Dana Leigh Schmidt, Psy.D.

Welcome! I love what I do and I believe that shines through in every interaction I have with my clients. My approach to treatment is collaborative and I work with clients to build a life they want to live through goal identification, skill building and a balanced commitment to the things they care about the most. I have a wide range of training and experience in working with emotional, behavioral and physical health challenges. As a licensed clinical psychologist, I practice from a third wave cognitive behavioral perspective. I utilize cognitive behavioral strategies, mindfulness-based strategies, values and skill building to help clients create the life they want and effectively manage inevitable challenges. I tailor treatment to individual's specific needs and personal style. Sports Performance & Mental Skills Training In addition to private therapy, I also conduct mental skills training and performance workshops. Performance psychology is utilized in multiple domains from athletics to the boardroom- anywhere anxiety and stress might affect individual or team performance. While working at the Naval Medical Center, I was a performance consultant for medical and surgical residents in the Graduate Medical Education as well as working privately with individuals, teams and coaches. I was a multisport athlete in high school and I was an NCAA Division I collegiate springboard diver. I also have over 15 years of experience coaching diving and I have dabbled in coaching gymnastics, soccer and volleyball. Sports performance is a passion. I love working with individuals athlete and teams in helping overcome obstacles and learn new skills to achieve optimal performance. Education, Training & Experience: Dr. Schmidt received her bachelor's degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and her master's degree in applied behavioral analysis/teaching from National University. She obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology from California Lutheran University. She has been trained in comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and psychodynamic psychotherapy. Her past experience includes member of comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy team and treating Veterans in primary care mental health Integration at Veterans Affairs (VA). She spent her APA accredited internship year at an inpatient psychiatric hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada and her postdoctoral training was completed in the Graduate Medical Education program at Community Memorial Health System in Ventura, CA. Since moving to San Diego, Dr. Schmidt has worked at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital, the Naval Medical Center San Diego Pain Medicine Directorate and she is a current staff psychologist for San Diego Veteran's Affairs Primary Care Mental Health Integration. She is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the California Psychological Association (CPA), and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS). Dr. Schmidt is a sixth generation Californian and lives with her partner and two teenage sons. She loves the ocean and can be found swimming, paddle boarding, sailing and diving off of any platform she can find.