Dr. Sandra De SIlva, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
ABout Dr. Sandra De Silva
Dr. Sandra De Silva founded her private practice over 15 years ago to meet the needs of children, teens, adults, couples and families. She received her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Stanford University and her Masters and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, affiliated with Stanford University. Her fifth year doctoral training internship was obtained at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York. At the UCLA Center for the Assessment and Prevention of Prodromal States (CAPPS), Dr. De Silva treated and assessed youth at risk for psychosis and other severe mental illnesses for over 7 years. In addition to providing preventative mental health services to this at risk population and their families, she also served as the UCLA CAPPS Outreach Director and UCLA CAPPS Treatment Co-Director where she ran programs, wrote family therapy and cognitive behavioral treatment manuals and supervised doctoral students. Dr. De Silva also served as the Outreach Director for the UCLA Child and Adolescent Mood Disorder Program, where she educated the community on how to identify and respond to pediatric mood disorders.
Dr. De Silva is of Sri Lankan ancestry and was born in England. After a short stint in Canada, her family moved to Southern California where she spent her school age years. She attended public elementary schools and private schools for her middle and high school years. She grew up playing competitive tennis and traveled around the nation by the age of ten for national tournaments. She has first hand knowledge of the joys and challenges of being a student athlete during childhood years.
Sandra was awarded a full scholarship to play Division I tennis at Stanford University, where she also pursued her Bachelors degree in psychology. After college, she played on the European professional tennis circuit for several years. After touring in Europe, she returned to Palo Alto to pursue her Masters and Doctoral degrees while enjoying living in San Francisco. Following her doctoral schooling, she moved to New York for several years for her formal pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship. After living in San Francisco and New York for many years, she was ready to return to her roots in Southern California. She then worked as a UCLA psychologist for many years and has been in private practice ever since.
Dr. De Silva’s two young children and husband are her greatest joys. She is a nature enthusiast and finds that connection with nature brings her balance and inspiration. She has been a mindfulness, meditation and yoga practitioner for over 20 years. She loves hiking, writing, yoga, languages, playing musical instruments and spending quality time with friends and family. When not meeting with clients, you may find her playing with her young daughter, helping her 8 year old son learn Spanish or on a sunrise meditation hike with close friends.
Prior Clinical ROles
Treatment Director and Outreach Director, UCLA Center for the Assessment and Prevention of Prodromal States, which cares for youth at risk for psychosis and educates the community on early signs of psychosis.
Outreach Director, UCLA Child and Adolescent Mood Disorder Program, which cares for youth at risk and educates the community on how to identify and respond to pediatric mood disorders.
Board of Director at Step Up on Second, which cares for the mentally ill homeless population in Los Angeles.
Mindfulness group therapist at SOBA Recovery Center, a drug and alcohol recovery center in Malibu, CA.
Inpatient and Outpatient Individual, Couples, Group and Family Therapist and Assessor at Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Roles on Substance Abuse Detox Unit, Spanish Speaking Inpatient Unit and with families in recovery from substance use.
Neuropsychological Assessment Consultant at Harlem AIDS United Community Center, NY.
Individual, Couples, Group and Family Therapist at Metropolitan Center for Mental Health in NY.
Individual and Group Therapist and Assessor for Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Abuse at San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Individual, Couples, Group and Family Therapist for Physically and Sexually Abused Youth and Adults at Family Service Agency in Burlingame, CA.