Nancy Ezra, Ph.D.

Former Curriculum Director
Faculty Emeritus

Education

Ph.D. Clinical Child Psychology, Graduate Center for Child Development and Psychotherapy, Los Angeles, California
M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy, Phillips Graduate Institute, Encino, California
M.A. Educational Psychology Early Childhood Education, California State University Northridge, Northridge, California

cERTIFICATES

Endorsed National Trainer, Child Parent Psychotherapy, Child Trauma Research Program, University of California San Francisco, date
 
Infant-Family & Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, Reflective Practice Facilitator Mentor, California Center for Infant-Family & Early Childhood Mental Health, WestEd Center for Prevention & Early Intervention, 2011
 
Infant Mental Health Training Course, The Early Childhood Center Foundation, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Beverly Hills, CA, 2003

Profile

Nancy Ezra, Ph.D. has been assisting young children and their families for more than 35 years as an educator, clinician, supervisor, and program director.  Dr. Ezra has provided clinical services and supervision in Community Mental Health Agencies throughout Los Angeles. She provides direct services and training to professionals in Early Childhood Mental Health and develops and facilitates parent groups.  Dr Ezra developed a year-long specialty training curriculum in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and has taught clinical staff, psychology interns, students and fellows in APA and CAPIC accredited programs for the past 20 years.

Current Research Interests​

• Attachment Theory
• Child Welfare
• Infant and Early Childhood Trauma                              
• Neurobiology
• Prevention and Early Intervention
• Reactive Attachment Disorder
• Treatment Interventions for Children and their Families

ExpertisE

Dr. Ezra has expertise in the neurobiological impact of trauma in utero, infancy, and early childhood.  To overcome the detrimental effects of early traumatic experiences, she integrates research with these trauma treatment interventions:

• Infant and Early Childhood Development & Mental Health Treatment
• Child Parent Psychotherapy 
• Preschool Mental Health Consultation
• Core Competencies in Early Childhood Mental Health (Los Angeles Department of Mental Health requirements)
• Therapeutic preschool programs

Academic Appointments

• ​Reiss-Davis Graduate School, Director of Curriculum Development and Faculty Liaison, Core Faculty, Psy.D. Program in Psychodynamic Child Psychology and Psychotherapy 2017-present
•  Reiss-Davis Graduate Center for Child Development and Psychotherapy, Los Angeles, CA
• Faculty, Clinical Child Psychology Doctoral Program, 2007 – present
• Reiss-Davis Child Study Center and Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 2009 - present
• Faculty, Clinical Psychology Fellow Training Program and Consultant
•  Antioch University, Culver City, CA, 2016 to present
• Adjunct Faculty, Clinical Master's Degree Program, Child & Family Specialization
• Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Children’s Institute International, APA Psychology Intern Faculty, Early Childhood Track, 2012-2016
• California State University, Northridge
• Faculty Member, Early Childhood Education Department, 1994 –1995

​Private Practice Specializations

• Child Parent Psychotherapy
• Play Therapy
• Therapeutic Parent/Child Groups
• Parent Psychotherapy
• Adolescents
•  Adults

Pre- and post-doctoral training

• Postdoctoral Psychology Fellowship 2012-2016. Children’s Institute, International, Los Angeles CA. Supervisors Cynthia Thompson-Randell, Ph.D. and George Bermudez, Ph.D.
• Marriage and Family Internship 1996 – 1997.  California Family Counseling Center, Encino, California, Clinical Child Training Program. Supervisor Dr. Carolyn Cunningham, clinician and author pertaining to treatment of children having experienced sexual and physical abuse.
• Trauma-focused Assessment and Treatment [an APA accredited program] 1997 – 1998. San Fernando Valley Child Guidance Clinic, Family Stress Center, North Hills, California. Supervisor Judith Schvartz.
• Child Development Specialist Internship 1993. Cedars-Sinai Thalians Mental Health Center, The Early Childhood Center, Beverly Hills, CA.  Therapeutic Interventions for Parent/Toddler and   Mother/Infant Groups including telephone counseling for Parent Warm Line. Supervisors Selma Semmelman, Barbara Kingsley, Phillis Kaplan, Helen Reid.

Membership in organizations / societies

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• California Association of Marriage and    Family Therapists (CAMFT)
• Infant Development Association (IDA)
• Association for Child Development Specialists (ACDS)
• International Child Abuse Network (ICAN)
• San Fernando Valley Child Abuse Council
• Zero To Three National Association

Conference presentations

• "Regulation Theory and Neurobiology of Psychopathogenesis" Panel presentation with  Allen Shore, Ph.D., Nancy Ezra, Ph.D., M.F.T,     Ann Nesbit, Ph.D.,  Jane Wheatley-Crosbie, M.S.W.. California Psychological Association Convention.  San Francisco, CA (2006)