About Dr. McCarthy

Dr. Anna McCarthy completed her BA in psychology (graduating cum laude) and MA in psychology (graduating summa cum laude) at CSULB. Dr. McCarthy completed her PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Houston. She engaged in clinical training at Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. Dr. McCarthy completed post-doctoral certifications in Cognitive Processing Therapy (an empirically supported treatment for PTSD, endorsed by the National Center for PTSD), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (a mindfulness-based empirically supported treatment for depression) and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (an empirically supported treatment for relationship issues). Dr. McCarthy has extensive experience working with victims of trauma (childhood, interpersonal, sexual, combat, natural disasters etc.) and has worked in residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities, as well as working as the program director of the Mindful Healing Outpatient Program. Her work with an alcohol dependent trauma victim was featured on the Emmy award-winning TV show “Intervention.” Dr. McCarthy spent many years working as a staff psychologist at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System where she and a colleague developed a three part orientation program for Veterans seeking psychological services that reduced wait time for services, helped Veterans obtain the specific services they needed, and prepared them to make the most of mental health services available to them. While at the VA she also worked as supervisor of “The Anxiety, Depression and Relationship Issues Clinic.” Dr. McCarthy has spent the last ten years operating a private practice in Newport Beach, California, where she has provided services to individuals, couples and families presenting with a wide range of treatment issues, and provided case management services to patients needing adjunct support. In addition to her private practice, Dr. McCarthy is the co-founder and clinical director of The Mental Health Collective, a comprehensive, integrative, evidenced-based residential treatment program designed to assist individuals with complex primary mental health issues, who are in need of a higher level of care. Dr. McCarthy has presented numerous workshops has been invited to speak about psychological issues to wide range of audiences (including many professional groups, residential treatment programs, other mental health providers, and as an expert panelist on a PBS documentary). She is also the advisory board chair for the Orange County chapter of StandUp For Kids, a national non-profit organization, with a mission to end child homelessness in the United States.