Our Team

** Currently on Maternity Leave **

“I have great respect for those embarking on this healing journey and feel honored by those who trust us to join them on it. My husband and I are committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment in our community for families to receive support and continue to do our best to meet the mental health needs of our community.”

Adelina’s therapeutic approach is built on her extensive experience with Violet Oaklander’s Gestalt model of Play/Art therapy, family systems, and Reflective Parenting practice.

Her roles as a school counselor, child therapist, reflective parenting facilitator, family therapist, clinical supervisor, and clinical director have given her a wide breadth of experience. Her practice integrates mindfulness, somatic experiencing, and strength-based methods to help clients build a more whole sense of self.

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #52767
• Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California
• Trained at Maple Counseling Center in Beverly Hills, CA
• Extensively trained in the Violet Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play Therapy

“Like many of us as therapists, I consider myself a wounded healer. Growing up, I was very blessed, but also really struggled. While I do not pretend to know what it is like for all of the people we serve, I do know how important the work is and how essential it is for everyone to feel that there is a place to go and feel supported.”

Dr. Brisbois was born and raised in the Conejo Valley and attended the schools of the Las Virgenes Unified School District and returned to the area to raise children with his wife Adelina, Clinical Director at Engage Treatment, and continue the legacy of offering his hometown community’s youth a service that did not exist when he grew up.

• Licensed Clinical Psychologist #32519
• Family Therapist, Parent Educator, and Private Practice Clinician
• Bachelors in Psychology from University of California Berkeley, Masters & Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Santa Barbara
• Trained at the Maple Counseling Center in Beverly Hills, Gateways Hospital in Echo Park, Occidental College in Eagle Rock, and Calabasas Behavioral Health
• Extensively trained in and wrote his Doctoral Dissertation on the Violet Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play Therapy

“My approach relies first on providing a safe space for anyone to explore, talk about and work through their feelings while feeling accepted.”

With over 14 years as a critical care nurse and early childhood educator, Peggy knows that Engage’s mission is vital. As an LMFT, she ran a private practice serving families, children, individuals, and couples from all social and economic backgrounds, before joining the Engage Team. With us, she uses her experience in psychodynamics, psychoanalysis, and attachment theory to help families heal, learn and grow.

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #46207
• Masters in clinical psychology with a specialty in child studies from Antioch University
• Doctorate in Psychoanalysis from the Los Angeles Institute for Psychoanalytic Studies
• Family Therapist and instructor in Infant and Child Development at LAISPS
• Level Three Supervisor and Facilitator for Reflective Parenting Groups

“I empathize deeply with the struggles of children and adolescents, having experienced them firsthand. I am passionate about offering a safe and supportive environment for others to share and heal. The collaborative and supportive atmosphere at Engage has allowed me to thrive as a professional while making a meaningful difference in the lives of those I serve.”

Jessica was born and raised in Thousand Oaks, CA. Jessica previously served as a preschool teacher for 5 years. Finding her passion focusing more on supporting the child and their family, Jessica shifted her career goals to becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist. Throughout her career, Jessica has worked in various levels of care from IOP to Residential Treatment. Jessica now plays a role in supporting incoming families with navigating appropriate levels of care, individual therapy, and family therapy.

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #134005
• B.A in Child and Adolescent Development, Cal. State Northridge
• M.A in Marriage and Family Therapy w/ emphasis on Depth Psychology, Pacifica Graduate Institute
• Trained in utilizing Dialectical Behavior Therapy

“I am proud to be a part of an environment that fosters integrity, respect, and collaboration with clients and colleagues. It is imperative that our clients have proper support, coping strategies, symptom education, and that we help them not just get by, but become more resilient in the face of adversity, an inevitable part of life.”

“I practiced pediatrics in Ventura County beginning in 1996.  I loved the relationships I developed with my patients and their families, yet I struggled to know how to help them with mental health issues.  They were basically inaccessible for pediatric patients.  I decided that I could make a difference.  In 2013, I closed my pediatric practice to train in child and adolescent psychiatry.”

