Registered Psychological Assistant PSB94023775
Under the Supervisions of Sean Hodges, Ph.D. PSY20658
Education and Licensure: Dr. Paulsen earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN, which is consistently ranked among the top ten psychology doctoral training programs in the nation and throughout the world. Dr. Paulsen also completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, a High Distinction graduate with a Psychology major and a Latin Language minor. He has been awarded numerous academic research and travel fellowships, and his scholarly works have appeared in such outlets as The Oxford Handbook of Psychological Assessment, The International Handbook of Testing and Assessment, The Oxford Handbook of Emerging Adulthood, the Journal of Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, and the Journal of Counseling Psychology.
Dr. Paulsen completed his Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology at Sharp Mesa Vista Psychiatric Hospital in San Diego, CA, where he provided clinical care and psychological assessment services across the facility’s locked inpatient units. He completed two years of specialty training within the University of Minnesota’s Department of Psychiatry, and has also worked within a private forensic psychological assessment firm.
Specialty: Dr. Paulsen specializes in general psychological assessment and testing, neuropsychological evaluation, assessment of developmental disorders, evaluation of severe and acute mental illness in adults and adolescents, and crisis intervention. Dr. Paulsen prides himself on completing thorough and exacting evaluations and in providing direct, practical, and meaningful feedback and recommendations to individuals, families, and organizations. With respect to psychotherapeutic practice, Dr. Paulsen treats a wide range of emotional, mental, and physical health problems. Dr. Paulsen received advanced training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP) treatments at the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry’s renowned Anxiety Disorders Clinic. He specializes in the treatment of Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder & Social Phobia, Bi-Polar Disorder, Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia & Psychotic Disorders, Chemical Dependency, as well as Emergency and Crisis Management.
Affiliations: Dr. Paulsen is an active member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the San Diego Psychological Association (SDPA). He also serves as adjunct faculty at San Diego City College, where he teaches Statistics and Data Analysis.
Personal: In his free time, Dr. Paulsen enjoys reading, exercising, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and playing board and card games. Dr. Paulsen has basic conversational abilities in Spanish Language and is working towards an official certificate of proficiency.
Philosophy: Dr. Paulsen believes that psychological and psychiatric treatment ought to be a balance between acquiring practical, useful, tangible skills for enhancing mood and general mental health, and an exploration of our existential drives and dilemmas.