Clinical and Forensic Psychologist.
I have spent over 20 years in the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders in individual and group therapy, and criminal and civil law. My experience ranges from mild life adjustments to severe and persistent mental health struggles. 50% of my practice focuses on evidence-based clinical intervention for trauma. 50% of my practice is focused on civil litigation and personal injury, assessing the validity and truthfulness and post-injury emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning.
If interested in forensic consultation, assessment, or testimony, please contact me directly for more information, or through Leslie Dobson, BS, MS, MA, PsyD Expert Witness - SEAK, Inc. (seakexperts.com)
Watch Dr. Dobson on LinkedIn: “How to Stay Motivated and Confident while Job Hunting”
Dr. Leslie Dobson
M.S., M.A., Psy.D
Autobiography
The following will be a part of my autobiography next year, after my book "The Friend Cleanse" is published:
I grew up with a prison around me, and I placed the external world in a prison to protect myself. Once I realized this as an adult, I broke through the prison walls and I feel free. I am excited about living my life without restraints or walls. I am truly able to say that I feel authentic, present, and self-aware.
I hope more than anything that my client's never feel unlovable, helpless, or hopeless. I want my clients to feel strength in their confidence. I want to instill self-esteem and teach resiliency.
I chose to write this book because I wanted to show my journey to anyone that could benefit. I want everyone to see that with great pain comes amazing clarity and empowerment, an ability to cleanly and confidently control your life and those who are within it. You can control how people impact you and the realistic, grounded vision of how you will interact with the world. There are genuinely toxic people in this world, but they do not have to bleed into you. They do not get to suck you dry, like an energy vampire. You have the ability to set physical and emotional boundaries around you, and you can decide on when you care, and how much you care ... or if you don’t care at all.
Please, do not live your life in a prison. Don’t put others in a prison. Learn to trust and know that you have the capacity within you to be as tough as a prison wall, while still being free flowing with your energy and your emotions, and able to connect with others.
Meet the Expert!
Curriculum Vitae
Leslie Ann V. Dobson, M.S., M.A., Psy.D., PSY 26538
▪ 714-914-9006 ▪ ▪
▪ 5855 E. Naples Plaza, Suite 300, Long Beach, CA 90803 ▪
Summary of Forensic Experience
Criminal:
Expert Testimony Cases: 4; Mentally Disordered Offenders
Consultation with attorneys: Over 65 cases from Department of State Hospitals
Violence Risk Assessments: Over 1000 Short Term Risk Assessments, <50 Long Term Violence Risk Assessments, > 20 Sexual Violence Risk Assessments
Main Disorders Assessed and/or Treated: Schizophrenia, Psychopathy, Bipolar, Depression, OCD, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder
Familiarity with Penal Codes: Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity, Incompetent to Stand Trial, Mentally Ill Inmate, Mentally Disordered Offender, Sexually Violent Predator
Crimes Assessed and/or Treated: Murder (decapitation, shooting, stabbing, cannibalism, mass murder, serial killing, murder for hire), Serial Rape, Pedophilia, Exhibitionism, Crimes against the White House, Attempted Assassination of a President, Great Bodily Injury, Stalking
Fellowship: High Risk Sexual Offenders Risk Assessment Recidivism
Civil:
Certificate of Merit (last 4 years): Over 2000 evaluations and reports, 340.1
Expert Psychological Injury Evaluations (last 4 years): 25
Education
Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) with Concentration in Forensics – 2012.
Loma Linda University, CaliforniaMaster of Arts in Clinical Psychology – 2009.
Loma Linda University, CaliforniaMaster of Science in Psychodynamic Psychology- 2006.
University of London, England.Bachelor of Science in Psychology - 2001.
Colorado State University, Colorado.
Clinical And Teaching Positions
February 2020 – present
Dr. Dobson, Clinical and Forensic Psychology Private Practice, Long Beach, CA
Criminal and Civil Psychological Evaluations, Certificates of Merit, Damage Assessments, and Expert Testimony of child sexual assault and trauma (religious, clergy abuse, school, trauma) for private law firms
Therapy for general mental health and trauma
Threat Assessment and Management Planning
Pro Bono consultation and therapy for infant sleep training, fertility, post-partum
September 2022 – present
The Dobson Cook Wellness Foundation, Long Beach, CA
Founder; offering free mental health treatment and wellness services based on donation
January 2022 – present
Premier 1st Responder, Long Beach, CA
Critical Incident Response and Debriefing for Fire and Police Departments
Individual and group therapy for first responders and families
Peer Support Training Specialist
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Processing (CPT)
October 2019 – July 2021
UCLA Health Teaching, Training, and Supervision
Sept 2018 – July 2021
Staff Psychologist at VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Duties: Disruptive Behavior Committee (violence threat assessment); Suicide Prevention Crisis Line; Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program (i.e., severe mental illness and substance use; developed program, defined caseload, hired staff, used VA qualitative analytics); Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis and Insomnia; Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (treatment and program development, aligning with national joint commission, data analysis, quality management, writing standards of practice, forming templates for electronic health system, program audits.
