About Dr. Nelson…

To view Dr. Nelson's CV, click here.

Dr. Nelson graduated phi beta kappa from the University of Chicago. Thereafter, she earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Although there are many programs that train different types of therapists, UCLA has consistently been the top-rated program in clinical psychology in the country (for one source, see U.S. News & World Report).

During her training at UCLA, Dr. Nelson specialized in research and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. She has given numerous conference presentations and has published several academic papers, including some in the most prestigious psychological journals such as the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. In addition, Dr. Nelson also received a National Research Service Award for her work on children of depressed mothers.

Dr. Nelson has received extensive training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for various anxiety disorders and depression for people of all ages. At UCLA, she trained with Michelle Craske, Ph.D., one of the leaders in the field of anxiety disorder research and treatment. Dr. Nelson completed her psychology internship at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute, where she specialized in the treatment and neuropsychological assessment of chronic mental illnesses. After this training, Dr. Nelson was employed by the UCLA hospital. She worked in the UCLA Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Intensive Treatment Program. This is a program for people with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder or severe obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (i.e., Body Dysmorphic Disorder, skin picking, etc.). Dr. Nelson also worked with children and adolescents at UCLA in the Childhood OCD, Anxiety, & Tourette’s Disorder Program. Additionally, she has served as a faculty member at UCLA, where she trained medical psychiatric residents in how to treat people with various anxiety disorders using CBT.

Currently, Dr. Nelson has a private practice in Los Angeles, California. She works primarily with children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety disorders and various other co-occurring disorders (e.g., depression). She is a member of the American Psychological Association, Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation, and Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.