Clinical Psychologist,
Antonio Acuna, Ph.D.
Dr. Antonio Acuna is a licensed psychologist with a doctorate in clinical psychology and a Colorado School Psychology Certification. In private practice since 1993, his specialty is in school-related problems such as ADHD, learning disabilities, gifted education, anger management, autism spectrum disorders, and second language acquisition. In addition, Tony is bilingual in Spanish and conversational French.
Tony comments, “I am fascinated by how children learn! How do they acquire such vast storehouses of knowledge? How do they solve tricky, complex problems?”
With a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Loyola-Chicago, Tony subsequently completed a two-year, post-doctorate in Couple and Family Therapy at Northwestern University. Perhaps commenting upon his own life’s pursuits, as much as his hopes for his students he offers, “the beauty of learning is that it is a lifelong process.”
Tony continues, “Executive Function intrigues me; how do children manage time, initiate tasks, and cope with life's little adversities? These questions are the basis of my work.”
“I am drawn to SAGE for several reasons. Its child-friendly environment impresses me, as every child seems truly happy to be at SAGE. I like their comprehensive approach to evaluation and intervention, which is based on ongoing communication. Finally, I love how each treatment plan is customized to meet that child's unique needs. SAGE embraces the whole child!”
Following a rich professional career, Tony retired from the Denver Public School system, where he had worked as a School Psychologist. Tony will join our team at SAGE Center Denver to provide psycho-educational assessments of children who may have giftedness, learning disorders, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety or mood disorders, or some combination of these. Our growing community of families is fortunate indeed.
We at SAGE Center for Gifted extend a warm welcome to Tony – grateful for his multi-lingual talent, depth of understanding and experience.
School Psychologist, Erika Bailey, Ed.M., M.A.
Erika Bailey is a nationally certified school psychologist at Psychology 360, a private practice in San Diego, CA. She earned her Master of Arts in School Psychology and Master of Education: Schooling at Teachers College, Columbia University. Erika has worked in the California public school system which allowed her to gain valuable knowledge regarding school interventions and special education.
As part of the team as Psychology 360, Erika is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with SAGE Center for Gifted and be a part of the evaluation process for SAGE families. She is passionate about identifying students’ individual strengths and the best supports in order for them to reach their highest levels of success.
Erika grew up all over the United States, as her family moved often as a child. She lived in many states across the Midwest, South East, North East, and now the West Coast as California is the 8th state Erika has had the pleasure to live in. Erika also conducted research related to mindfulness and gratitude, which has greatly shaped her personal and professional life. Erika loves to fulfill her passion for psychological and psychoeducational assessment. As a clinician, Erika appreciates working one-on-one with clients and learning about their individual strengths. She is especially passionate about trying her best to make clients feel comfortable and to decrease any anxiety related to the testing process. We warmly welcome Erika to SAGE in this collaborative assessment process!
School Psychologist, Julie Bolding
School Psychologist and DORA Registered Psychotherapist
Julie’s career began with teaching middle school in 1990. After some years in the classroom she felt the calling to help students with their mental health needs and pursued her graduate degree in school psychology from the University of Colorado Denver. She is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and a DORA registered Psychotherapist. She has been practicing in Jefferson County since her internship in 1997. Her primary focus has been in middle school, but she has worked with students from preschool through high school. She spent 9 years working in both and elementary and middle schools with center programs for gifted students. In her current placement, she provides individualized and group counseling, teaches social skills, consults and collaborates with both staff building wide and parents of students with special needs and assesses students’ cognitive, social-emotional and adaptive skills. Julie has a true appreciation for the unique needs of students identified as twice exceptional who have both learning differences and unique talents and gifts beyond their average peers. In her schools she’s tried to reach the social needs of gifted students by sponsoring Brain Bowl clubs in order for the brightest of students to show off their knowledge in trivia based tournaments while learning team building skills with their team mates. She has been passionate about prevention work and has run a program for twenty years called Where Everybody Belongs helping students transition smoothly to middle school and learn how to become successful students. In June of 2018 Julie opened her private practice which primarily focuses on cognitive assessment identifying students with giftedness.
