Kathie Sweeten, Psy.D. (PSY 16494) is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialization in child and family therapy. Dr. Sweeten graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in developmental disabilities. She has two masters’ degrees in community/clinical and clinical psychology. While at UCLA, Dr. Sweeten worked with the Special Olympics, developmentally disabled infants and toddlers and assisted in a classroom for the severely handicapped children, where she developed verbal communication programs using discrete trial techniques. She worked with Ivar Lovaas, Ph.D. at the Young Autism Project and Doreen Granpeesheh, Ph.D. before moving to San Diego to pursue her doctoral degree.
Dr. Sweeten is currently one of the directors of the Center for Autism Research, Evaluation and Service. She was the lead Behavior Specialist at the School for Children with Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders, has developed social skills groups for children 8-10 years of age with autism or PDD, was a behavior consultant in a residential group home, has done research in the area of mental retardation and Tourette’s Syndrome and was published for her work on mental retardation.
Dr. Sweeten has been working with discrete trial techniques for over 20 years. She supervises home-based and school-based behavior programs. She is trained in PECS, TEACCH and Social Stories.