Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D LMFT?

Dr. Aimee Vadnais, Psy.D LMFT

Psychologist

10531 4S Commons Drive #166, #670 San Diego CA, 92127 Show map

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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

Mon:09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Tue:09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Wed:09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Thu:09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Fri:09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Sat:Closed
Sun:Closed

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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.