Business Details
Your Mental Health & Therapy Experts in Pasadena
At the The Center For Connection, we are dedicated to helping individuals and families discover joy and meaning through meaningful relationships. Our interdisciplinary team of experts in psychology, social work, pediatrics, and neurobiology employs a connection-based model grounded in interpersonal neurobiology. We provide multidisciplinary support that prioritizes relational health, aiming to help clients grow and thrive. Our collaborative approach integrates diverse fields to reduce stress and improve care quality. We emphasize understanding the 'why' behind behaviors through neurobiological frameworks, celebrating neurodiversity and promoting self-regulation.Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion ensures a welcoming environment for all. We offer specialized services for neurodivergent individuals and those with learning differences. Our team meets weekly to refine our integrated approach, combining cutting-edge research with practical application. We focus on whole-person care rather than mere symptom management. Our mission extends beyond individual treatment to transforming lives through deeper understanding of brain-mind-relationships dynamics.
Services
Mental Health Services
Child Psychotherapy
Family Psychotherapy
Educational Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy
Parent Support
Play Therapy
Neuropsychological Assessments
Telehealth Services
Highlights and features
- We offer a multidisciplinary team approach with weekly professional collaboration
- Our services integrate interpersonal neurobiology research with clinical practice
- We specialize in neurodiversity-affirming assessments and therapies
- Our team includes authors of internationally recognized child development resources
- We maintain a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all services
Services
Mental Health Services
Our mental health services employ evidence-based practices to address emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges. We offer individual and family therapy sessions that integrate interpersonal neurobiology principles. Our clinicians work with clients across the lifespan to develop personalized treatment plans that promote emotional regulation and relational health. By examining how brain development interacts with personal experiences, we help clients build resilience and improve their quality of life through therapeutic relationships.
Neuropsychological Assessments
Our comprehensive assessments examine cognitive, emotional, and neurodevelopmental functioning across the lifespan. Using a neurodiversity-affirming approach, we evaluate learning profiles, attention patterns, and processing styles. The assessment process includes detailed feedback sessions and personalized recommendations for home, school, and workplace environments. We specialize in identifying learning differences, autism spectrum profiles, and ADHD while emphasizing each individual's unique strengths and support needs.
Educational Therapy
Our educational therapy services address learning differences and academic challenges through individualized interventions. We help students develop executive functioning skills, improve academic performance, and build confidence. Our therapists collaborate with families and schools to create supportive learning environments. We specialize in working with neurodivergent learners, including those with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders, using multimodal teaching approaches tailored to each student's neurocognitive profile.
Speech and Language Therapy
Our speech-language pathologists provide relationship-based therapy to develop communication skills across the lifespan. We support both verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction, and literacy development. Services include augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) support and social communication interventions. Our therapists work closely with families to implement strategies that promote effective communication in home, school, and community settings.
Occupational Therapy
Our occupational therapy services focus on developing daily living skills and sensory processing abilities. We use brain-based interventions to improve motor skills, self-regulation, and independence. Our therapists work with clients across the lifespan in specialized sensory gyms designed to support neurodivergent individuals. We emphasize building confidence through meaningful activities while addressing sensory processing challenges and motor coordination difficulties.
People
Tina Payne Bryson
Founder and Executive Director
Dr. Bryson is a psychotherapist and author of multiple New York Times bestsellers on child development. She founded The Center For Connection and co-developed the Whole-Brain Child framework. With expertise in interpersonal neurobiology, she leads our multidisciplinary team in providing relationship-based mental health services.
Hanna Novak
Director of Speech and Language Therapy
A licensed speech-language pathologist with expertise in pediatric therapies, Hanna specializes in social communication and executive functioning support. She co-created The Brain Talk Curriculum and provides play-based, developmental therapy informed by SCERTS and DIR/Floortime models while directing our Pasadena location.
Desiree Misrachi
Director of Speech and Language Therapy
As a certified speech-language pathologist, Desiree specializes in autism spectrum disorders and childhood apraxia of speech. She provides child-led, play-based therapy focused on functional communication gains. Desiree works closely with families to implement strategies across daily routines and environments.
Orli Lahav
Director of Educational Care Division
Orli leads our educational therapy team with expertise in supporting neurodivergent learners. As a Board Certified Educational Therapist, she develops individualized academic support plans that address learning differences while emphasizing students' strengths and regulatory needs.
Olivia Martinez-Hauge
Co-Director of Occupational Therapy
A licensed occupational therapist, Olivia specializes in sensory integration and neurodiversity-affirming care. She co-directs our occupational therapy division and works with clients across the lifespan to develop daily living skills and improve sensory processing in our specialized therapy gyms.
Questions
What mental health services do you offer?
We provide child, adolescent, and adult psychotherapy, family therapy, play therapy, and specialized services for neurodivergent individuals using relationship-based approaches grounded in interpersonal neurobiology.
How do I begin services?
Complete our online consultation request form to connect with our Director of Client Relations, who will match you with an appropriate therapist based on your specific needs and goals.
Do you accept insurance?
We currently do not accept insurance directly, but we can provide documentation for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Please contact our office for specific financial information.
Do you offer emergency services?
We do not provide emergency psychiatric services. For emergencies, please go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 for immediate assistance.
What locations do you serve?
We have three California locations: Pasadena (main clinic), Duarte (Neurodiversity Center), and Santa Barbara, with telehealth options available for clients across the state.
What assessment services are available?
We offer comprehensive neuropsychological, psychological, and developmental assessments for children, young adults, and adults, including specialized evaluations for learning differences, autism, and ADHD.
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