WHO WE ARE
Founder and President
Judith Zucker Anderson, Ph.D.
Dr. Anderson is a well-respected clinical psychologist and teacher, specializing in couples & family therapy with a practice in Irvine and Laguna Beach. For more than fourteen years, she has been a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCI College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, training and supervising Residents and Child Fellows. She was recently chosen as the Outstanding Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinical Faculty of the Year. She has also been an Adjunct Professor at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), where she taught Advanced Couples Therapy. A recognized expert on divorce and blended families, she lectures to parent groups and treats remarried families at all stages.
Dr. Anderson is a graduate of Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and CSPP. She has received intensive postgraduate training in couples and family therapy from the Couples Institute, Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, Georgetown Family Center, and a two-year internship at the National Institute of Mental Health. She has also had advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT).
Website: www.drjudithanderson.com
Advisory Board
Ellyn Bader, Ph.D.
Dr Bader is an internationally recognized expert in couples therapy and contemporary relationships, as well as the co-founder of The Couples Institute in Menlo Park. Ellyn co-created “The Developmental Model,” which has deeply influenced the therapeutic world and is currently used in more than 60 countries. It is taught by many graduate programs using her award-winning textbook In Quest of the Mythical Mate, which has been reprinted more than 20 times. Formerly a clinical faculty member at Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry, for the past twenty five years she has conducted professional training programs in couples therapy in the US, Europe, South America, and Australia. Another book, for the general public, Tell Me No Lies, helps couples recognize the essential ingredients in flourishing marriages. She is also a sought-after expert commentator on relationships for the media.
In her spare time, she finds great meaning in traveling to Kenya in support of Village Impact, which helps build schools and establish counseling programs in refugee communities for traumatized children and families.
Website: https://www.couplesinstitute.com
Jessica Borelli, Ph.D.
Dr. Borelli is a Professor and Associate Director of Clinical Training within the Department of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on the links between close relationships, emotions, health and development with a particular focus on risk for anxiety and depression. Her work is interested in harnessing relationship science to develop interventions to improve well-being especially for parent-child relationships and children’s mental health. She has published more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and her work has been funded by the CDC, NIH and private foundations.
Dr. Borelli is passionate about finding ways to help families build on their strengths, and has spent the past 7 years working with low-income Latine families. She has been honored by the American Psychological Association for her work with children and families and communities.
Dr. Borelli has written two books for the general public as accessible resources for parents. Nature Meets Nurture: Science Based Strategies for Raising Resilient Kids with the latest science on parenting and biology. Relational Savoring: Using Guided Reflection to Strengthen Relationships and Improve Outcomes in Therapy which offers a brief intervention strategy for parents grounded in attachment theory and positive psychology.
Website: https://www.drjessicaborelli.com/
Joshua Coleman, Ph.D.
Dr. Coleman is a clinical psychologist and a Senior Fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families, a non-partisan organization of leading sociologists, historians, psychologists and demographers dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best practice findings about today’s American families. He is a leading expert for his work on family estrangement and parental alienation—why it happens and how to heal the conflict.
He is the co-editor, along with historian Stephanie Coontz of seven online volumes of Unconventional Wisdom: News You Can Use, a compendium of noteworthy research on the contemporary family, gender, sexuality, poverty, and work-family issues.
His best known books for the public include: The Rules of Estrangement; The Marriage Makeover: Finding Happiness in Imperfect Harmony; The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework; When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along.
He is frequently consulted by the media to address cultural changes creating a big increase in adult children cutting off family ties. He has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, The Washington Post, NBC THINK, The Behavioral Scientist, CNN, etc.
Ira Poll, Ph.D., Psy.D.
Dr. Poll is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Irvine, CA. She has been in private practice for the last 25 years, specializing in work with couples, trauma and PTSD patients, as well as dissociative and mood disorders. Dr. Poll is also certified as a psychoanalyst and is on faculty at the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and the Newport Psychoanalytic Institute. A gifted teacher, she is an instructor in the treatment of trauma as well as contemporary psychoanalytic theoretical issues. She is a training and supervising psychoanalyst.
In Memoriam
Susan Johnson, Ed.D.
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Sue Johnson on April 23, 2024. Dr. Johnson was a beloved teacher, therapist, author, and the pioneering innovator of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Her remarkable contributions have left an indelible mark on the field of therapy and the lives of countless individuals, couples, and families worldwide. World-renowned psychologist, best selling author, professor, researcher, creator of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples/families, and finally Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals [EFIT ]. Sue was also the recipient of various awards and was most proud of receiving the Order of Canada from her adopted country.
Sue was passionate about her work, loved teaching, and treasured her students. She was also a cherished friend whose warmth and wisdom profoundly touched all who knew her. Her books for the public which translated her clinical work were huge best sellers, Hold Me Tight and Love Sense, which made the human needs for attachment and interdependence into understandable concepts challenging the Western focus on individualism.
The Foundation was so privileged to have her on our Advisory Board for so many years. Her unwavering support and sound advice for our continuing education programs, especially in the early years, was invaluable and will be greatly missed.
