Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D LMFT?
Update this Profile
Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D LMFT, Marriage & Family Therapist
We verify the medical license of each FindaTopDoc Verified Doctor to ensure that their license is active and they are in good medical standing.

Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D LMFT

Psychologist

10531 4S Commons Drive #166, #670 San Diego CA, 92127
Write A Review

About

Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D, LMFT is a top Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in San Diego, CA. She has been in practice in San Diego since 2003.  Her passion is helping people improve their relationships and families using an attachment-focused lens in therapy that promotes healthier connections, greater bonding, and improved understanding.  Through evidenced-based theories such as Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, Dr. Vadnais helps individuals discover more life fullfillment, teens and adolescents figure out their identity and place in the world, and relationships thrive with improved communication, greater empathy, and helpful communication and listening tools.  She assists families find better ways of understanding and relating, as well as a path to help those stuck in past traumas work through them so they can productively move forward in life with greater empowerment.  Her strengths-based and solution focused interventions provide a positive direction forward to help clients feel more fulfilled and with greater purpose.  

Dr. Vadnais is certified in EMDR, has advanced training in Gottman Method, levels 1,2,3, and Emotionally Focused Therapy, and is a Prepare/Enrich Counselor for premarital and marital counseling.  She also provides comprehensive Psychoeducational Evaluations for children and adolescents.

In addition to being a therapist, Dr. Vadnais has been a full-time professor in the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy at Azusa Pacific University, San Diego campus for 16 years.  She teaches numerous graduate classes and mentors students who are studying to become marriage and family therapists.  She is also an AAMFT-Approved Supervisor Candidate and provides supervision to MFT trainees and associates who are in the process of becoming licensed.  Her most recent venture is partnering with a local private high school to provide therapy to its students and speaking engagements on social/emotional issues to its parents and teachers.

Her areas of specialties include working with clients with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, phobias, OCD, life transitions, grief and loss, and stress, as well as women with infertility issues and pre-and-post natal issues.  She provides parenting education and works with children (ages 9+) and teens/adolescents who are struggling with ADHD, self-esteem issues, bullying, sensory issues, and school difficulties. Dr. Vadnais regularly works with couples who are in distress, have sexual/intimacy concerns, affairs, or stage of life concerns, with the goal at creating increased understanding through improved communication, greater bonding, and improved trust and safety.  She provides therapy for both traditional and non-traditional relationships and is LGBTQIA+ affirming.  She used trauma-infomed CBT and EMDR with clients who experience trauma or PTSD.

Dr. Vadnais practices in person and via telehealth in San Diego, as well as via telehealth all over California.  While her expertise in the field is evident, her most effective asset is her ability to provide a comfortable, non-judgmental, supportive, and safe space where clients can discuss difficult topics, gain insight, and let go of past hurts and current roadblocks.  She is a prime example of a true leader in the mental health field.

When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, lunches with friends, spa days, traveling, Broadway shows, skiing, and playing tennis.  She supports the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and legislation efforts that work to improve the access to and quality of mental health services to all.

Education and Training

Pepperdine University BA, Psychology 1998

University of San Diego MA, Marriage & Family Therapy 2000

Alliant International Univ. Psy.D, Clinical Psychology/MFT 2005

Board Certification

Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

AAMFT approved candidate supervisor

Provider Details

Female English

Areas of expertise and specialization

Individuals, Relationships, Families, AdolescentsTrauma (Certified in EMDR and Trauma Informed CBT)Gottman Method (Levels 1, 2, 3) couples therapyAdvanced Training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and familiesPrepare/Enrich Counselor for Premarital and Marital CounselingAttachment Theory, Injuries, Parentingdepression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, anxiety, infertilityproviding individual, marital, family, child, adolescent, and group therapy

Faculty Titles & Positions

  • Associate Professor Azusa Pacific University, San Diego Regional Campus 2008 - Present
  • Program Director Azusa Pacific University's San Diego Regional Campus -
  • Co-Owner Evolve Therapy San Diego -
  • Adjunct Professor University of San Diego -
  • Professor Azusa Pacific University, San Diego Campus -

Awards

  • Best of California Doctors (Excellence in Psychology) 2024 Best in California Magazine 

Professional Memberships

  • AAMFT  
  • CAMFT  
  • APA  
  • International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)  

Charities and Philanthropic Endeavors

  • Junior League of San Diego
  • National Alliance on Mental Health (San Diego)

Internships

  • pre-doctoral internship at Scripps Clinic Division of Mental Health, where she provided counseling

Fellowships

  • post doctral Alvarado Parkway Institute,

Professional Society Memberships

  • APA, AAMFT, SDPA

What do you attribute your success to?