While in graduate school Julie became involved on the executive board of the Colorado Society of School Psychologists and has served as the organization’s president twice. She is currently the Colorado delegate for the National Association of School Psychologists and has been honored to have been nominated as Colorado’s School Psychologist of the Year two times.
When not focusing on students in her school or private practice, Julie focuses a lot of attention on her own gifted son, whom she has been raising with her husband in Louisville, Colorado since 2006. She is often found enjoying the outdoors by hiking, biking, fly fishing, gardening, or taking her dog out for some agility practice. When indoors she enjoys baking for family, friends and colleagues.
Julie is excited to be joining the team at SAGE Center for Gifted to help aid families looking for more information about their children’s unique strengths, exceptional minds and specific, individual needs. Julie shared, “I’m so impressed with not only the individualized programming created by Renu Rose at SAGE, but also the wonderfully warm, welcoming environment she has cultivated.”
Clinical and School Psychologist Andrea Clyne, Ph.D.
Dr. Andrea Clyne is a licensed clinical and school psychologist with 30 years of experience in providing culturally responsive evaluation and mental health services. She uses a strengths-based approach and prioritizes helping children and their parents to feel safe, supported, and valued. Her clinical skills can be described as warm, client-centered, and affirming. Andrea enjoys working with gifted and twice exceptional students, helping them to gain understanding of their unique gifts and challenges while providing strategies to enhance their social-emotional and school experiences.
Andrea has had the honor of working with hundreds of children and adolescents who have struggled with establishing and maintaining friendships, gaining academic skills, building self-confidence, developing a healthy identity, regulating emotions and behavior, recovering from trauma, and navigating school and family relationships. She has learned that many challenges stem from specific skill deficits or misunderstandings that can be remedied through targeted instruction or counseling.
Andrea earned her doctorate in Educational and Psychological Studies from the University of Colorado where her research interests centered around the development of resilience. She has been active with her state and national school psychology organizations for many years and was recently named as President-Elect of the National Association of School Psychologists. In her service to the profession, Andrea has advocated for comprehensive school psychological services that promote safe and socially just school climates, anti-bullying efforts, evidence-based instruction, positive behavior supports, and social-emotional learning.
Blessed with a gifted husband and two gifted daughters, Andrea has learned about the joys and struggles of giftedness on a personal level that has enhanced her ability to support families. She is honored to have the opportunity to assist families through the SAGE Center, as its holistic, affirming philosophy is consistent with her beliefs about how best to meet the needs of children. In her spare time, Andrea loves to hike, read, dance, listen to live music, and take funny videos of her Rottie.
Clinical Psychologist,
Wendy Cowperthwaite, Psy.D.
Dr. Wendy Cowperthwaite is honored to be a resource for families through the SAGE Center. She works with families using an approach that honors each child’s individual personality and the wisdom parents bring to her about the child.
Experienced with a broad variety of children, Dr. Cowperthwaite provides psycho-educational assessment of children who may have giftedness, learning disorders, ADHD, anxiety or mood disorders, or some combination of these. She delights in discovering how each child learns, and she is keenly interested in working with parents to support their son’s or daughter’s learning profile. She is grateful for the holistic model of understanding and serving children that SAGE provides.
Wendy received her received her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Denver. Her professional experience includes working in school settings and private agencies, with students ranging from preschool through college.
She is a parent to three unique learners ranging in age from elementary school to college. All her children have at some point been through the assessment process, and one is a twice-exceptional learner. Having been on “both sides of the desk,” Wendy appreciates the thoughtfulness that goes into parenting choices about learning assessments, identification of giftedness and other diagnoses, school placement, and establishing outside services to support a child. She strives to provide post-testing recommendations that are both useful and practical.
"It is an honor to partner with Renu Rose and the SAGE Center. Renu and the other professionals at SAGE bring a deep understanding and esteem for the blessings and the extraordinary challenges that come with being a gifted child and parenting gifted children. It is my privilege to come alongside SAGE Center families, providing information to help children and families flourish.”
Clinical Psychologist,
Donica Dohrenwend, Ph.D.
