Pepperdine Alumna Nikki Rubin Launches MindScience Collective to Transform Continuing Education for Mental Health Clinicians

When Dr. Nikki Rubin (MA in Psychology '07, PsyD '11) and four fellow psychologists launched MindScience Collective in January 2026, they set out to reimagine continuing education for mental health professionals. The result is a modern, evidence-based learning platform designed to help clinicians strengthen their skills through practical, engaging training rooted in real-world practice.

MindScience Collective was created to provide high-quality continuing education for mental health clinicians seeking to deepen their clinical expertise beyond traditional coursework. The platform offers evidence-based instruction in a modern, user-friendly environment, with courses designed to feel like learning alongside a trusted clinical supervisor.

For Rubin, the launch represents the culmination of a vision that first took shape during her time at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

"My training in the Psy.D. program was essential in inspiring one of my primary career passions, which is clinical training," Rubin said. "The program strongly emphasized case formulation and cultural competency, and provided direct training in how to provide supervision in the peer supervision program. These were foundational ingredients in teaching me how to provide evidence-based clinical training, and truly put me on a path to devote a significant portion of my work to providing the same training to other clinicians. The seeds of my desire to co-found MindScience Collective were cultivated at Pepperdine GSEP, and I will be forever grateful."

A licensed clinical psychologist specializing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and third-wave cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT), Rubin earned both her Master of Arts in Psychology and Doctor of Psychology degrees from Pepperdine before completing a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive behavioral therapy at the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy in New York. She later served as the institute's Co-Director of Clinical Training.

Rubin is the owner of Nikki Rubin, Psy.D., A Psychological Corporation, where she provides evidence-based treatment for adults as well as supervision, consultation, and private practice coaching for clinicians. She also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor at UCLA, where she trains doctoral students in ACT. Her previous academic appointments include Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Clinical Supervisor/Visiting Scholar at Columbia University's Teachers College, as well as Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Yeshiva University's Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology.

MindScience Collective officially launched on January 26, 2026, after approximately 18 months of development by Rubin and her four co-founders, who built the platform while simultaneously managing their full-time careers as practicing psychologists and business owners.

The platform welcomed its first customer on launch day with enrollment in Rubin's course on adult ADHD. Since then, MindScience Collective has attracted clinicians representing every major non-medical mental health discipline—including psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and professional counselors—and has served learners in 28 states as well as internationally.

By combining expert instruction with an intuitive digital experience, MindScience Collective reflects Rubin's longstanding commitment to mentorship, evidence-based practice, and lifelong learning. Through the platform, she continues to equip clinicians with the tools and confidence to provide high-quality care while advancing the profession she has dedicated her career to serving.