Meet the Therapist

Donald Goodman, LCSW

Therapy should only feel as though the client and I are exchanging dialog back and forth. I want therapy to make sense to the client.

Top Five Areas of Specialty:

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Understanding and Treating Childhood Trauma

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Couples Counseling

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Youth Sports and Parenting/Family Dynamics

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Teen Issues

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Substance Abuse

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My Experience

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and trained mediator with over 25 years of experience providing psychotherapy and counseling services. Over my career I have helped my clients with a wide range of issues, but my specialties lie in couples counseling, children and teen issues, and all types of addictions and substance abuse. I also have extensive experience working with sexual abuse and domestic violence.

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I spent over six years working with the Child’s Sexual Abuse Program where I provided group therapy to victims, siblings of victims, non-offending parents, and perpetrators.

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I have spent over 25 years working in child and family welfare helping individuals, couples, and families, from intake to reunification or adoption.

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I have over 25 years of experience dealing with juvenile delinquency, runaways, self-mutilations, ADHD, homicide, and suicide ideations.

Years of Experience Working with Substance Abuse and Addictions

Years of Experience Working in Mental Health

Years of Experience Working in the Child's Sexual Abuse Program

Years of Experience Working in Child and Family Welfare

Organizations

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Clinical Supervisor for Associate Social Workers

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Former Financial Chair for the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

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Former Field Instructor for the California State University (CSUN) Master’s in Social Work Program

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Seminar Instructor at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) for four years

Education:

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Master’s Degree in Social Work, University of Nevada (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada

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Bachelor of Arts Degree, California State University (CSUN), Northridge, California

Working With Me

Coming from a troubled past, my path to become a therapist has been an exciting, wonderful, life changing experience. I received my undergraduate degree in Philosophy where I critically evaluated how we should treat others as well as ourselves. Ultimately, I realized that “serving man” was how I wanted to make my life meaningful.

In 1997, I obtained my first job working in the helping profession at an outpatient psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents and quickly a second job at another psychiatric hospital working with adults. In these first two places of employment to this day, I believe that I have seen man in his most painful state. What I learned was, I can handle it and this field is where I want to be.

While I pursued my Master’s degree in Social Work I worked at an outpatient drug treatment program as the lead juvenile drug and alcohol counselor. I was exposed to every aspect of drug and alcohol addiction. I evaluated and assessed new clients, conducted individual and group therapy, provided in writing and in person reports to court, and developed and implemented new material for the program. I gained experience treating anything from moderate marijuana and alcohol use to chronic, physiological dependent heroin addicts.

In 2001, after receiving my Master’s in Social Work, I accepted employment at the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) working as a Children’s Social Worker. Working in Children and Family Welfare furthered my clinical skills as I gained professional experience, assessing safety and risk, managing crisis, stabilizing family situations, and learning about the court processes whether dependency or family law.

In conjunction with my work at DCFS, I began teaching at CSULA and in 2005 I obtained my Clinical License. In 2007, I opened my own private practice in the city of Valencia. my specialties are couples counseling, teen issues, all addiction related issues, and all child trauma related problems.

What separates me from other therapists is my ability to connect to the client. I believe that it is critical that the client feels validated and understood.

I believe that through my journey, I have been through many of the painful experiences that enables me to understand others. I have also mastered the ability to separate my past from the journey of my clients.

What My Clients Are Saying

Being somewhat new to family counseling, Donald has been a great help to me and my relationship. Donald has helped me recognize things to look for in a relationship that are not relationship problems, but my own issues and fears. Donald has been very easy to talk to and he is someone I can relate to, not only a counselor, but as a person who is truly committed in helping me work towards being a better person.

When my wife and I began to struggle in our relationship of over 20 years, Don Goodman came into our lives very unexpectedly. He immediately helped us both create a safe environment in which we could both work through our issues independently and become at peace with ourselves. He then brought us together as a couple with a renewed value in ourselves and the ideals of a truly intimate marriage. Today we continue to progress through our renewed relationship and grow closer as a couple each day. If you believe that there are angels amongst us who guide us through difficult times, then Don Goodman would be one.

Donald Goodman is a therapist with the right amount of insight and compassion to help me on my path to wholeness.

In a world with many therapists, it is nice to have a healer. Donald Goodman is that kind of therapist. He creates an atmosphere that allows for discovery, acceptance and renewal. I am truly grateful to have found Donald when I did. The teacher did appear when the student was ready!

Donald really helped out with the relationship between my mother and myself. There were decades of issues that we had never addressed and a history of addiction. Donald went out of his way to facilitate a breakthrough for my Mom and I. He is genuine and relate-able while being extremely insightful into the dynamics of family relationships. We are so grateful for his involvement in our lives!

Last December, I thought I was going to lose my son. He was smoking pot, drinking, ditching school, had a horrible attitude and was completely defiant. Once a straight A student and I was at my wits end and was seriously considering Boot Camp or a Military school. I was desperate to find help for my son. My son had already seen counselors and therapists and made it clear that they didn’t do any good and that he refused to try again. That is when I found Donald Goodman on the Psychology Today website. I was so inspired by his approach and attitude and thought if only I could get my son to see him! I made a deal with my son and said ‘If you don’t like him then you don’t have to go’ I took my son to see him, …after one hour, my son got into the car, a smile on his face and said, ‘Mom, have you ever just talked to someone and they just get you?’ That was over three months ago. My son is no longer messing up in school, his attitude has changed tremendously, his eyes are clear and our house is feeling like a home once again. Donald has a way about him that is like no other. He just connects! I am so very grateful for Donald.

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Each of the practioners in this office is a sole proprietor. This means that the professional is in business for himself or herself. This office is not a partnership, joint venture, professional corporation or any other form of business organization.