Clinic Advancement, Research, and Training

Embodying the mission of GSEP, Clinic Advancement, Research, and Training (CART) includes our clinic directors (Drs. Aviera, Cohen, and Celada-Dalton) and graduate student assistants who aim to facilitate the provision of high-quality assessment and therapy services to members of the local community. As such, CART is concerned with the training of master's and doctoral students in clinical psychology, marriage and family therapy for service and leadership roles in the community, and with conducting much-needed research on the practice of psychotherapy with adults, youth, and families.

At the University's clinics, therapists are trained according to the practitioner-scholar model, which strives to enhance clinical effectiveness through the usage of empirically based practices. CART utilizes client feedback and clinical assessment tools to enhance the quality of services offered at Pepperdine's counseling clinics. These scientific tools help therapists provide the highest quality of professional care for each client, offering sound methods to improve interpersonal relationships and to cope with unique challenges in life.

The members of CART believe that this integration of research and clinical practice helps clients to be more actively involved in their own treatment, and that the knowledge gained from clients' participation will help to improve the use of therapeutic interventions within the larger mental health community. In addition, our facilities enable students and faculty to conduct research projects that aim to improve the quality of therapeutic services and clinical training.