Dr. Shaw has returned to Ventura County to help make mental health services more accessible and to support her pediatric colleagues.  She brought together pediatricians with local mental health professionals to form the Pediatric Mental Health Collaborative.  She understands pediatric mental health as a mother, pediatrician and a psychiatrist.  She met Blake and Adelina through the Pediatric Mental Health Collaborative and is excited to be joining them and share their vision to provide accessible, collaborative services to their clients and their families.

• Board-Certified in Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry #G 81280
• MD from UC Irvine in 1993, followed by Residency in Pediatrics
• Practiced pediatrics in Ventura County from 1996-2013
• Trained in Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the Medical College of GA
• Actively involved in organized medicine to advocate for patients and the professionals who care for them

“I believe that, as therapists, we are given the opportunity to not only ‘talk the talk,’ but also to ‘walk the walk.’ We are challenged daily to learn and grow alongside our clients, with the hope of creating a sacred space rooted in equality, compassion, and collaboration. I feel this is especially valuable in our work with adolescents, as we strive to cultivate honest and trusting interpersonal relationships that foster the possibility of lasting transformation.”

As a primary therapist and case coordinator for the teen program, Carlye is dedicated to helping client’s and their families discover a renewed sense of hope in otherwise trying circumstances. Drawing from her previous work in providing support to survivors of child abuse and domestic violence, Carlye believes that the therapeutic alliance is firmly built on trust and collaboration, which emboldens clients to establish a stronger sense of self as they acquire practical skills in mindfulness, communication, boundary-setting, and other strengths-based practices. With a passion for a client-centered approach, Carlye remains consistently curious and deeply empathetic to the unique challenges of child, adolescent, and adult clients alike.

• Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #133434
• Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre and minor in Musical Theatre from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
• Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology specializing in Child Studies at Antioch University, Los Angeles, CA
• Trained at Richstone Family Center, Hawthorne, CA
• Supervised by a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

” I consider it a privilege to partner with the team at Engage. When I seek out professionals to refer to there are some key traits I’m looking for – humility, willingness to collaborate, community-centered and an ongoing commitment to learning – the Engage team embodies these characteristics and so much more. I love having the opportunity to support the great work this group is providing to the families of the Conejo Valley.”

Robert is a licensed marriage and family therapist and professional clinical counselor in California and Arizona. He has served in many clinical and leadership roles over his twenty-five years working in university, community mental health, forensic and private practice settings. Robert is well-known for his work as a trainer and consultant in assisting schools/ universities and communities respond to major crisis events like wildfires, mass shootings, deaths of students/ employees and responding to other forms of interpersonal violence, including bullying. Over the past 25 years, Robert has forensic and other clinical treatment programs in Arizona, Connecticut and California. Robert lectures extensively to professionals in education, mental health, criminal justice and corporate settings, and equally likes the opportunity to speak with parents and teens who have endured traumatic events. Robert has served as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology for many years, teaching courses on substance abuse treatment and forensic psychology. He enjoys his role as an Advisory Board Member and Affiliate Consultant with the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA). He co-authored the book Engaging Resistance and has authored several other publications on the topics of men’s mental health, treating mandated clients, addiction and best practices in disaster mental health.

“I remember struggling with my own identity and feelings of depression as a teenager and young adult, and is why I feel so passionate about creating a safe space where people can be who they are.” 

Amanda connects with clients through a range of emotional depth and lighthearted humor, inviting all emotional expressions and outlets. As both a curriculum developer and therapist, Amanda’s creativity gives her a unique ability to  think outside the box, integrating various therapeutic modalities such as Positive Psychology, DBT Informed Skills, and CBT Skills, tailoring them to support each client’s or group’s unique needs.Through a trauma informed lens and strength approach model, Amanda works collaboratively with individuals to enhance self-expression, feelings of connection, and recognition of self-worth. 

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #132262
• Curriculum Coordinator, Group Therapist, and Individual Therapist
• Masters in Counseling Psychology from Humboldt  State University
• California State Teaching Credential from Antioch Santa Barbara
• Bachelors in English Literature from UCSB 

• Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute
• Master’s degree from University of Santa Monica Spiritual Psychology Program
• Registered Associated Marriage and Family Therapist #139753
• Supervised by a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

.

.