Staff

Marie Keller, MA, MFT, Executive Director
A Marriage, Family and Child Counselor and founder of the Los Angeles Gender Center, Marie Keller specializes in gender identity and sexual orientation concerns. Combining her training in Self Psychology with a career of work in gender and sexuality, she created the team approach utilized at the Los Angeles Gender Center for the treatment of gender identity issues and other related concerns. Marie has been a licensed therapist since 1982. (MFT 16943)

Elise Turen, Ph.D., Associate Director
Elise Turen, PhD, Clinical Sexologist has 27 years experience as a therapist, educator and advocate in the field of Human Sexuality and Chemical Dependency. She has worked with individuals, couples and families coping with issues of gender identity, DSD’s and their related concerns, sexual abuse, and addictive illnesses in private, institutional and educational settings. For the past 14 years at the Los Angeles Gender Center, her mission has been to create a safe environment in which her clients can explore the diversity of their gender identity along with their sexual and anatomical health and rights. She has done extensive research on the effect of internalized transphobia on transsexed individuals in transition. She is a member of The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS), World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH), and The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT).

Staff Counselors

Amanda Silvestri, MA, C.A.S.
Amanda Silvestri is a long-time transsexual advocate, educator, lecturer, consultant, author and substance abuse counselor. She has been affiliated with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, the Van Ness Recovery House, Spencer Recovery Centers, Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, the Minority AIDS Project, and Prototypes Crosstrainings.


Arlen Ring, Ph.D.
A Licensed Psychologist with 32 years of practice, Arlen Ring specializes in issues of gender identity, cross-dressing, couples counseling, anger management, recovery from traumatic memories, fears, anxiety, panic, psychosomatic pain, and dealing with difficult people. He is also an EMDR practitioner and is adjunct faculty at Pierce College and West Los Angeles College. He brings a sense of humor to his work. Some useful tools for handling both what is inside you and what is out there in the world, can be found at ArlenRing.com. (PSY8070)


Susan P. Landon, MA, MFT
Susan Landon is a Marriage, Family and Child Therapist with a private practice in Santa Monica, CA. She has worked with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families for over 20 years. Included in her practice are learning challenged children and their families, children of divorce and single parent families. Over the years she has taught parenting techniques and family communication both privately and in the community. With this knowledge and experience she has joined the Child and Adolescent Supportt Team of the Los Angeles Gender Center to provide a safe and supportive environment for children, adolescents and their families to explore issues of sexuality and gender identity. (MFT 23019)

Maureen Morrissey, MA, MFT
Maureen Morrissey is a licensed Marriage, Family and Child Therapist with over 17 years of experience. In 1992 Maureen was one of the founding therapists of the Los Angeles Gender Center. She worked as the Center’s Clinical Director until 1998. She returned to LAGC in 2007 because she was drawn once again to working in a place that celebrates the uniqueness of each individual. In addition to specializing in gender issues, Maureen also works in the field of Reproductive Medicine. She counsels individuals, couples and groups regarding fertility concerns and family building options such as ovum & sperm donation, surrogacy and adoption. Maureen also facilitates guided autobiography writing groups. In this and all her work, Maureen’s passion is to create a safe space that honors the expression of each individual’s authentic self. (MFT 30439)

Amy Padnick, MA, MFT
Amy Padnick is a licensed Marriage, Family and Child Therapist with a private practice in West Los Angeles. She has a wide range and depth of clinical experience having worked with children, adolescents and their families in public and private schools, hospitals, agencies, and in private practice for over 25 years. Amy was the Child Bereavement Therapist for seven years at Kaiser Permanente. She is a certified SANDPLAY therapist and also uses her experience in art and play therapy to enhance the therapeutic process. (Sandplay is a non-verbal form of therapy that facilitates the psyche’s natural capacity for healing.) Amy specializes in issues of gender identity, divorce, grief/loss, and parent/child conflicts. She provides a safe and secure environment where clients can explore their uniqueness and develop essential life skills. Amy is part of the Child and Adolescent Support Team of the Los Angeles Gender Center. She is a member of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) and Sandplay Therapists of America. (MFT 35182)

 

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