A close-up of a vintage brown leather wallet resting on a light-colored fabric surface.

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Dr. Carissa Gustafson, Psy.D., PMH-C

Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Author

SPECIALTIES:

Perinatal Mental Health, Anxiety, Reproductive Challenges, Reproductive Loss, Life Transitions, College Students, Careers, CBT, ACT

MEMBERSHIPS, ASSOCIATIONS AND TRAININGS:

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ABOUT DR. CARISSA

Dr. Carissa Gustafson is a licensed clinical psychologist based in LA and sees clients online throughout the state of CA. She specializes in women’s and maternal mental health, working with high-achieving women who are struggling with things like stress, depression and anxiety.

After becoming a mother, she developed a special interest in perinatal mental health and sought advanced training and certification from Postpartum Support International as well as the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

As the author of Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks, she utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps people learn skills, such as mindfulness and compassion, to handle difficult thoughts and feelings so they can find freedom from suffering and engage in their life.

She strongly believes that no one is broken but is unconditionally whole and in possession of everything needed to build a meaningful life.

In addition to seeing clients, Dr. Gustafson has been an Adjunct Professor and served as an Adjunct Clinical Faculty at Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

She began her training at Santa Clara University where she majored in Psychology. She then earned her Master’s degree at Columbia University. She went on to complete her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University. She completed her internship at Santa Ana College and her postdoctoral fellowship at the VA.

When she is not working, you can find her practicing yoga, reading, journaling, or going on adventures with her husband and two daughters.

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SHOP DR. CARISSA’S BOOK SHELF

Book cover titled 'Mom Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood' by Minna Dubin, featuring a pot of boiling over with foam on a stove.

Book cover titled "Touched Out" by Amanda Monteil, featuring an illustrated woman with dark hair and a woman breastfeeding, with the subtitle "Motherhood, Misogyny, Consent, and Control."

Book cover titled "Fierce Self-Compassion" with a red and pink heart-shaped background and white text.

Book cover titled "Real Self-Care" with colorful concentric circles on a pink background. Subheading reads "A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness." The book is authored by Pooja Lakshmin, MD. Note at the bottom states, "Crystals, cleanses, and bubble baths not included."

Book cover titled 'Mother Brain' by Chelsea Conaboy, featuring a silhouette of a human head filled with colorful flowers on a dark blue background.

Book cover titled 'Matrescence: On Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood' by Lucy Jones. The cover features a stylized illustration of a pregnant woman with two hands holding her belly, rendered in blue against a peach background. The title is in large white and navy blue letters, with additional text in red and navy blue.

Book cover titled "Expecting Better" by Emily Oster, with text in various colors, including "Fully Revised and Updated for 2025," "Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong—and What You Really Need to Know," and side notes in yellow about pregnancy topics.

Book cover of Cribsheet by Emily Oster. Bright yellow background with the title in large blue and red text. Features a colorful baby crib illustration with bars in multiple colors. Includes a red circle indicating the book is updated for 2025 and mentions topics like breastfeeding, sleep training, milestones, and potty training.

Book cover titled "The Family Firm" by Emily Oster, featuring a blue background with text about decision-making in early school years, a calendar graphic, and an apple illustration.

Book cover titled "The Unexpected" by Emily Oster, exploring navigating pregnancy during and after complications, with a quote at the top and author names at the bottom.

Cover of a pregnancy workbook titled 'The Pregnancy Workbook' by Katayune Kaeni, focusing on managing anxiety and worry with CBT and mindfulness techniques.

Book cover titled 'Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood' by Jessica Grose, with a blue background decorated with illustrations of women, flowers, and household objects depicting the theme of motherhood.

Book cover titled "Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks" by Carissa Gustafson, PsyD, with subtitle "Strategies to Manage Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and More," featuring a purple background with overlapping circles.

VIEW THE FULL LIBRARY →

DR. CARISSA’S TESTIMONIALS

Remarkably skilled

“Dr. Gustafson is one of my favorite psychologists to refer clients to. As a psychiatrist who specializes in perinatal and maternal mental health, I rely on my psychologist and therapist colleagues with this same specialization to provide necessary support for my patients, and there is no-one better in this particular space than Dr. Gustafson. She is an exceptionally skilled psychologist who provides personalized, thoughtful evidence-based care (she literally wrote the book on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy!) that is infused with warmth as well as her own experiences as a mother. Not only do our shared clients express how positive their experiences have been with Dr. Gustafson, but it is evident in how their mental health and functioning improve as a result of her remarkable skill.”
— Dr. Brittany Booth, Reproductive Psychiatrist
Highly recommend

“Highly recommend! I’ve been seeing Dr. Carissa for over a year and she has helped me so much as a mom who struggles with anxiety and over-functioning. I really enjoy going to their office space at Village Birth but zoom is also an option when my schedule doesn’t allow for an in-person visit.”
— Perinatal Client
Exceptional warmth

“Dr. Carissa Gustafson brings exceptional warmth, clinical insight, and steadiness to her work, creating a space where women feel deeply understood and supported during a uniquely vulnerable and transformative time. Her expertise in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and perinatal mental health allows her to help clients navigate anxiety, identity shifts, and the many emotional complexities that can arise in pregnancy and early parenthood. I confidently refer my clients to Dr. Gustafson, knowing they will receive thoughtful, compassionate, and highly skilled care. She is a trusted colleague and an outstanding clinician.”
— Dr. Nina Polyne, Psychologist