CURRICULUM VITAE

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SPECIALTIES:   Grief, loss issues, dissociation, depression, trauma, and spiritual issues. Trauma includes sexual assault, incest, violence, combat, and religious abuse. 

Clinical orientation: Psychodynamic with an emphasis on interpersonal process which is informed by Attachment Theory and Existentialism. 

Clinical experience: Individual, family, couple, and group therapy with adults, teens, and young children. Risk assessments. Parenting groups. Grief groups. 

Overview of patients treated: Age 1 - 104; bereaved; terminally ill, mentally ill, developmentally disabled, addicted, deaf, and gifted.  

Overview of issues treated:  Grief, loss issues, trauma, dissociation, Dissociative Identity D/O (formerly Multiple Personalities Disorder), Combat PTSD,   Bi-polar D/O, OCD, anxiety, Panic D/O, phobias, domestic violence, rape, gang rape, incest, ritual sexual abuse, childhood abuse, teen pregnancy, abortion, miscarriage, alcohol/drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, dementia, chronic depression, chronic illness, terminal illness, sexual orientation,erotic minorities, encopresis, enuresis, attachment issues, spiritual abuse by clergy, religious abuse, earthly reconciliation, spiritual disintegration, and issues of the chronically mentally ill. Military rape, Military widow/ widower. Bereavement.

DEGREES

Ph.D.   Pastoral Ministry with emphasis on Interfaith Pastoral Counseling

                          Summa Cum Laude
                          Newburgh Theological Seminary 2007
 Dissertation: "Pastoral Counseling and Chaplaincy in Interfaith Settings"  

M.A.   Psychology with emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy
                         California Graduate Institute  2006
                         Qualifying degree for licensure as a Marriage & Family Therapist 

M.S.  Counseling Psychology with specialization in Loss Issues & Bereavement
                         Greenwich University  2001
                         U.S. Equivalency credentials evaluation by International Research Foundation, Inc.
 Thesis: "Clinical Perspectives and Reflections on the Interface Among Psychotherapy,     
                         Spirituality and Chaplaincy in Working with Dying Patients and their Families" 

B.S.    Professional Studies with emphasis on Adult Learning
                         Greenwich University 1999
                         U.S. Equivalency credentials evaluation by International Research Foundation, Inc.
 Senior Paper:"Contemporary American Public School Education: Its role and what it produces"

PROFESSIONAL LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS 

MFT     Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist             9/09 State of California
 Lic #MFC 47627  Under the name: Gwen A. Finestone  (Inactive status, as of 7/25/2020) 

CT       Certified in Thanatology: Death, Dying and Bereavement

            Certified January 2006   Association for Death Education and Counseling

            Recertified 2014 - 2016

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

2020     Hecht Trauma Institute
             Founder and CEO
             Costa Mesa, Ca.

2020     President Emeritus

             California Southern University
             Costa Mesa, Ca.  

2016    University President
            California Southern University, a regionally accredited senior university
            Costa Mesa, Ca.  

2009    Marriage & Family Therapist

            Founder and Executive Director, The House of Ruach: a California NPO  501(c)3

            Psychotherapy and hypnosis for psychological and spiritual issues. 
            Adults, teens, children; individual, couples’ and group therapy. 

2006    Marriage & Family Therapist

            Living Success Center, Costa Mesa, CA                         

            Population: Low-income individuals, couples, and families.

            Individual, group, couples’, and family therapy for adults, children, and teens.  
            Parenting classes for court-ordered patients and self-referred patients.  
            Parent Educator; Bereavement Counselor & Educator. 

2005    Therapist

            Women’s Transitional Living Center, Fullerton, CA                  

            Population: Domestic violence victims (female) and their children.

            Parenting education classes, group therapy, and individual therapy. 

2004    Bereavement Counselor & Chaplain

            Odyssey Home Hospice, Garden Grove, CA                   

            Population: Terminally ill patients, their families, children, caregivers, hospice staff.

            Bereavement counseling and pastoral counseling. Spiritual care evaluations.
            In-service training for hospice and nursing facilities staff (per Medi-Cal regs). 
            Funerals and memorials. 

2002    Foster Family Therapist

            Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services, Long Beach, CA            

            Population: Foster children age 1-17 years, foster parents, siblings, and bio-families.

            Child and adult individual psychotherapy, loss counseling, family and conjoint  therapies, parenting
            education, and psychoeducational interventions. 

            Advanced court-ordered reunification, psychiatric evaluations, and I.E.P. process.
            Psychological and behavioral assessments, treatment plans, and Court-ordered narrative reports. 

2000    Bereavement Therapist & Chaplain

            Wells House Hospice, CA                                        

            Population: Terminally ill patients, their families, children, caregivers, hospice staff.            

            Individual psychotherapy, grief counseling, family therapy, and pastoral counseling. Bereavement risk 
            assessments and spiritual assessments; staff tutorials and professional development seminars; 

            psychoeducational materials.

            Medi-cal and Medi-care quality assurance compliance. 

            Funerals/memorial services. 

2000    Psychiatric Therapist  (Psychodynamic) & Sexual Assault Specialist

            La Casa Mental Health Rehabilitation Ctr., Long Beach, CA        

            Population: Locked facility. Chronically mentally ill, incl dual-diagnosed and Developmentally Disabled.

            Individual therapy for higher-functioning clients; group therapy. Mental health assessments and risk 
            assessments.
            Liaison among Regional Center, case managers, conservators, County social workers, and patients’
            families. 

1999    Writer/Researcher, Research Associates, Culver City, CA

            Clients: mental health professionals, educators, clergy, university deans, corporate business  execs.

            Literature and book reviews, and research papers on psychology, religion, volunteerism education.  

1993    Director, CHOICES, a gang-avoidance program for at-risk middle-school girls.  
            Greater Long Beach Girl Scout Council.  

1976     Lecturer: Sexual Assault, Southern California               

1976     Hypnotherapist, Private practice.   

1976     Family Planning Counselor, Phoenix Family Medical Clinic, Long Beach, CA   
 

1976     Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Victim-Witness Advocate

             Rape Hotline of Long Beach, Inc., California