About Dr. Chernin

Background and education

I'm a licensed psychotherapist, author, and lecturer in Los Angeles. I graduated from a CACREP certified Counseling Education program in 1992 with a minor in Psychology. I received a Ph.D. in 1996 in Counseling Education, with a minor in Health Services at the University of North Texas. I completed an internship at the Counseling and Student Services Center at the University, furthering my counseling experience. Since completing my training, I have provided psychotherapy in private practice for individual men and women, as well as couples and families.

In addition to private practice, I have worked at non-profit community mental health centers. The first was right after graduating at a local community-based counseling center. More recently, I served as Clinic Director at Campion Counseling Center, which is part of OPCC, a non-profit continuum of care provider in Santa Monica. OPCC has a wide variety of services, with a focus on members of community who are at risk for drug use, poverty, mental illness, and domestic violence. My experience includes directing the staff and overseeing a supervision program for interns. I also supervised the clinical supervisors, presented workshops and training for staff on mental health and counseling issues, and provided psychotherapy to community clients.

Teaching experience and workshops

I have taught counseling, psychotherapy, and psychology courses at Antioch University and Chapman University. Teaching experience includes Introduction to Psychology, Advanced Theories and Counseling Methods, and Domestic Violence. I have provided workshops related to psychotherapy and counseling at UCLA and the Los Angeles Unified School District, as well as other locations.

Workshop topics include:

  • Intimacy and relationships
  • Stress management
  • Conflict and violence in couples
  • Grief and loss
  • Issues with respect to sexual orientation
  • HIV and related issues

I have also written articles on these as well as other topcs related to relationships, mental health, and wellness. Please see the Publications page for a list and a sample of articles.