March 2017 – Sept 2018
Forensic Psychology Lecturer at California Polytechnic University – San Luis Obispo
Duties: Lecturer for Forensic Psychology undergraduate course with approximately 60 students. Course consists of an overview of forensic psychology, discussion of evidence-based treatment for severe mental illness, legal definitions of insanity, criminal responsibility, diminished capacity, incompetent to stand trial, mental disordered offenders, sexually violent predators, and not guilty by reason of insanity. In addition, course discusses case law and statutes that impact forensic psychology.
May 2013 – July 2018
Staff Psychologist at Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero
Duties: Admission assessments (i.e., cognitive testing, chart review, interview, admission report, diagnosis, treatment planning, individual and group therapy), suicide and violence risk assessments (i.e., SRA, START, PCL-R), short-term individual and group therapy, behavior plans, outpatient liaison with collaterals and attorneys. Long-term treatment unit comprised of individuals held pursuant to PC 1026, 2962 and 2972 primarily. Individual and 6-8 hours of group therapy weekly, psychological assessments, behavior plans, risk assessment, internship committee selection, intern training, subpoena and testimony.
Sept 2012 – May 2013
Psychological Fellowship at Sharper Future
Setting: Forensic Outpatient Probation and Parole Agency
Population: Adult, male and female, ages 18-90+.
Major Duties: Individual therapy, group therapy, and both sexual and violent risk assessments for state parole or federal probation (i.e., High Risk Sex Offenders or Probationers). Formal Sex Offense Risk Assessments comprised of actuarial and static sex offender measures. Liaison with parole, probation, attorneys, state housing facilities.
Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CASOMB; CA Sex Offender Management Board) – 01/01/2013-present
July 2011 – July 2012
Psychological Internship at Saint Elizabeths Hospital
Setting: Civil and Forensic Inpatient Public Psychiatric Hospital
Population: Adult, serious mental illness, male and female, ages 18-90+.
Major Duties: District of Columbia Superior Court House, administering competency screeners and full competency evaluations to pre-trial defendants, criminal responsibility evaluations. Psychological and risk assessments, including cognitive, personality, neuropsychological, competency, insanity and malingering. Individual and group therapy, and psychological evaluations. Attendance at trials for crimes against the White House.
Supervision Experience
August 2018 – June 2021
Staff Psychologist Supervisor and Didactic Leader
Duties: Supervision and didactics for UCLA psychiatry residents.
May 2013 – July 2018
Staff Psychologist Supervisor at Atascadero State Hospital Internship Program
Duties: Supervision of psychology intern on admissions unit, long-term treatment, individual therapy, and internship committee decisions. Training on psychological and cognitive assessment, interviewing, therapy, behavior plans, professionalism, interdisciplinary team interactions, editing assessment reports and therapy notes.
May 2010 – 2011
Pre-Intern Supervisor at Behavioral Health Institute
Duties: Supervision for first year clinical doctoral students. Supervising individual psychotherapy cases with diagnoses ranging from mild to moderate psychopathology. Includes providing feedback, intervention suggestions, theoretical case conceptualizations, critiquing student videos, and editing intake reports.
Jan. 2010 – June 2011
Therapy supervisor and teaching assistant
Duties: Prepare and provide class lectures, as well as provide supervision for doctoral students. Included providing live feedback, direction, explanation of theory, and case conceptualization.
Prior training experiences available upon request.
Media And Publications
The Psychology of Motivation, Product League, CA – 2023
Thriving As An Introvert: Dr Leslie Dobson On How Introverts Can Thrive & Succeed In A Society That Seems To Favor Extroverts | by Yitzi Weiner | Authority Magazine | Sep, 2023 | Medium
Presentation - American Group Psychotherapy Conference, San Francisco, CA - 2014
Publications in Peer Reviewed Journals
Dobson L., Burley T., Cook W., & Haerech P. (2014) Gestalt Group Therapy for Incarcerated Schizophrenia. GROUP, (1) 2014.
