Mara Chow

Working trauma and attachment informed, I feel strongly about utilizing a systems approach to strengthen interpersonal relationships and increase understanding of symptoms and behaviors as impacted by and embedded in their social context. I believe that each individual and system has a unique set of strengths, resources, and abilities, which I like to help nurture and focus on to support coping with difficult feelings, life circumstances, encourage problem solving, and promote mental health and well-being.

Jan. 2019 – Jul. 2020 LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST Wellnest/Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic – Community Mental Health Services; Los Angeles, CA • Developed and implemented a specialized child/parent group concept for children with disruptive disorders to increase co-and self- regulating and social skills and decrease disruptive behaviors across functional domains • Expanded upon and co-facilitated a substance abuse group for teenagers and their families to provide early intervention, treatment, and management of substance use disorders • Collaborated with school staff, special education teachers, parents/ caregivers, and medical doctors to address clients‘ behaviors in their multi-layered relationships and environments to help correct ineffective system elements and strengthen protective ones • Provided online and phone therapeutic services, including crisis assessments and interventions to children and teenagers as well as family systems to increase accessibility of mental health services during COVID-19 May 2015 – Jan. 2019 ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic – Community Mental Health Services; Los Angeles, CA • Completed intakes, assessments, treatment plans, and discharge planning collaboratively with clients to ensure a strength-based, resource-orientated, and culturally sensitive treatment approach • Provided evidenced-based and trauma informed therapy services to children, young adults, families, and groups to assist clients with gaining insight for ways to manage their mental health barriers • Worked collaboratively with professionals from multiple disciplines to provide client-centered care and ensure treatment consistency • Maintained a caseload of 28-30 individual clients providing weekly treatment sessions in the community, at schools, in the homes, and at the clinic Sep. 2013 – Dec. 2014 MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY TRAINEE IN PRACTICUM Counseling Partners of Los Angeles – School-Based Counseling Services; Los Angeles, CA • Provided quality, strength based mental health services to elementary school children ages 3 – 14 to enhance their coping with trauma, life transitions, and interpersonal difficulties and increase emotional and personal safety • Implemented individualized treatment plans and interventions to address mental, emotional, and family disorders and dysfunction to help children achieve success at school and in the community by cultivating healthier coping skills • Collaborated with teachers and school psychologists to form an engaging multidisciplinary team to reduce students’ symptomatic behavior and increase independent functioning and self-reliance • Utilized family-focused service techniques to strengthen and empower family relationships by fostering hope, wellness, and resiliency and increase consistency between classroom and home interventions Jul. 2012 – Jul. 2013 COUNSELOR/ CASE MANAGER Didi Hirsch – Community Mental Health Services; Los Angeles, CA • Conducted intensive short term counseling in a crisis residential setting along with group counseling for adults with co- occurring disorders to foster self-efficacy, self-reliance and enhance individual’s responsibility, accountability, and independence • Provided psycho-education and increased insight into maladaptive coping mechanisms to teach adaptive coping skills, life management skills, and social skills • Collaborated with psychiatrist, therapists, and residence nurse to form an engaging multidisciplinary team to ensure treatment consistency • Advocated for aftercare services and linked clients with appropriate community programs, support services, psychiatrists, financial support, employment services, housing, and medical services based on individual needs May 2010 – Jul. 2012 INTAKE COORDINATOR Didi Hirsch – Community Mental Health Services; Los Angeles, CA • Performed initial interviews and assessments of patients’ medical and psychiatric reports to determine mental health needs and establish care requirements • Assessed and monitored client daily activity schedule, prepared and submitted client participation report to program director and counseling staff to ensure compliance with agency policies and county regulations • Advocated and collaborated with psychiatrists and clinical supervisors to ensure effective and least restrictive treatment planning necessary • Ensured prompt psychiatric care and efficient management of emergencies by providing crisis intervention and conflict resolution Jan. 2009 – May 2010 MANAGING DIRECTOR LA2DAY – Online Lifestyle Magazine; Brentwood, CA • Expanded client base through the strategic development of refining the market position and increased advertising revenue by 37% through attack marketing strategies, and on - and offline branding • Raised unique readership from 60,000 to 100,000 a month through carefully designed changes in art design and introduction of SEO-content • Managed, hired, and recruited 60-person staff of editors, writers, reporters, artistic freelancers, and translators to meet production expectations within budget • Created affiliate magazine platforms and assisted CEO in operational management Jun. 2008 – Feb. 2009 MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR OCM – Content Development for Websites; West Hollywood, CA • Facilitated the development of new project initiatives and concepts and promoted and created advertising campaigns • Conducted research and created reports on clients, sub-contractors, and sales affiliates • Evaluated the general market to assist in refining the market position of the company • Coordinated the strategic execution of marketing campaigns

01/2022 Heilpraktikerin (Psychotherapie) 01/2019 Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist # 111208 06/2010 – 12/2014 Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Los Angeles, CA Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy Summa Cum Laude (12.12.2014) 02/2010 – 05/2010 Department of Mental Health America of Los Angeles, Jump Start Mental Health Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist (14.05.2010) 06/2006 – 06/2008 University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Studies Summa Cum Laude (13.06.2008) 06/2004 – 06/2006 Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, CA Transfer Education (10.06.2006) 10/2001 – 06/2004 Theatre of Arts, Los Angeles, CA Advanced Acting Degree (02.06.2004) 1990 – 2000 Annette-von-Droste-Hülshoff-Gymnasium, Münster Abitur (06.07.2000)