Dr. Patricia Smiley

Dr. Patricia Smiley earned her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Dr. Smiley spent 33 years as a tenured Professor of Psychological Science at Pomona College and is an expert on development, parenting, and attachment relationships. Dr. Smiley is a registered Psychological Associate (#94025938), supervised by Dr. Borelli (PSY23547). She is trained in evidence-based therapies including cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for youth and adults. In keeping with her training as a developmental psychologist, she works with children, adolescents, and adults on issues of anxiety (including OCD), depression, and family relationships, to reduce symptoms, increase functioning, and help clients build self-awareness and self-compassion. With clients, she provides a safe environment for sharing painful experiences, finding meaning in them, learning new skills, and working collaboratively on growth.