Areas of Expertise
Dr. McKenna provides treatment to individuals dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties and other challenges, and she is a trained and experienced couple and family therapist. She has practiced EMD/R since 1989, and in addition to helping individuals recover from PTSD, she is also able to help clients and their family and friends best understand and manage the symptoms of post-trauma. Her other areas of expertise include adoption (both adoptees and adoptive parents), launching teens/young adults, assisting families after incest, and dealing with illness, injury and loss.
Private Practice
Dr. McKenna's private practice is focused on helping her clients create optimal health, happiness and success by achieving greater clarity and balance, mastering enhanced stress-management strategies, and releasing negative experiences. She is pleased to be able to tailor her treatment to her client's unique needs. Although she typically schedules appointments on weekday evenings, it is possible to arrange a weekend appointment when necessary.
Work Experience
Dr. McKenna is the Family Therapist for the Polytrauma System of Care at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. She is also the Co-Director of the VA Palo Alto's Family Therapy Training Program where she provides education and live-supervision to Interns and Postdoctoral Fellows. Previously she was a Behavioral Medicine Specialist at the Kaiser Santa Clara Medical Center for 10 years, where she also served as a Communication Consultant, coaching physicians and other clinicians on effective patient-provider interactions. Prior experience includes working with both homeless and incarcerated veterans, troubled children and teens, and college students. Dr. McKenna teaches classes, presents workshops, and facilitates groups in various areas including PTSD, parenting, stress management, and communication.
Education
Dr. McKenna received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (now Palo Alto University). She earned a M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge University. Dr. McKenna completed her Predoctoral Internship at the University of Virginia Counseling Center, and did her Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Kaiser Santa Clara Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Department. She also attained certification in many areas including Hospice, Adoption, EMD/R (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), The Solution Method, Behavioral Medicine, CIRT (Critical Incident Response Team), "Prepare for Surgery Heal Faster", and trained with Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.
