Head Line

Richard Blackford, PhD, received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Fuller Graduate School of Psychology (1989), an American Psychological Association (APA)-approved program. He also completed two APA-approved internships, including one as chief intern at the West Los Angeles VA/UCLA Medical Center—the largest psychiatric facility in the world.  He also received training and research experience at USC Medical Center. He is licensed in California and Pennsylvania, and began his practice in 1989.

Clients of Dr. Blackford appreciate his approach to therapy, where his unique insights on depression, anxiety, panic, and relational issues have often been described as “life changing.” Clients often return to share how their therapy experiences  have affected them. Others return periodically to refresh what they learned to prepare for the next level of mental and emotional growth.

Dr. Blackford also has expertise in medication management, helping clients resolve issues arising from medications. He will work with you and your physician to address undesirable medication side effects and interactions, or may recommend an alternative medication.

Dr. Blackford also holds a seminary degree and enjoys helping his clients on their path to spiritual development and discovery. He has published and presented in numerous professional settings.

Christine Doolittle, RDN, is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, board certified specialist in sports dietetics. She specializes in nutrition therapy for eating disorders, sports nutrition, weight management, disease management, and food allergies and sensitivities.

Christine’s experience includes more than 20 years of individual and group counseling in private practice, as well as public speaking. Her career has included working in hospitals, corporate wellness facilities, sports science and cardiac rehab clinics, college teaching, and private practice counseling offices.

She entered the field of nutrition as a competitive athlete who recognized the vital connection between nutrition and performance improvement. This led her to pursue a nutrition degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1985) and to complete a Master’s of Science degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (1988), specializing in sports nutrition. This specialty ultimately led to her passion of eating disorders training.

Today, Christine counsels a variety of patients—from children to adults—with various nutrition needs and concerns. She implements many integrative and functional nutritional therapies to improve mental health, women’s hormonal health issues, PCOS, gastrointestinal issues, adrenal fatigue, and autism spectrum disorders.

As a certified Lifestyle Eating and Performance (LEAP) therapist, she is trained to work with the patented blood test called MRT (Mediator Release Test). This test combines a patient’s test results with their medical history to customize an effective elimination diet. Test results enable her to identify specific food sensitivities you may have, for the management of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and migraines, among others. Learn more about the Mediator Release Test (MRT) by clicking here.

Christine’s nutrition therapy is based on the non-diet approach, focusing on cognitive and behavior modification that can include lifestyle, body image, and exercise. She teaches you how to nourish your body to meet personal health, fitness, and weight goals and how to foster a positive, enjoyable relationship with food.  Her patients appreciate her safe and nurturing approach to treatment that allows them to explore their attitudes about food and weight.