Meet Our Therapists
Dr. Angela Klein
Founder and Director
I am a licensed clinical psychologist in the greater San Diego area. I specialize in treating disordered eating, self-harm, suicidality, and pervasive anxiety and mood disorders, as well as substance use, in adolescents, families, and adults. I emphasize concrete behavioral strategies and validation to foster balance, self-awareness, and connection. Creating lasting change can seem daunting, but I can support you in this journey with tools to help you take it one step at a time to achieve your goals ultimately.
I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 2009. Through Mizzou's doctoral program, I gained a rigorous foundation in research, treatment, and assessment of children and adults. I then completed my clinical internship at the University of South Carolina Counseling and Human Development Center and my postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. I have worked at intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs, as well as private practice, and was a licensed psychologist in New Jersey before moving to San Diego in 2012.
My experience in specific specialties includes involvement in grant-funded research, intensive training, and clinical delivery (see further details here). I have presented nationally and internationally and am the author of “Mindful Eating from the Dialectical Perspective: Research and Application," as well as multiple journal publications.
I love enjoying the beach, travel adventures, cuisine, and the arts when I'm not in the office.
Staff Therapist
Deborah Bothun, MA, APCC,
Masters of Management, Chartered Financial Analyst,
Deborah Bothun, MA, APCC, is an experienced coach with over 25 years of experience supporting the health and well-being of corporate professionals and private clients. At Centered Ground Deborah is currently supervised by Dr. Klein as she completes her licensure requirements for professional counseling. Deborah’s philosophy is around what she calls “Whole Life Development”. She has a Masters in finance, a Masters in accounting (from Northwestern University), and a Masters in Clinical Psychology (from New York University). She provides a combination of corporate “warrior experience” with education and experience around depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, and related issues to support growth in individuals seeking a better way of life.
Deborah’s experience includes working with adults, teens, and families across a wide variety of socioeconomic categories and genders. She also has extensive training in modalities that support growth relative to trauma including EMDR and Psychodrama..
When she is not working with clients, she plays the piano, works on complex jigsaw puzzles, and spends time walking on the beach with her therapy dog, Myrtle Ann.
This is your journey and it will be explored as a team to support your “whole life”goals. Deborah will help you fight back against the challenges in your life with empathy and integrated therapeutic approaches customized to your specific situation and goals.
Independent Contractor
CHRIS MCDUFFIE COUNSELING, A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
Offering Teletherapy across CA and In-Person at Centered Ground
Chris McDuffie is a licensed psychotherapist and a retired high school principal. He has worked extensively in the field of co-occurring disorders at residential treatment centers and in private practice. Chris is proficient in applying secular, spiritual, and Buddhist psychology to enhance DBT, ACT, CBT and MBRP to help those suffering from substance abuse and/or mental health issues.
Chris has lectured for the following national and international programs to coach therapists and medical professionals on how to offer Mindfulness and Buddhist psychology: Behavioral Health Association of Providers, the University of Illinois Common Ground Research Network, the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, NACCME’s Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit, and APA Approved CEU trainings held at the AToN Center. You may also be interested in following Chris’ Insight Timer App podcast show, “Spiritual Sobriety” to learn more about how to incorporate Buddhist psychology with the 12 Steps.
Chris holds a Masters of Social Work from Fordham University and has completed training in Compassion-Based Psychotherapy and Embodied Transformation at Nalanda Institute's Contemplative Psychotherapy Program. Chris also holds a CADC-II for Chemical Dependency Counseling, is a SMART trained facilitator, and works with clients who may be struggling with depression or trauma related to their relationships or family.
Chris offers highly personalized and individualized, concierge counseling for individuals, couples, and corporate teams. During initial sessions, Chris invites his clients to begin looking at difficult situations and collaborate to create a plan for addressing them in ways that helps clients feel empowered. Chris offers a free 15-minute consultation and may be reached at - (858) 461-6921.