California Clinical Staff
(800) 698-9317
PSYCHOLOGISTS
Lesley Davis, L.M.F.T., Psy.D.
Treatment Issues: Anxiety, Body Image Concerns, Child/Adolescent Issues, Depression, Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating, Marital/Premarital, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Psychological Testing, Sexual Abuse
Education and Training: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Arizona, 1999. Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, Vanguard University, 2001. Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, 2006. Doctorate of Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary, 2007. Licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist since March 2006.
Background Experience: Dr. Davis worked at Azusa Pacific University and completed her internship at the University of Idaho where she worked with sexual abuse, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and body image/self-esteem issues. She also worked at the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency of Long Beach for one year and treated adults molested as children, sexual assault, and crisis clients ages 14-65. She also worked for three years at Children and Youth Services of Orange County as a therapist for children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Davis has also had training in the areas of psychological testing and assessment.
Special Interests and Services: Dr. Davis works with children as young as three years, adolescents, and adults for a variety of issues. Her therapy style is interactive and creative-based in-depth psychology where in sight into the self is explored and a safe environment is created to foster and nurture growth and change. Dr. Davis enjoys using play therapy with children and enjoys adding creative art therapy techniques as well. Biofeedback and relaxation training are also options she can add to the therapeutic experience.
Additional Information: Dr. Davis' dissertation was entitled Spirituality and self-Objectification and Body Image Dissatisfaction in College Aged Women. She is very sensitive to the issues of developing young women under the pressures of perfectionism. She is also seeking certification in Expressive Art Therapy to use in conjunction with her clinical psychology skills. Dr. Davis is open to helping both women and men heal from abusive backgrounds.
Kyle D. Pontius, Ph.D.
Treatment Issues: Anxiety, Autism, Child Psychology,
Depression, Diagnostic Assessment, Families with Special Needs, Gestalt
Therapy, Neuropsychology, Personal Performance, Relationship Skills,
Education and Training: Master's degree in Marriage and Family
Therapy from California State University. Seminary degree from Talbot
Theological Seminary, Biola University. Ph.D. in Psychology from
United States International University in San Diego. Dr. Pontius
completed post-graduate psychotherapy training at the Gestalt Therapy
Institute of Los Angeles and training in neuropsychological assessment
with the Reitan Neuropsychological Laboratory and United States
International University.
Background and Experience: Dr. Pontius has been on
the adjunct faculty of the Department of Graduate Psychology at Azusa
Pacific University and in the Department of Psychology at Concordia
University.
Special Interests and Services: Working for a variety of
clientele, Dr. Pontius has a special interest in the diagnostic
assessment and treatment of individuals and families affected by
autistic spectrum disorders. He offers individual, couple, and family
psychotherapy; behavioral consultation to parents and schools;
psychological, education, and neuropsychological assessment of children
and adults; and parenting education for special needs and high risk
children and adolescents.
Additional Information: As the parent of an adolescent boy with
autism, Dr. Pontius has an interest in working with others who
experience the same and similar life challenges.
COUNSELORS
Christy Demetriades, M.S.
Treatment Issues: Abuse (emotional, fiduciary, physical, spiritual & sexual), Addictions, Anxiety, Attachment, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Depression, Depth Psychotherapy, Eating Disorders, Ethnic Minorities, Parenting Issues, Perfectionism, Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD), Premarital/Marital, Substance Abuse/Dependence, Social Anxiety Disorder, Spiritual Grown, Women's Issues
Education and Training: B.S. in Exercise Sports Science from Vanguard University, 1999. M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Vanguard University, 2005. Christy is completing her doctoral dissertation, working towards her PhD at The California Graduate School of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Background and Experience: Christy has worked in a variety of settings conducting therapy for children, adolescents and adults. She has worked with children as young as three years of age conducting play therapy, art therapy and parent education. She has mentored teachers to reduce the stigma of mental illness and assisted in creating an environment conducive to learning for the child. She worked in a psychiatric hospital where she helped acute, persistent and chronically ill psychiatric patients who were emotionally unstable and violent find healthier ways of managing their mental illness and encouraged medication compliance. Her vast experience also includes working as a Primary Therapist in a residential inpatient rehabilitation center where she treated dual diagnosis/chemically dependent patients and eating disordered patients and families. There, she conducted individual, couples, group, family, and multifamily group sessions. Additionally, Christy taught the following didactic courses: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Self-Esteem; Vocational Group; and facilitated in Equine Therapy; Rock-climbing; Psychodrama and Recreation.
Special Interests and Services: Christy describes her therapy style as insight-oriented, psychoanalytic and relational. She is sought after for her work with addictions, eating disorders, relational issues, anxiety, depression, perfectionism, trauma, women’s issues, and personal and spiritual growth.
Additional Information: Christy is a part of Care Ministries at Mariners Church in Irvine. She volunteers her time every week in the Anxiety and Depression Support group and helps facilitate group sessions. She has also been a guest speaker at Mariners Church and has spoken on how our thoughts affect our mood. She has provided several inpatient training workshops for therapists and addiction counselors in several local addiction treatment centers. Christy’s gentle, compassionate approach helps people immediately feel at ease. Her unique God-given ability to have a balance of insight, connection and empathy gives her clients the safety and courage to do the work they need to do to heal. Christy is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA); Christian Association of Psychological Studies (CAPS); California Psychological Association (CPA); California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT); and Orange County Psychological Association (OCPA).
Joanne (Joey) Paynter, I.M.F.
Treatment Issues: Anxiety, Child/Adolescent Issues, Depression, Personal Performance, Post-traumatic Stress (PTSD), Relational Skills, Sexual Abuse, Women's Issues
Education and Training: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, James Madison University in Virginia, 2000. Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, Vanguard University, 2008. Currently a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern at the Meier Clinics in California. (License #57269)
Background and Experience: Joey worked in South Africa providing therapeutic services to refugees and orphans, ran support groups for those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and ran groups for at-risk children struggling with sexual abuse and domestic violence. Joey also worked for South Coast Children's Society as a group home therapist for adolescents, 11-17 years old, with various issues. She has worked in a variety of therapeutic settings with children as young as 6 years old, adolescents, and adults for a variety of counseling concerns.
Special Interests and Services: Joey works with children as young as six years old as well as adolescents and adults. Her therapy style incorporates interactive self-reflection, cognitive behavioral, insight-oriented, as well as play therapy, depending on the client. Creative art therapy is also used if beneficial for the client. The importance is that the client has a safe environment to explore and process feelings in order for growth and change to occur.
Additional Information: Joey has had her photography published in a book entitled A Voice for Life and has also created a 30-day devotional book on gender base injustice issues which has been distributed worldwide and translated into six languages. Her work in this area has given her exposure to injustice issues all over the world, including genocide, female genital mutilation, infanticide, rape, sexual abuse, prostitution, slavery, and victims of HIV/AIDS. This has allowed Joey to work in a multicultural context. She worked in the mission field for four years overseas with a focus in training/empowering young men and women to discover their potential.
