Ari Oklan, PhD

I am a licensed clinical psychologist working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in my Oakland private practice.  I also work at Through the Looking Glass, a community mental health clinic in Berkeley, which specializes in providing home-visiting services to children, parents, and families with disabilities.  As a Bay Area local, I am committed to serving my community and find my work deeply rewarding.

I graduated from the California School of Professional Psychology, San Francisco, with a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and completed my undergraduate studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies.  I was fortunate to obtain well-rounded training that integrated clinical work with research and assessment.  Expertise in these complementary modes of practice puts me in the unique position to support you in multiple ways, and understand strengths and needs from diverse perspectives.  I can also provide advocacy related to educational assessment, accommodations, and accessing resources, and discuss relevant research findings so you can be an informed consumer.

I have trained at a number of dedicated community mental health, hospital, and school-based clinics serving a wide range of clients across the lifespan.  I obtained specialized training working with infants and parents at the UCSF San Francisco General Hospital Infant-Parent Program, conducted in-depth developmental assessments for children age 1–8 at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, Autism Spectrum Disorder Center, and provided bedside support for young children with cancer at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland.  I have expertise helping families with a range of disabilities, including learning differences; developmental, cognitive, physical, and neurological disabilities; and chronic medical illness.  I focus on providing respectful and empowering support that is informed by disability culture and community.
 
I have also worked extensively with adolescents.  I provided therapy at an Oakland middle school (Psychological Services Center), at UCSF San Francisco General Hospital Child and Adolescent Services, and was an Educationally Related Mental Health Services Assessor for Alameda County, evaluating whether therapeutic services should be included in adolescents’ Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).  I have also worked at Community Schools with alternative education high school students, and a number of families with adopted children.

Besides working with parents, I have provided services to many adults in various settings, including veterans and civilians with PTSD at the San Francisco VA, new mothers previously in foster care (Foster Youth Study), and adults with Schizophrenia and other major mental health challenges at Rubicon Programs in Richmond.

This diverse range of clinical experiences has given me a comprehensive understanding of how we adapt to adversity, survive, and cultivate resilience at different periods of our life.

A complete curriculum vitae, can be found here: