Mental Health Experts Providing Emotional Support to Older Adults with Respect and Compassion
Susan D. Bedrosian, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Sue Bedrosian began working with older adults in 1995 after becoming a part of a hospice team. Over the next 20 years, she developed a deep respect for her clients and their families while counseling them as they faced the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of this life phase. This experience honed her skills as she helped others face multiple challenges in their lives.
Sue brings these encounters and experiences into her clinical work along with a heartfelt compassion for older adults and the obstacles they may face. Her admiration is fueled by their great courage, grace and determination.
"Live a good life. And in the end, It's not the years in a life, it's the life in the years"
-Abraham Lincoln
Dr. Kanita Allen, MFT,PsyD,
Clinical Director
Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Allen is the clinical director and owner of Peace of Mind
Psychological Services. She is a licensed psychologist in the state of California. Dr. Allen has been practicing in the field of psychology for over 18 years. She received her doctorate degree from CSPP-California State. She was the 2009 Susan Hickman Research Award recipient.
Psychological Services. She is a licensed psychologist in the state of California. Dr. Allen has been practicing in the field of psychology for over 18 years. She received her doctorate degree from CSPP-California State. She was the 2009 Susan Hickman Research Award recipient.
Dr. Allen is dedicated to providing quality mental health services to older adults and feels honored to do the work that she does. She continues to focus on education that is specifically applicable to working with the aging population and their families. Dr Allen continues to work with older adults sruggling with dementia, depression, anxiety, grief, bipolar disorder and other diagnosis. She focuses her continued education on the assessment and treatment of those families and patients afflicted with cognitive impairment. She earned her certificate in applying neuroscience to multiple disorders and is an affiliate member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.Dr. Allen is also a Evergreen Certified Dementia Care Specialist (ECDCS).
When Dr. Allen isn't doing the clinical work that she enjoys, she balances life by spending quality time with her husband and three children.
"Look for something positive in each day. Even if some days you have to look harder. Let the challenges make you strong"
-Unknown
Katherine Claxton, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Katherine Claxton studied social work at Baylor University and the University of Texas at Austin. She joins our team with over 14 years of counseling and hospice experience and is a licensed clinical social worker. Her passion for older adults began during an internship while in college, and she has pursued a career serving this population since that time.
Her knowledge of grief and loss issues allows her to effectively walk alongside senior adults to help them as they cope with the multiple conflicts that may come with age.
In her free time, Katherine enjoys going to baseball games to cheer on the Angels and spending time with her husband and two children.
"What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Meet The Team
Susana Alvarez, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Susana is a clinical social worker who recieved her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California. Her passion for working with older adults began during her internship providing mental health services to homebound seniors. Susana pursued her love and dedication for this clientele by working in hospice care for 8 years.
These experiences have given her a deep understanding and knowledge of issues that many people may struggle with such as anxiety, depression, adjustment issues, grief/bereavement, and multiple life transitions. Susana is committed to helping her clients navigate through overwhelming issues that can present during the later stage of life.
In her free time, Susana enjoys spending quality time with her husband and 2 children.
"We must each lead a way of life with self-awareness and compassion, to do as much as we can. Then, whatever happens we will have no regrets."
- Dalai Lama
Sally Morris, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Sally Morris is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked in the field of mental health, specifically with older adults, since graduating from the University of California Los Angeles in 1998. She received her Master’s in Social Welfare and developed a passion for working with seniors during her undergraduate work at UCI while she studied at the School of Social Ecology in Psychology and Social Behavior.
For the past 14 years, Sally has worked with older adults and their families in both the community and in an inpatient psychiatric setting. The richness that she experiences in working with this population comes from sharing their journey and endeavoring to empower them to recognize their value and many strengths that they have to continue living life fully.
”If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion
-Dalai Lama
Denise Harkless, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Denise Harkless is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in social work from California State University Long Beach. During a hospice internship, Denise began working with the older adult community. This experience fueled her love to serve older adults and she has worked passionately in hospice for the last 9 years.
Her knowledge on how to help older adults positively adapt to life’s transitions enables her to competently serve this population with compassion and respect. Denise strongly believes that older adults are resilient and can take control of their lives in ways that lead to greater personal fulfillment.
In her free time, Denise enjoys spending time with her husband and 1 child.
" The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart."
- Helen Keller
Sharon Lucas, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Sharon received her BA in psychology from Stanford University and her MSW from USC. She has been working in healthcare in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and home health since 1980. She was a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator for 10 years in two separate specialty care facilities one of which she founded specifically as an inpatient hospice for AIDs patients. She has worked the majority of her career in hospice and palliative care and also had a part time private practice specializing in working with patients experiencing grief from loss of a loved one.
Her passion for senior care started during her tenure as a nursing home administrator and grew through her many years in hospice and palliative care. Her background as an administrator and clinician gives her a deep understanding and compassion for the special challenges that can impact aging, illness and living outside the home. She is committed to helping people heal emotionally and spiritually and transition to a more peaceful place in their lives.
Sharon also enjoys the international college students she hosts in her home who attend local colleges and walking the trails with her dog.
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Lucy Stafford-Lewis, LMFT
Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
— Maya Angelou
— Maya Angelou
Lucy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, with her undergraduate degree from UCLA, and her master’s in psychology from Pepperdine University. Over the last 15 years, she has worked with Hospital, and Hospice and Palliative care programs as a Chaplain, and has had a private practice with families and individuals coping with life’s transitions. Through these experiences, Lucy has developed a deep appreciation for the importance of having someone to listen and guide us through the difficult times of life.
Lucy is also an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church and has served churches for the first half of her career, moving into Family Therapy as her children entered High School. She has lived overseas and worked with those from many different cultures, and appreciates the unique and diverse experience each client brings to therapy.
Now, she continues to enjoy spending time with family, traveling the world, and hiking with her two big dogs.