(She/Her/HErs)
Co-Director, Founder, Therapist
Hope Harris-Black, LCSW-C is an accomplished child and family therapist with more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field working in a variety of settings and with various populations. Ms. Harris-Black is the director of our PEERS® social skills program and our Young Adult Transition Program. She is passionate about her work with adolescents – encouraging their psychological growth and self-understanding, building effective communication and social skills, and supporting successful transitions to adulthood. She also appreciates the challenges faced by families who are raising neurodiverse children with complex social challenges and self-regulatory difficulties and understands that the entire family system is impacted by an autism spectrum and related disorders diagnosis. She believes it is important to not only treat the individual, but to provide treatment and support for the family as a whole; as such, she provides individual therapy to adolescents including those with Asperger’s and high functioning autism spectrum disorder, works with parents and siblings, and facilitates support groups for parents and siblings of individuals on the autism spectrum. She also enjoys working with individuals, parents, and couples who struggle with parenting challenges, relationship issues, adjustment issues, anxiety, depression, stress management, grief, self-esteem, motivation, and fitting in socially.
Ms. Harris-Black is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Social Work where she concentrated on clinical work with families, adolescents and children. She has an eclectic and dynamic approach to treatment intervention that utilizes current research and evidence-based techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, insight-oriented therapy, family systems therapy, child centered play therapy, and mindfulness and relaxation techniques. She is committed to helping individuals draw out their strengths, grow psychologically and have fulfilling relationships. Ms. Harris-Black works collaboratively with her clients from a strengths-based approach to empower them to overcome obstacles and reach their potential. Her therapeutic approach is to provide a safe, nurturing, supportive, non-judgmental and respectful positive therapeutic environment while also providing structure and focus to identify and achieve goals that foster growth and change.