Dr. Donica Dohrenwend is a licensed clinical psychologist and the owner and founder of Psychology 360, Inc., which is a private practice specializing in psychoeducational and psychological evaluations. She earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University and holds master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Dr. Donica has more than fifteen years of graduate and postgraduate training in the fields of clinical psychology, forensic psychology and psychological & neuropsychological evaluation. She has worked extensively with gifted students and their families to help identify the most beneficial supports and interventions, in order to reach full potential.
Dr. Donica and her team will be assisting with evaluations in the Southern California area. She is honored to share in the collaborative process with SAGE Center for Gifted.
Clinical Psychologist,
Suzanne M. Hamm, Ph.D.
Suzanne Hamm began her career in 1972 first as a school psychologist for the Denver Public Schools, and then later, as a counseling psychologist in private practice. Her school psychology training was obtained from the University of Wisconsin and her doctorate from the University of Denver.
Dr. Hamm’s work with public and private schools has resulted in a rich understanding of children and what it takes for them to reach their potential. She specializes in assessments and educational programming for the gifted and also for children with AD/HD and other learning challenges. Sometimes all three of these conditions are seen in one child.
Suzanne offers, “After 35 years of practicing psychology, I am pleased to be affiliated with Renu Rose and her SAGE Center for the Gifted. This is a marvelous organization and director that meets children where they are, and supports and lifts them to a new awareness of their gifts. It is a blessing and a privilege to be able to observe Renu and her educators work with these children. Of the many outstanding educators I have met, Renu and her SAGE Center which illustrates the power of Renu’s giftedness in working with families and children.” – Suzanne Hamm Dr.
Clinical Psychologist,
Cynthia Johnson, Ph.D.
Dr. Cynthia Johnson is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating children and adolescents with learning disabilities, gifted/2e, complex attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, traumatic brain injury, and related emotional, social and behavioral difficulties.
Cynthia has always been passionate about children. Her early career focused on teaching children coping strategies to deal with the fear and anxiety regarding hospitalization. Upon completion of her Master’s degree in Psychology and Human Development from Harvard University, she helped teach over one million children learn to read as a producer of The Reader Rabbit Series of educational software products. However, she started asking herself, what about children who learn in different ways? She started researching the work of Drs. Bruce Pennington and Mel Levine regarding learning differences in children. She was fascinated about different neurodevelopmental profiles children have and how that contributes to each child’s strengths and weaknesses. When she watched these doctors assess and treat children with learning differences, she said to herself, “I want that job. That is a way to make a true difference in the world.” During her Ph.D, Cynthia became interested in children who were gifted yet still struggled academically. She started learning what can be done to help these children utilize their strengths to negotiate any areas of difficulty.
Dr. Johnson received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from The University of Northern Colorado. She has a special interest in children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Her dissertation focused on treatments for dyslexia and was nominated for The Outstanding Dissertation Award. Dr. Johnson also completed an APA- accredited internship at The Neuropsychology Center of Attention, Behavior, and Learning and the Illinois School Psychology Internship Consortium. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at The NeuroDevelopment Center of Colorado. As a licensed psychologist, Cynthia diagnosed gifted children and adolescents with related academic, social, emotional and behavioral difficulties. These experiences offered her the opportunity to provide psychological and neuropsychological assessments and counseling services for children and adolescents throughout Colorado and surrounding states. When she meets with parents to discuss assessment results and treatment options, they are typically relieved to finally find out the reasons their child is struggling. They are ready to do whatever is necessary to help their child. Dr. Johnson looks forward to the collaborative nature of SAGE, where a multidisciplinary team can provide a wide variety of expertise to help parents get necessary help for their children.
Cynthia enjoys spending time with friends and family. She typically spends time outdoors hiking, bicycling, skiing, snowshoeing, and taking long walks. She volunteered for years teaching children with disabilities to learn how to ski through the National Sports Center for the Disabled. She also has a passion for music and has been on the Board of The Colorado Music Festival that brings national and international classical musicians to Boulder for six weeks each summer.
School Psychologist and Registered Psychotherapist,
Erin Wise Jones
Erin has a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology (California State University, Hayward) and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology (University of Colorado, Boulder). Erin is recognized as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and is registered as a Licensed Educational Psychologist in California and a Registered Psychotherapist in Colorado, through DORA, which allows her to both maintain a private practice and work in the educational system.