  • - Being empathetic.- Being a good listener.- Establishing trust with clients.

Areas of research

Positive Psychology, Attachment Theory, Emotional Intelligence, Sensory Processing, Adolescents and Suicide Prevention

Dissertation: The Effects of Emotional Intelligence on Marital Satisfaction

Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D LMFT's Practice location

Evolve Therapy San Diego

10531 4S Commons Drive #166, #670 -
San Diego, CA 92127
Get Direction
New patients: 619-289-8010, 619-736-1998
619-736-1998
www.evolvetherapysandiego.com

Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D LMFT's reviews

(0)
Write Review

Media Releases

Program Director at Azusa Pacific University's San Diego Regional Campus and Renowned Clinician in Private Practice

Dr. Vadnais, a Co-Owner of Evolve Therapy San Diego, stands out as a highly respected Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with an impressive career spanning over two decades.

With a wealth of experience working with clients ranging from 4 to 94 years old, she has honed her skills in various settings, including outpatient programs and intensive day treatment hospital programs. Her expertise extends to addressing a wide range of psychological issues, such as depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, anxiety, infertility, and more. Dr. Vadnais is known for her specialization in providing individual, marital, family, child, adolescent, and group therapy, utilizing evidence-based techniques to promote healing and growth.

In regards to her educational background, Dr. Vadnais double majored in Psychology and Public Relations at Pepperdine University, before obtaining a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego, and earning a Doctoral Degree (Psy.D) in Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University.

Committed to offering comprehensive care, she collaborates with psychiatrists and medical doctors to ensure her clients receive the best possible treatment. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in attachment theory and strengths-based, solution-focused techniques, providing a warm and empathetic environment for clients to explore their challenges and develop coping skills.

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Vadnais is actively involved in training the next generation of therapists. As an AAMFT approved candidate supervisor, she provides supervision to MFT trainees and interns, guiding them towards becoming licensed therapists. She has also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Diego and is currently a Professor at Azusa Pacific University, San Diego Campus, where she imparts her expertise in various psychology and therapy-related courses.

Dr. Vadnais' dedication to her clients' well-being, coupled with her extensive experience and commitment to ongoing education, makes her a trusted and sought-after therapist in the San Diego community. With a focus on promoting positive change and growth, she continues to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those she serves.

Recommended Articles

  • What are the Signs and Symptoms of Laryngitis?

    Laryngitis is the inflammation of voice cords in the voice box, in other words, it is the inflammation of the larynx. A larynx is an organ that resembles a tube and is located in the trachea (windpipe). The Adam’s apple is the protrusion of the larynx in the throat.Laryngitis is the swelling of...

  • What Is Lower Blepharoplasty?

    Blepharoplasty is a procedure whose aim is to reconstruct the upper or lower part of the eyelids. The procedure concentrates on the lower areas below eyes to reduce the eye bags caused by the excess skin. Through blepharoplasty, the extra skin is repositioned or removed, extra fat removed or added,...

  • Lupus Patients Respond Well to Yogurt Bacteria

    The future of lupus treatments may be related to the effect of certain bacteria in bodies with lupus.It is really easy to picture the landscape of a dozen yogurt containers at the bottom of the fridge, perfectly placed, ready to be eaten at any given time of the day. Yogurt is surely one of the most...

  • Sniff Tests May Provide Early Testing for Alzheimer’s

    Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease which can start a decade before symptoms allow for an easy diagnosis. While genetic factors and other risks can be examined to determine whether or not an individual is at high risk of developing Alzheimer’s, so far there is no good way to...

  • The Best Anti-Aging Tips

    Experts in the field of anti-aging believe that it is never too late to start the anti-aging essentials. Although it is not very obvious, the skin actually starts aging by mid-20's. The major factors that really make a difference for the killing looks are genes, daily skin routine, and sun...

  • Using Simulation Training to Improve Nurses' Recognition of Clinical Deterioration

    Characteristics of simulation trainingSimulation training has been used over the years by different assessment centers, teachers, schools, and the like. It is much more preferred than classroom-based instructions in terms of providing a more experiential or situational-type of learning. Studies have...

Nearby Providers

See all nearby providers