Cook W., Arechiga A., Dobson L., and Boyd K. (2014) Brief Heterogeneous Inpatient Psychotherapy Groups: A Process-oriented Psychoeducational (POP) Model. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, April, 64(2).
Cook W., and Dobson, L. (2014) Brief Inpatient Group Programming or Therapy? Towards a POP Model for the RAPID Group. A Rejoinder. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy. April, 64(2).
Cook, W., and Dobson, L. (2014) A response to Walter Stone’s False Self. GROUP, Winter, 2014.
Stinnett, R., Burley, T., Barrera, K., Dobson, L., Cook, W. (2015) “Schizophrenia” Part III: A Gestalt Analysis and Critique of Cultural and Family Variables. Gestalt Review, 19(1).
Burley, T., Stinnett, R., Goldsmith, S., Barrera, K., Dobson, L. (2015) “Schizophrenia” Part IV: A Gestalt Conceptualization for Treating the Schizophrenic Patient. Gestalt Review, 19(1).
Dobson, L., Burley, T., Cook, W., Haerich, P. (2015) “Schizophrenia” Part V: A Gestalt Approach to Group Treatment of Incarcerated Schizophrenic Patients. Gestalt Review, 19(1).
Psychopathy research in progress: (1) Psychopathy and crime classification: the relationship between increased levels of psychopathy and crime classifications; (2) White collar crime: an analysis of psychopathy and entrepreneurials (in progress)
Clinical Instrument Experience
Abel Assessment
American National Reading Test
Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scales
Beck Anxiety Inventory
Beck Depression Inventory
Beck Youth Inventories
Behavior Assessment Scales for Children
Boston Naming Test
BVMT
California Verbal Learning Test
California Verbal Learning Test for Children
CAMS Suicide Assessment
CAPS-5 - PTSD
Columbia Suicide Screener
Conners’ Continuous Performance Test
Conners’ Third Edition – Short Form
Controlled Oral Word Association Test (FAS, animals)
Comprehensive Suicide Risk Assessment (CSRE)
Delis Kaplan Executive Function Scale
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Geriatric Depression Scale
Halstead-Reitan Neuropsych. Battery
HCR-20 3
High Risk Sex Offender Assessment
House Tree Person
Independent Living Scales
Judgment of Line Orientation
LS-CMI
Luria-Nebraska Neuropsych. Battery
Mental Status Exam
MicroCog
Mini Mental Status Exam
Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test
Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory- 3
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2
MoCA
Neuropsych. Assessment Battery (NAB)
Outcomes Questionnaire 45.2
Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
Personality Assessment Inventory
Psychopathy Checklist- Revised
Repeatable Battery for Assess. of Neuro. Status
Revised NEO Personality Inventory
Rey-15 Item Test
RIAS
RIST
Risk, Need, Responsivity
Robert's Apperception Test for Children
Rorschach Inkblot
Saint Louis University Mental Status Exam
Sixteen Personality Factor
SRAFV-L
Static 99 and 99R
Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms
START short-term risk assessment
Test of Memory and Malingering
Trail Making Test A & B
Trauma Symptoms Inventory - 2
Thematic Apperception Test
Victoria Symptoms Validity Test
VRAG
Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 3
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 4
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test 2
Wechsler Memory Scale - III
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test
Word Memory Test (Greens)
Professional Organizations/journals
Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP)
American Psychological Association (APA)
American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS)
California Psychological Association (CPA)
Los Angeles County Psychological Association (LACPA)
International Professionals of Innovation
Seak Experts (SEAK)
Training And Conferences Attended
2023 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
2023 AAFP: Assessing Allegations of Trauma in Forensic Contexts, Dr. Pietz, PhD, ABPP, Palo Alto University, CA
2023 Psychological Evaluation in Personal Injury and Rights Cases, Palo Alto University, CA
2022 Gavin de Becker Threat Assessment Conference, Lake Arrowhead, CA
2022 Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, Orlando, FL
2020 Firearms and Weapons, Long Beach, CA
2020 Telehealth, Los Angeles, CA
2019 CAMS Suicide Assessment, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Substance Use Disorders, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Disruptive Behavior, Los Angeles, CA
2017 START Risk Assessment Training, Atascadero, CA
2016 HCR-20, Static-99 Training, Coalinga, CA
2016 TEDx, Santa Barbara, CA
2015 Psychopharmacology, Atascadero, CA
2014-2016 Supervision Theory and Practice, Atascadero, CA