As an adolescent, Erin knew she wanted to be a psychologist because she was drawn to the "detective" work of understanding human behavior. Her interests and experience include work with the autism spectrum population, social skills instruction, and crisis response. Identifying the needs of the whole child and establishing rapport with the child and family are the most important pieces of her evaluations. "I am so thrilled to be a part of the SAGE community. It feels like a natural next step in the advancement of my lifelong passion."
Erin has been a practicing School Psychologist for 20 years, starting in California where she worked for a local school district and established a private practice to contract with additional schools. Upon returning to her home state in 2008, Erin joined the Colorado Society of School Psychologists, serving as a Board member since 2017 and on the State-Wide Crisis Team since 2010. Additionally, she is a long-standing member of the National Association of School Psychologists and the American Psychological Association.
As a mother, raising two gifted daughters alongside her husband, Erin is personally learning almost as much about the needs of the gifted population as all her years of graduate school. She is currently a School Psychologist in the Adams 12 School District at Stargate School, a k-12 charter school focused on educating gifted students.
We extend a heartfelt welcome as Erin joins our faculty. We look forward to a fruitful relationship serving the families of SAGE Center for Gifted.
School Psychologist,
Michael G. Kurtz
“Why would a child not do well if they could do well? Regardless of behavior, motive, or intent, children do well if they can. When they don’t do well, there is ALWAYS a reason, and I consider it my mission to identify those reasons and intervene accordingly.” – Michael G. Kurtz
SAGE Center is honored to welcome Michael G. Kurtz, Ed.S, to provide assessment support for our growing educational services centers. He is a registered psychotherapist in private practice providing both assessment services and counseling. He has an Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S) from the University of Colorado at Denver with a concentration in Therapeutic Interventions for Children and Adolescents, and a B.S. in psychology, and an instrumental music minor from Colorado State University.
As a Member of National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the Colorado Society of School Psychologists (CSSP), Michael has been a practicing school psychologist since 2002. He has knowledge, expertise, and experience with children demonstrating a wide array of learning differences ranging from significant disabilities to giftedness, and frequently both together (twice exceptionality).
Michael currently works with Jefferson County School’s Central Assessment Team and has provided assessment services for many of the district’s programs and most significantly impacted students. Michael is a certified SENG (Social Emotional Needs of the Gifted) facilitator and has successfully supported/advised countless parents about the social and emotional needs of their gifted children.
He is currently a member the Jefferson County Public Schools Crisis response team as well as the Colorado Society of School Psychologists State Wide Crisis Response team. He is dually licensed by both CDE and DORA to provide services both in and out of school.
Michael’s professional background with children is very diverse. While in college, he volunteered his time on a suicide hotline where many of his calls were from teens in crisis. Shortly thereafter, Michael became a Residential Program Manager for 11 developmentally disabled children and charged with their total and complete care 24/7. After becoming a school psychologist in 2002, Michael sought specialized training through both NOVA (National Organization of Victim’s Assistance) and NASP (National Association of School Psychologists) for crisis response. Since 2005, Michael has been called to respond to every one of Colorado’s high profile school crises.
We are pleased to have Michael bring his years of exceptional expertise and diversity of experience to our families at SAGE!
School Psychologist and Registered Psychotherapist,
Dr. Sabrena Miller, Psy.D.
Dr. Sabrena Miller is a licensed school psychologist and DORA registered psychotherapist. She currently practices as a school psychologist in Boulder Valley School District where she is also the co-team lead for the district’s BrainSTEPS team. Sabrena has also enjoyed practicing school psychology in the St. Vrain Valley School District, and conducting private evaluations at the Attention Behavior and Learning Clinic in Boulder.
As a school psychologist, Sabrena enjoys multidisciplinary team collaboration, opportunities to connect and form relationships with families, building trust and observing growth with students, and conducting comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations. Additionally, Sabrena has the continuing pleasure of consulting with the gifted and talented department in the schools she serves. Together, Sabrena and the GT coordinators have identified students who are gifted, including those students who are twice exceptional. Those moments are full of celebration, as often students identified may have been otherwise missed due to anything from social skill difficulties to behavioral dysregulation challenges.
Earning her PsyD in school psychology from the University of Colorado in 2016, Sabrena soaked in her education, practicum, externship, and internship experiences. She has been a devoted attendee at conferences including: the Colorado Society of School Psychologists’ annual conferences; the National Association of School Psychologists’ annual conventions; and the International School Psychology Association’s annual conferences. She thanks her early interest in school psychology to her mother, also a licensed school psychologist in Colorado.
When not working as a school psychologist or private evaluator, Sabrena soaks in time spent with her family. Her husband thrives in nature and teaches her the most interesting facts about the animal kingdom. Her young son keeps her on her toes with his hyperverbal abilities, deep questions, and curiosity of the world around him. Her parents, both educators by training, live in Boulder and add to the love and fun in her family’s downtime. In June 2023, Sabrena is expecting a daughter. This thrills the whole family and Sabrena cannot wait to meet her!
Sabrena feels drawn to the SAGE environment as she considers herself a lifelong learner, looking forward to learning about your child and all the ways they are special and unique. Sabrena enjoys and understands the complexities and nuances involved in the evaluation of gifted children. From being misunderstood, misidentified, to missing important opportunities due to asynchronous development, these children deserve proper identification, intervention, and opportunities to become the fascinating individuals they are. The SAGE Center offers a unique setting to do just that.
School Psychologist and Registered Psychotherapist,
Sacha Mittelman
Sacha Mittelman is a school psychologist in the Boulder Valley School District where she also serves as a Gifted and Talented Advisor. She delights in the process of uncovering the unique features of students’ learning styles through assessment to promote understanding of their strengths and challenges. This helps to set goals, develop compensatory strategies, and to identify the “soft skills” that will allow learners to succeed in life beyond school.
In her work counseling gifted students, Sacha finds there is often no greater burden than potential. Young people are relieved to learn they are not expected to be “the whole package” and there are certain difficulties associated with being gifted. Sacha draws from a quiver of psychoeducational modalities to expand executive functioning skills, increase frustration tolerance, improve interpersonal skills, and to teach effective self-advocacy.
Sacha is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and served as the President of the Colorado Society of School Psychologists. She is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists. In her free time, she developed an iOS app called BehaviorSnap which is used by over 10,000 psychologists worldwide to collect behavioral data through observation.
SAGE Center for Gifted presents Sacha with an opportunity to stoke her enthusiasm for working with gifted and twice exceptional children and their families. The holistic approach of the Sage Center provides a wonderful model for supporting the asynchronous development of gifted children.
Sacha’s idea of a good time is training for ultramarathons such as the Leadville 100 and Run Rabbit Run 100. When she is not spending long hours on the trail, she practices her Spanish, travels the world to see her favorite band in concert, and is devoted to training her kooky rescue mutt. Her favorite pastime of all is coaching middle school cross country as she gets to witness her runners’ camaraderie, confidence, and fitness blossom over the course of the season.
Clinical Psychologist,
Henrietta Pazos, Psy.D.
Dr. Pazos, known as “Hetty”, specializes in testing for ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Developmental Disabilities, and Gifted Identification. She also provides individual and group therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. She has practiced in Denver, CO since 1999. Dr. Pazos is bi-cultural and bi-lingual in English and Spanish. In addition to her work in private practice, she is a professor at the University of Denver, Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) and is the Director of their Latinx Psychology Specialty.
Dr. Pazos received her Doctorate at the University of Denver and completed her internship and post-doc at Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Miami, Florida, with a focus on Behavioral Medicine and Child and Adolescent psychology. She later obtained a certificate in School Psychology and worked in Denver Public Schools for 14 years providing administration over bilingual mental health assessment and intervention services to children and families and more recently in Cherry Creek School District.
Dr. Pazos provides therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults through a cognitive-behavioral and strength-based approach specializing in anxiety and depression. Some groups are focused on anxiety management for twice-exceptional students, anxiety management, and executive functioning skills for students with disabilities and/or ADHD, parenting support and psycho-education on disabilities including autism, ADHD, and Twice-Exceptionality. Dr. Pazos' approach is to provide a non-judgmental and caring space for her clients so that they can reach their highest potential during times of stress or when they are ready to embark on a journey of self-exploration and goal achievement. Lastly, Dr. Pazos also specializes in working with culturally and linguistically diverse clients who are seeking support on stress related to immigration, acculturation and/or racial discrimination.
