About Dr. Cole
I have been a Clinical Psychologist since 1980, although as an adolescent and young adult I did not expect to work in this profession. I graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a degree in Political Science in 1968 in preparation for law school. It was during my service in the United States Army, during the Vietnam War when I worked as a psychology specialist, that I discovered that I had a natural drawing towards this field. I returned to school and earned a Doctorate in Child and Family Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in 1978.
Throughout my professional career, I have maintained a private practice in Ventura County and have developed two areas of specialty: services for the individual and services for the family.
Assistance to the individuals include: cognitive and behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy to treat anxiety, depression, phobias, addictive disorders and stress related disorders. In this capacity, I have served as Director of the Ventura County Suicide Prevention Program and Director of Rehabilitation Psychology at St. John's Regional Medical Center. I have also been an attending physician at Anacapa By The Sea, an in-patient substance abuse facility in Port Hueneme.
Assistance to families includes Family and Couple's Therapy. In 1975 I was co-founder of the Parenting Center, a psycho-educational resource for parents in Camarillo. In 1983 while working at St. John's Regional Medical Center I also founded the Stroke Group, a support program for patients and their families post CVA. In 1996 I completed advanced training as an Imago Relationship Therapist and became an Imago Couples Workshop Presenter.
Since the late 80s, I have been involved in Family Law and have worked as a Custody Evaluator, Special Master, Court-Appointed Therapist and Family Mediator. I have been a member of Collaborative Family Law Professionals of Ventura County since 2001 and served as president of the group in 2008.
Outside the office I have enjoyed being a soccer coach, a referee with AYSO and hiking the sierras.
