.
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