In addition to testing and therapy services, Dr. Pazos provides in school consultation services, independent educational evaluations for special education, and in school social/emotional/behavioral services, when applicable, on a case-by-case basis. She also provides consultation and training services for medical or pediatric settings, schools, and higher education on topics related to the provision of culturally and linguistically responsive services to Latinx populations. Some topics include, how to provide culturally and linguistically responsive therapy and assessment services, how to effectively use interpreter services, culture-bound mental health symptoms/disorders, language difference versus disorder in special education testing, and the identification and treatment of immigration/acculturation stress.
Hetty comments, “It is my passion and life’s work to uncover the many strengths and talents children have to learn and to be healthy and happy in their lives. Many times children with disabilities receive messages about their limitations, and barriers are usually put up for their families to access the learning environment that will allow their children to truly reach their potential. By providing testing, psychoeducation, and/or therapy, I feel I can provide that bridge of support to families they need as they navigate through their child’s academic and social-emotional journey. SAGE Center for Gifted and Renu’s vision is aligned with my professional beliefs and values and I am honored to be part of such a nurturing and professional environment and team.”
Clinical Psychologist,
Roland Rotz, Ph.D.
SAGE Center, Santa Barbara
Roland Rotz, Ph.D. is a clinical child psychologist and director of the Lifespan Development Center in Carpinteria, California. For over 30 years Dr. Rotz has specialized in providing a full range of diagnostic and clinical services for children. He focuses on appreciating and embracing the complexities of the unique characteristics associated with gifted and twice exceptional children and adults.
To empower the unique strengths of those with ADHD, Dr. Rotz wrote the book, Fidget to Focus; Outwit Your Boredom: Sensory Strategies for Living with ADD.
Dr. Rotz's style in working with the unique needs of gifted children and their families is an especially empathic one, gently flowing with their gifts and their sensitivities. He is a highly experienced clinician with keen expertise and insight in assessing for giftedness, as well as providing insightful guidance on the strengths and needs of gifted children across a developmental spectrum from preschool through adolescence.
Clinical Psychologist,
Mary Squire, Ph.D.
SAGE Center, San Diego
Dr. Squire is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California who specializes in the diagnosis and psychological and neuropsychological assessment of children, adolescents and adults. She has been providing individual and family therapy for over 30 years in the San Diego area.
Dr. Squire received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of California San Diego. She received her Ph.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology-San Diego campus. She obtained an additional year of study from the University of Victoria in British Columbia in the field of human clinical neuropsychology.
She has worked in a wide variety of settings, such as clinics, hospitals, schools and private practice. During that time she also served as a volunteer faculty teacher with the UCSD Department of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, as chief psychologist for Head Start East County, as a clinical supervisor for pre-doctoral psychology interns, as a Board Member of the San Diego Psychological Association, and member of the Ethics committee for SDPA. She has provided expert testimony in child custody disputes.
Her greatest joy and education came from the years she spent raising her two sons and participating in their chess clubs, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, school classroom, band and sports teams for years. She has gained such a vast education from the real classroom of the playground, the sport fields and the band room.
No matter what the reason that brings a child in for assessment, Dr. Squire approaches every child as a whole child who is immersed in his or her family, school and community. To fully understand a child, one must consider all those experiences that affect a child emotionally, socially and cognitively. These influences all contribute to a child’s mosaic of strengths and needs.
A very large part of Dr. Squire’s assessment practice has been to understand those gifted children who may be struggling in school or with friends. Some of these children bear an anxious burden when their intellectual capacity exceeds their emotional one, and these times can cause stress. Sometimes children are having troubles in school or with friends and parents are not aware of their giftedness due to the other circumstances being “noisier” or more obvious. A whole child approach at these times fully illuminates the child’s strengths and needs and treatment plans can be made to help at just the right level.
Dr. Squire is excited and honored to be part of the SAGE Center for Gifted. She welcomes being of help to children and families who seek greater knowledge and understanding of their child. She looks forward to being part of the wide range of SAGE Center team of experts who will work together for the happiness and success of the children and families.
