Erin Hoganson, MA, LEP
LICENSED EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Phone: 805.651.3226
Email: ehoganson@empiretcs.net
Erin has been working with children and families since 2000. She started her career working with children who were severely impacted by their disabilities as a Para-educator and Special Education Teacher and transitioned to working with both general education and special education students in 2008 as a School Psychologist. Having worked as both a Special Education Teacher and School Psychologist, Erin understands how to navigate the educational system in a way that is student focused in order to identify supports for many difficulties that students today face including: academic intervention, anxiety, anger management, behavior, social skills, emotional regulation, impulse control and motivation. Erin has extensive experience in conducting psycho-educational assessments and providing valuable information to families & educational teams that include supports and interventions for both general education and special education students. She has knowledge in the areas of anxiety, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, emotional disabilities, intellectual disabilities and other health issues that may affect learning. Erin has experience in working with children who have significant behavior difficulties and helping find solutions for their families and teachers. Erin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University Channel Islands and a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from Azusa Pacific University.
Kristi Grizard, MSW, LCSW #99979
LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
Phone: 805.262.7913
Email: kgrizard@empiretcs.net
Kristi provides a nurturing and supportive therapeutic environment for her clients, in which they can feel comfortable sharing what they are going through with a focus on providing guidance, establishing safety and promoting self-empowerment. Kristi has experience working with a range of children that encounter various challenges such as autism, developmental disabilities, ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and selective mutism. In her therapy sessions, she practices various treatment methods tailored to fit the needs and goals of her clients. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Mindfulness. Her clinical experience includes 3 years of working in the schools (k-12), where she provided individual and group counseling sessions. Additionally, Kristi worked at a child development center for 2 years, providing behavioral therapy to children with a range of developmental disabilities. Kristi worked in a community-based mental health outpatient facility, where she worked in multiple intensive family-based programs, a suicide hotline and co-facilitated a substance abuse program. Kristi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California Lutheran University, a Masters in Social Work from California State University Northridge.
Lucia Shanahan, LCSW #71907
LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
Phone: 805.626.8720
Email: lshanahan@empiretcs.net
Lucia began her career working in the Child Welfare System in 2004 and has experience helping children and families struggling with substance abuse, poverty, child abuse and neglect and navigating the foster care/adoption system. In 2021 Lucia began working with children as a school-based therapist addressing challenges related to ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, and time management. Lucia believes strongly in giving children a voice and a providing a safe space to express themselves. Her approach is client and family centered, focusing on evidence based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Lucia has therapeutic interests in the areas of mindfulness, parenting and family issues, child and adolescent development and clinical areas of anxiety, depression, substance abuse and trauma. Lucia holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Oregon in Psychology and Family & Human Services and a Masters degree in Social Work from California State University, Chico.
Paige Stoker, AMFT #115057
ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST
Phone: 424.209.2543
Email: pstoker@empiretcs.net
Paige started her career in 2016 as co-director of a non-profit organization, the Big Smiles Program, that utilizes art to benefit children who are in the hospital. While running the Big Smiles Program, she attended San Diego State University for her undergraduate degree in Psychology. After, she received her Master’s Degree in Marriage & Family Therapy with an emphasis in Art Therapy at Phillips Graduate University. While attaining her Master’s Degree, Paige worked at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) to assist patients and families in exploring the thoughts and feelings related to hospitalization and illness. Since graduating, Paige has worked for Empire since 2019 and has focused on working with children and their families. When appropriate, she utilizes art therapy in sessions to help clients better understand concepts, as well as to expand their knowledge and understanding of their inner thoughts and feelings. Paige aims to create a safe and supportive therapeutic environment for all of her clients. She believes in working collaboratively with the client’s family members and she utilizes each client’s strengths and goals to personalize the therapeutic approach.
Supervised by Wesley Coultas, LMFT #90932
Brooke Jacks, MS, AMFT #120131
ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST
Phone: 323.486.3351
Email: bjacks@empiretcs.net
Brooke has always had a passion for helping children and began her career working in a school based early intervention program. Here, she helped support families and their children in managing challenging behaviors including aggression, attachment and separation, socialization, anxiety, and depression. Brooke continued her training and career working at CSUCI in conjunction with the Coalition for Family Harmony where she helped support and educate students who have experienced sexual, domestic or interpersonal violence. Her current involvement in school based settings with Empire Therapy & Family Services focuses on treating children with various social emotional difficulties. She enjoys working with families as a system and helping parents gain a deeper understanding of their children and learning how to communicate and interact with them in meaningful ways. Brooke believes in creating a safe and empathetic foundation for the therapeutic process and utilizes various treatment methods throughout her sessions with the goal of the client in mind. Brooke received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in counseling and social change from San Diego State University, and her Masters Degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy from Pepperdine University.
Supervised by Wesley Coultas, LMFT #90932
Leana Gutierrez, MA, AMFT #123536
ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST
Phone: 805.991.2351
Email: lgutierrez@empiretcs.net
Leana Gutierrez (she/her) is a proud first generation, born and raised in Santa Barbara, California after her families immigrated from Mexico and Colombia. After attending local community college in Santa Barbara, Leana transferred to Orange County where she garnered two Bachelor degrees with Honors in Psychology with a Specialization in Multicultural Studies from University of California, Irvine and completed her Masters in Clinical Psychology with the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2020. Leana’s passion for POC/LGBTQ+/Social Justice carries through experiences working in a wide variety of settings including inpatient and outpatient residential services for severally mentally ill adults, at risk youth placement, transition age youth facilities, community mental health youth and most recently working in public high schools in Ventura. Leana is a certified self-defense instructor with long-term goals of integrating self-defense training into the local high schools. Leana's therapeutic passion is focusing on integration of intersecting identities and political/social issues that arise in all families, use of Bowenian and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with somatic body work including art-based interventions and play.
Supervised by Kimberly Prendergast, LMFT #37448
Sandra Aguilera-Cruz, MA, APCC #9168
ASSOCIATE PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL COUNSELOR
Phone: 805.774.0049
Email: saguilera-cruz@empiretcs.net
Sandra began her career in 2010 working with children and families at a non-profit organization providing behavioral services to children with severe behavior concerns and parent training across multiple settings (school, home, in the community, group homes, and shelters). During this time, Sandra developed and implemented skills and interventions to best provide support to families facing poverty, child abuse, neglect, anxiety, depression, self-injurious behaviors, substance abuse and help families with preserving placement. In 2018 Sandra transitioned to work in the social welfare system and worked closely with foster youth/foster families & adoptive families. Sandra began to work as a school-based therapist with children in 2022. She addresses challenges with Autism, ADHD, specific learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, and executive functioning skills. She understands the importance of creating a safe space, implementing a client centered approach, and utilizing interventions tailored for clients to empower themselves. Sandra received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Social Work from California State University Northridge and her Masters Degree in Educational Counseling with a Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPS) and emphasis in School and Family Based Counseling (SFBC) from University of La Verne.
Supervised by Kimberly Prendergast, LMFT #37448