Practice Focus Statement

My practice focus is to create an effective and empowering partnership with my patients in order to assist them in achieving optimal physical and emotional well-being.

I work with people of all ages, individually or in whatever groupings will assist in healing. Please note that my work with children younger than 16-years-old is in the context of family therapy only.

I have found that it is beneficial to work collaboratively with my patient's other health care providers whenever possible.

It is my intention to make my services available to as many people as possible. In addition to traditional therapy, I provide opportunities for complimentary educational talks, issue-centered time-limited groups, and brief therapy with 30-minute return appointments to keep services effective, accessible and affordable.

Depression Stress Management Chronic/Serious Illness End-of-Life Issues Caregiving Couples

Anxiety Parenting Trauma (including EMD/R) Adoption Female Sexuality Families

Dr. Elisabeth McKenna received her M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1988. She completed her studies at the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, California, receiving an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

While a graduate student Dr. McKenna worked and trained in a variety of mental health settings including a homeless rehabilitation program and a brain injury rehabilitation clinic, both at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Menlo Park, California. She did her Internship at the University of Virginia Counseling Center. She completed her Postdoctoral Fellowship at Kaiser Santa Clara Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, where she continued on as a Psychological Assistant.

Dr. McKenna has been licensed in California as a Clinical Psychologist since 2000. She has worked as a Behavioral Medicine Specialist at Kaiser's Santa Clara Medical Center since May 2000, where she sees patients, teaches classes, and facilitates groups. Dr. McKenna is also pleased to co-facilitate a Caregiver's Support Group in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association the second Thursday evening of each month.

• AFTER Adoption Training
• Mind/Body Medicine Training
• Externalization Training with the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Center
• EMD/R
• "Prepare for Surgery Heal Faster" Training
• Chronic Illness (Asthma/COPD, Diabetes, Hypertension)
• Weight Management (including body image and self-esteem)
• Incest
• Hospice and Grief Counseling Training

Dr. McKenna was born in Central America and raised in Latin America until she came to the United States with her American parents just shy of her sixth birthday. Although her first language was Spanish, she is currently working on regaining fluency (aided by her daughter, Dylan, who is bilingual). She lived in France for a year as a teenager, and is still conversational in French.

Before becoming a psychologist, Dr. McKenna worked as a project coordinator, computer consultant, administrative assistant, restaurant manager, waitress, activist, nanny, secretary and bookkeeper. Today, besides practicing at both Integrated Health Partnership and Kaiser Santa Clara, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, family and friends. She also enjoys reading, gardening, music, movies and outdoor activities. Cycling, swimming, dancing, and traveling are among her favorite pastimes.