Dr. Erika Rich
From a young age, I knew I wanted to work with children. Basically, I started out as a really good babysitter. I decided on psychology because not only did I like working directly with children and families, but I really enjoyed doing research, too. I have published several research articles and written a few chapters and continue to be involved in research in one way or another. I think it’s important for me to be up on the latest research so that I can continue to give children and families cutting-edge intervention.
I have worked with all kinds of kids and all kinds of families. But, I am most passionate about social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and improving family functioning. It is probably because I was such a bossy kid myself, but I specialized in social skills very early in my career. It was later that I started emphasizing the overall family environment for supporting child development. Now, I take this family-centered approach in all of my services. Because I am a mother myself, I also understand what day-to-day life as a parent entails.
After getting my Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary and my Master’s Degree from Wake Forest, I went on to get my Doctorate in Developmental-Clinical Psychology from the University of Maine. My dissertation work formed the foundation of the COMPASS program that I am running today. I spent the next four years at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute (now Semel). My training at UCLA is a great foundation for my practice of psychology. I was lucky enough to work with leading child psychologists and psychiatrists at UCLA and to gain experience with special populations such as children with ADHD, anxiety, autism, and prenatal alcohol/drug exposure.
My post-doctoral work at UCLA also included training and experience in mindful awareness, which I have since continued to study. Under the tutelage of Susan Kaiser Greenland, I learned a variety of techniques for teaching mindfulness to children. At Compass Clinic, we are very proud of the infusion of mindfulness into the everyday strategies needed to be an effective parent and how mindfulness can complement other coping skills for children. Most recently, I became a certified Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) therapist and Level One Trainer, allowing me to officially train Compass Clinic therapists to provide this very specialized and very effective treatment for families.
Dr. Rich founded Rich & Associates in 2005 changing the name to Compass Clinic in 2024. She became a licensed psychologist (PSY19465) in 2002.
Dr. Seth Shaffer
Dr. Shaffer received a doctorate of clinical psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy with a focus on mindfulness meditation.
In August 2012, Dr. Shaffer completed an intensive pre-doctoral APA-accredited internship focusing on work with children, adolescents, and families at The Guidance Center in Long Beach. In this setting, Dr. Shaffer gained experience with ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse populations. Dr. Shaffer is well-versed in evidence-based practices, including cognitive-behavioral therapy. He has worked with children who have autism, trauma, ADHD, behavioral difficulties, and anxiety. This work included working with parents in setting up behavioral plans and determining strategies to best help their child.
Dr. Shaffer’s current interests include working with individuals suffering from autism, ADHD, anxiety and/or depression, social skills deficits, and impulse control disorders. He is especially interested in working with parents and families to help them achieve harmony in the home environment. Dr. Shaffer takes a mindfulness-based approach to parenting and is also a certified PCIT therapist.
Dr. Shaffer began working at Compass Clinic in 2012 and became a licensed psychologist (PSY27492) in 2015.
Dr. Allan Phillips
Dr. Phillips is a certified Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) therapist and Within-Agency Trainer. He conducted his internship work at Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services in Bakersfield, providing therapy and assessment for outpatient clients as well as detained and incarcerated youth. Clinical interests include therapy for Twice Exceptional Children, exposure treatments for anxiety, and creative interventions aimed at reduced or or mindful screen time.
Dr. Phillips received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant University, Los Angeles. His dissertation was on the subject of boredom as an overlooked emotion, and he has researched extensively on how young people find boredom particularly difficult to tolerate. He completed the Post Baccalaureate Program in Psychology and Social Behavior at the University of California, Irvine and graduated from Stanford University with a BA in English with a Creative Writing emphasis.
Dr. Phillips began working at Compass Clinic in 2020. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar, trivia, and strategy games featuring historical simulation and tedious resource management.
Dr. Renee Viveros
Dr. Renee Viveros is a compassionate postdoctoral clinical psychologist dedicated to empowering children and adolescents to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience.
She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California (2008), followed by a Master’s in Bilingual Applied Psychology from New York University (2011). After nine impactful years as a school counselor, she pursued her Doctorate in Applied Clinical Psychology at the Chicago School of Psychology (2023).
At Compass Clinic, Dr. Viveros specializes in teaching effective coping strategies through CBT, fostering emotional regulation, and supporting student-athletes through the Sports Social Dynamics Group. Passionate about helping young people thrive, she enjoys guiding them toward meaningful growth and self-discovery. Outside of her professional work, Dr. Viveros loves hiking, exploring new cuisines, and immersing herself in a good book.
Psychological Externs
Compass Clinic is privileged to be a practicum site for several local doctoral programs in clinical psychology, including the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Pepperdine University’s Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, University of Southern California, and Loma Linda University.
As such, after a rigorous and competitive multi-stage interview process, two to three doctoral students are chosen as Psychological Externs at Compass Clinic. Psychological Externs serve as group co-leaders and also provide individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for children and adolescents. Psychological Externs have the option of receiving official, intensive Parent-Child Interaction Therapy training in order to also provide PCIT at Compass Clinic.
All of the therapists undergo extensive training through Compass Clinic’s weekly Clinical Seminar and Group Supervision program in order to provide quality therapy at lower fees than is typically found in West LA. In addition, weekend times are available for individual therapy and PCIT, which is appealing for many families.
All Psychological Externs work directly under Dr. Shaffer’s (PSY27492) and Dr. Rich’s supervision (PSY19465), meaning that treatment decisions and progress are monitored on a weekly basis by an experienced licensed psychologist.
Lori-Ann Harper
Office Manager