Arlys Norcross McDonald, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy

Email: McDonaldTherapyCenter@cox.net

Profile

As a licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. McDonald is a leader in successfully treating trauma in children and adults. Her pioneering work in trauma and Dissociative Identity Disorder has made her a widely acclaimed therapist and lecturer. She is the author of the book Repressed Memories: Can You Trust Them?, (Revell Publishing), a thorough guide to understanding the issue of trauma.  She has also written a number of articles for Christian journals. 

Dr. McDonald has been recognized as an expert witness in the California court system and an authoritative speaker on radio and television, as well as, at churches, retreats, schools, and professional conferences.  Over fifteen years of teaching in Christian graduate programs in psychology adds greatly to her broad theoretical framework in assessment and counseling strategies (at Azusa Pacific University, Rosemead Graduate School of Psychology, Trinity College of Graduate Studies, Bethel University and Southern California Seminary).

Dr. McDonald has been the owner/director of three psychological centers and is currently the owner and director of McDonald Therapy Center in Vista, California (north San Diego County). An intense day treatment program attracts many people from other states and countries who wish to work through psychological problems more quickly. Part of the emphasis includes learning to play and enjoy life as well as resolving the hurts and anger of childhood and adult relationships.  Supervising students, interns and other practitioners for over twenty-five years has developed in Dr. McDonald an understanding and empathy for the impact of therapy and counseling upon therapists.  Together with these therapists she has developed methods to identify and avoid emotional pitfalls and traumas unique to the trauma treatment. 

Finally, Dr. McDonald's personal journey of Christ-centered healing from trauma provides a special insight into the client and the successful therapeutic process that integrates Christian and psychological principles.