MICHAEL T. CAROLLA, M.A.,L.M.F.T.

Education

  • 1993 – 1995 Antioch University Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology, MFT emphasis, with special study in psychodiagnostic testing
  • 1986 – 1990 University of Oregon  Bachelors Degree in Education

 Credentials/Licenses/Training

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
  • 80 hour family mediation
  • 30 hour Special Master/Parenting Coordination

Professional Memberships and Service

  • American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
  • Past President AAMFT California Division
  • Family Violence Treatment and Educational Association – Co founder and past president
  • Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
  • Executive Committee for Advisory Council on Domestic Violence for Contra Costa County
  • Executive Director Touchstone Counseling

Conferences/Workshops taught

  • 15 Hour Domestic Violence training
  • Family systems
  • Family violence
  • Using Intimacy rituals in couples therapy
  • Domestic Violence counseling training
  • Working with high conflict couples
  • Working with the angry client, Contra Costa Social Service Employees
  • 16 week County probation approved Anger Management class- ongoing
  • 52 week Domestic Violence treatment program- ongoing, Contra Costa County Certified
  • 8 week parenting class- Mt Diablo Unified School District Adult education

Published Articles

  • Working with High Conflict Couples FAVTEA newsletter, Fall 2003
  • Effectiveness of Couples Therapy with Domestic Violence, AAMFT-Ca, September, 2004
  • Counseling clients accused of abuse in disputed child custody cases – Chapter in Gender Inclusive treatment in Family Violence.

Experience

Executive Director, Therapist
Touchstone Counseling, Pleasant Hill, Ca. 1998 – present
Executive Director. Manage family therapy clinic of 13 licensed and intern therapists. Provide divorce mediation co-parenting mediation and parent/child reunification therapy for private and court referred families. Practice focuses on couples, high conflict couples and families, anger management, anxiety management, and couples with sex offence issues. Developed, implemented, and received Contra Costa County Probation Department approval of Domestic Violence Abused group. Administer Anger Management group for adults and adolescents. Developed first 52 week Child Abuse Treatment Program in Contra Costa County. Instructor for Parenting class for Mt. Diablo Unified S.D. Developed “Families in Transition” program for families going through divorce and the family court system.

Therapist
Gary Center, La Habra, Ca. 1996-1998
Family Therapist for community Mental Health Agency. Responsible for providing therapy to families, couples, and individuals from low income socio-economic group. Therapy issues include couples counseling, Family reunification counseling, physical and sexual abuse survivors counseling, Sex Offender Counseling; drug counseling, family and child counseling. Counseling requires sensitivity to cultural issues that effected therapy. Other activities included developing juvenile diversion program with local school districts and police departments, teaching domestic violence abusers classes, Teaching parenting classes; as well as developing staff development programs for local group and foster homes. Also provide mediation services specializing in family, stepfamily , and adolescent issues, as well as Learning Aptitude Testing for children ages 6-17 years.

Therapist
Institute for Multicultural Counseling and Education, Los Angeles, Ca. 1995-1996
Conducted group therapy in anger management and violence prevention for adolescents attending alternative high schools.

Therapist
Young Horizons for Youth, Long Beach, Ca. 1995
Counseling court referred teens and their parents in a family counseling setting. Client profiles included gang activity, armed assault, drug use, theft, abuse, truancy, and incest survivors. Duties included diagnosis, psycho diagnostic testing, personal and family counseling with Latino, Anglo, and African American clients, as well as frequent contact with parole officers and school officials.

Teacher
93rd Street Elementary, Los Angeles, Ca. 1992-1996
Taught sixth grade (two years) and third grade (one year) bilingual classes in all areas of curriculum. This South Central Los Angeles population required knowledge in Multicultural issues and an ability to work with the challenges that families from a low socio- economic status can bring. Duties included communication and education of/with Spanish speaking parents and students as well as African American students and parents.

Teacher
Patterson Unified School District, Grayson Elementary School, Westley, Ca. 1990-1992
Taught first/second combination bilingual class as well as taught and worked with student’s parents in this Central Valley migrant camp.

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