Clinical Psychologist,
Victoria Stevens, Ph.D.
SAGE Center, Los Angeles
Dr. Victoria Stevens is our liaison in the West Los Angeles region, who offers a private psychoanalytic psychotherapy practice for children, adolescents, and adults.
Victoria shares, “Learning, questioning, wondering, mind-wandering, the arts, and reading were all early passions and proclivities of mine, and having been identified very early as a gifted child, I was free to study in many different areas throughout my life.”
Victoria studied ballet and cello from an early age, and added formal training in acting and singing in high school, leading to a career as a performing artist in classical music, jazz singing, musical theatre and theatrical improvisation. She was privately mentored in Jungian psychology and the mythological studies of Joseph Campbell, as well as the work of Hermann Hesse, Nietzsche, and Anais Nin (in person) among others throughout high school and continued on this dual track of the arts and philosophical and literary study through college and beyond.
Experiences professionally and personally in Hollywood, teaching theatre, music and dance in a private high school, and leading personal growth workshops led Victoria to the formal study of psychology. “Specifically I wanted to understand how to manage extreme sensitivity, empathy, sensory, cognitive, and affective overload, perfectionism, and the lifelong experience of alienation. In addition, I wanted to understand the abuse of power in individuals and groups and the effects of interpersonal trauma on children and adults.”
Victoria is a licensed clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, speaker, researcher, and educator. She is the director of the Stevens Creativity, Imagination and Leadership Training based in Los Angeles, California. Victoria holds a BA with honors in philosophy, cello and theatre from the University of Kansas, an MA and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
As part of her graduate work, she studied Child Psychoanalysis and Play Therapy with Rudolf Ekstein and Logotherapy with Viktor Frankl in Vienna. Victoria has an international psychoanalytic certification from the Psychoanalytic Center of California where she was focused on infant observation and child psychoanalysis and was mentored by James Grotstein. Subsequent to her certification and licensure she studied interpersonal affective neurobiology with Allan Schore for 14 years.
In addition, Victoria is an adjunct faculty member of Pacifica Graduate Institute in the Clinical Psychology PsyD and Ph.D. Programs and an Assistant Professor for the Clinical Psychology Program at Antioch University at Santa Barbara where she created and is founding faculty for the Somatic Psychotherapy Certification Program with a focus on Trauma Treatment. She is also a founding faculty member of the California Institute of the Arts Teaching Artist Training Program. She has been a faculty member at a number of institutions: California Institute of the Arts School of Critical Studies, Mount St. Mary’s College, and the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute for Infant and Child Development, as well as Director of Pedagogy, Curriculum, and Research for the Young Musicians Foundation in Los Angeles.
A synthesis of her training and experiences as an artist and teacher with her study of child development and trauma led to her research specialty, which is the study of the development and inhibition of creativity in children and adults. Her work focuses on the relationship between creative thinking, neurobiology, emotional development, affect regulation, trauma, the arts and cognitive processes. In addition to her private psychoanalytic psychotherapy practice where she sees mostly gifted children and adolescents, Victoria consults for various programs, trains teaching artists, and integrates her experience as a classically trained cellist, singer, actress and dancer with her expertise in psychology and pedagogical theory to develop innovative pre-K through 12th grade art education curricula and assessments, teacher training programs, and trainings for mentors who work with foster children, “at-risk” youth and gifted children.
“My work in every area revolves around a holistic view of each unique individual and the facilitation of integration of all aspects of the self to provide a secure internal base from which to develop and express their gifts, find fulfillment in every area of life, and have a personal sense of meaning and purpose.”
“Creativity in my view is much broader than scientific or artistic invention or creation, it involves a way of Being and relating to others and the world. I specifically develop the capacity for an interdisciplinary creative combinatory play that crosses domains and is crucial for situational judgment as well as skills necessary for success in the 21st century. Many call today the “era of the polymath” and none are more suited for this that exceptionally gifted children – however, the current educational system is generally not designed to support the development of their gifts, nor provide the necessary emotional and social skill training that will provide the ability to utilize their gifts to fullest, and protect them from emotional, empathic, sensory, and cognitive overload.”
