Dr. Joyce, Ph.D. (Director of School Based Services)

Dr. Joyce earned a Ph.D. in psychology and built a distinguished career across inpatient, outpatient, forensic, and community mental health settings. Her work spanned an exceptionally broad clinical spectrum, including adolescents, teen runaways, recovering drug users, individuals on probation, severely disturbed psychiatric patients, and criminally insane populations. Early in her career, she worked with children then diagnosed with “childhood schizophrenia,” years before autism spectrum disorders were more fully recognized and understood. Several former clients later became nationally known for extreme and highly publicized behaviors. Recognized for both clinical depth and creative innovation, Dr. Joyce taught clinicians at University of California, Los Angeles the pioneering use of poetry as a therapeutic modality in psychotherapy. She also served as a creative consultant at Paramount Pictures, contributing to the rewriting of prestige motion picture scripts and the development of Academy Awards campaign strategies. Her work in the entertainment industry brought her into collaboration with major film figures, including Sean Connery, who gifted her a Cartier watch during the production of a film on which they worked together. In addition, she has worked within Los Angeles Unified School District schools for the past 10 years providing ABA services to learners across multiple classroom settings and supporting students and families through the IEP process.