Mona Navarro, Ph.D.

Mona Navarro, Ph.D.

Direct Phone (310) 863-6979

Dr. Navarro received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Southern California, with a specialization in children, adolescents, and families. As a developmental psychopathologist, her education focused on how cognitive/neuro factors influenced the developing brain.  In her clinical work, Dr. Navarro utilizes bio-psycho-social models of intervention when working with adolescents and adults.  Her internship was at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in Adolescent Medicine. Dr. Navarro completed a two year postdoctoral fellowship in the Stress and Mood Program at UCLA and then became the director of the Youth Depression & Suicide Program.  She oversaw a number of research grants and a drug trial on SSRIs for treatment resistant depression.  These research experiences then implemented a family focused and in-home treatment program combining techniques from cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT), and Multisystemic Therapy (MST), to target teen suicide.

Dr. Navarro has also been a clinical instructor in the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA Semel Institute and Hospital.  She also taught and supervised psychiatry residents in the administration of cognitive behavioral therapy for children and their families.  In addition, Dr. Navarro was also an adjunct professor in the department of psychology at both UCLA, USC, CSULA, CSUN, and Santa Monica College.  She taught Introduction to Psychology, Abnormal psychology, Neuropsychology, Statistics, and Child Development.

Dr. Navarro’s research and treatment interests include working in the area of emotional/behavioral dysregulation, anxiety, depression, substance use, ADHD, NLD, various medical conditions (e.g. IBS, Chrons , Diabetes) and other family based issues. She has conducted research and coauthored several studies in the areas of childhood depression & anxiety, PTSD, substance use, and ethnic identity.  In addition, Dr. Navarro conducts training seminars on how to implement evidence based protocols when treating adolescents, gang youth, and their families.  Parent Training and Contingency Management are areas of training Dr. Navarro provides to her families.