Victoria states, “The SAGE Center for Gifted is in perfect alignment with my work and vision. I am thrilled to be able to offer my services in the following areas: individualized psychotherapy for gifted students and those gifted students with learning differences; Psychotherapy and Play Therapy for young children; Parent support and consultation; Customized integrative curricula for homeschooled children; Professional Development for teachers; and speaking on gifted education topics.”
Clinical Psychologist,
Jessica Ulmer, PsyD.
SAGE Center, San Diego
Dr. Jessica Ulmer is a licensed clinical psychologist at Psychology 360, a private practice in San Diego, CA. She completed her doctoral degree at La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA in 2016. Throughout her graduate training and beyond, Dr. Jessica has gained extensive experience providing psychological evaluations and psychoeducational evaluations to children and their families to help identify children’s strengths, challenges and identify effective supports. Her diverse training includes assessment, diagnostic clarification, as well as post-doctoral training in eating disorder treatments, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Dr. Jessica also maintains a private practice with a focus on treating adolescents with severe and persistent emotional and behavioral dysregulation.
Jessica grew up in Long Island, New York. She completed her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her predoctoral internship was completed at UC Davis Medical Center with a focus on the treatment and assessment of adolescent and transitional-age youth. Jessica has over six years of experience working as a licensed clinical psychologist in the areas of evaluation, assessment, and psychotherapy. More recently, Jessica completed additional advanced training in dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).
Jessica enjoys hiking, yoga, going to the beach and playing kickball or team sports with her friends. She also enjoys reading, watching true crime documentaries, baking, and attending concerts. Dr. Jessica is thrilled to be working alongside SAGE Center for Gifted to assist children and families in identifying the most helpful supports for the unique needs of their gifted child and we are honored to have her as part of our collaborative team!
Educational Psychologist,
Karen Veinbergs, MS, LEP.
Karen is a licensed bilingual educational psychologist (LEP) with over 20 years of experience working in the public schools and private setting. She has a thorough understanding of psycho-educational and neuropsycho-educational assessment, as well as ample experience working with a broad range of students, spanning from those with exceptional needs through gifted students. As a native Spanish speaker born in Mexico City, she is well-equipped to conduct assessments that take cultural and linguistic diversity into consideration while also considering factors such as acculturation history. Karen uses a strengths-based approach to all her assessments, focusing on a holistic model, identifying and incorporating individual strengths when recommending support and services. She has worked in the public school system in California and Massachusetts for the last 20 years, providing assessment services, counseling students, developing curriculum, facilitating with social emotional/behavior supports, and collaborating with parents and teachers. Karen currently works privately in helping public and private schools with psycho-educational assessments, independent educational evaluations, and consulting with schools and parents to develop strategies tailored to the needs of each individual student. She is currently pursuing a Diplomate in School Neuropsychology to further understand how brain-based behavior principles play a role in learning and educational development.
Karen has been married for 25 years and is the mother of three, ranging from middle school to college age. Being a mother has thought her the true meaning of unconditional love, helped her become a more well-rounded psychologist, and enabled her to recognize each individual child's need from the perspective of being both a parent and a psychologist.
"I am honored to have the opportunity to join the SAGE Center team. SAGE's holistic approach in helping each child realize their full potential by offering supports from a diverse set of experts that collaborate and customized services, is something that is unique and appealing to me. I am so excited to work with Renu and the amazing team at SAGE in helping serve the needs and to help empower gifted children".
Clinical Psychologist,
Emily Brown Werner, Ph.D.
Emily Brown Werner specializes in the assessment of a variety of learning differences, including working with non-traditional learners, children with variable cognitive profiles, gifted learners, those with developmental concerns such as ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Twice Exceptional children.
Dr. Werner attended Washington University in St. Louis as an undergraduate, and received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle. She understands the different kinds of issues that may interfere with classroom performance, social development, mood, emotional regulation, and well-being among gifted children.
Dr. Werner views her role on the Sage team as helping to put the child and his/her family on a path toward healthy development that maximizes strengths and provides support for weaknesses.
“I believe in the right of every child to be supported by adults who are empowered with knowledge and strategies to help them.” – Emily Brown Werner