About Us
Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services (BATRCS) is devoted to treating simple and complex PTSD from any source (childhood abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, crime, military related trauma, accidents, disasters, health related trauma, etc.). To broaden the population able to receive these services, clients are able to be seen on a sliding scale basis.
The evidence-based treatments we offer are rooted in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and EMDR protocols.
Our therapists are experienced graduate student clinicians who are supervised and fully trained by our directors.
The evidence-based treatments we offer are rooted in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and EMDR protocols.
Our therapists are experienced graduate student clinicians who are supervised and fully trained by our directors.
Our Board of Directors
Matthew McKay, Ph.D. is the co-director of the Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services (BATRCS) and a professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. He has authored and coauthored numerous books on ACT, the treatment of PTSD, and other emotional disorders, including Overcoming Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Advanced Training in ACT, Emotion Efficacy Therapy, Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, and ACT on Life Not on Anger. Dr. McKay specializes in the cognitive behavioral treatment of PTSD, anxiety and depression.
Valesia Ho, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with a multiethnic/cultural background, practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area. She specializes in providing psychotherapy to adults and couples, utilizing a third-wave cognitive behavioral approach. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Ho serves as the co-director of the Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services (BATRCS). Dr. Ho completed her internship at the Department of State Hospitals-Napa, where she worked on an inpatient dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) unit and led groups focused on treating complex trauma. During her post-doctoral fellowship, she received specialized training in the treatment of insomnia and sexual dysfunction. Dr. Ho is also a certified sex therapist.
Robyn Walser, Ph.D. is an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has co-authored 3 books on ACT including Learning ACT: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Training Manual for Therapists, The Mindful Couple: How Acceptance and Mindfulness Can Lead You to the Love You Want, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Related Problems: A Practitioner's Guide to Using Mindfulness and Acceptance Strategies. She also has expertise in traumatic stress and substance abuse and has authored a number of articles, chapters and books on these topics.
Jocelyn Sze, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who provides psychotherapy for adults at her practice in San Francisco using a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach, specializing in the treatment of trauma, anxiety, and insomnia. Dr. Sze completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Women’s Health and general outpatient clinics at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Her research interests include the psychophysiology of emotion, mindfulness-based interventions, and women’s health issues, and Dr. Sze has published in leading scientific journals in these areas.
Stephanie Catella, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in providing cutting edge, transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for individuals suffering from trauma and PTSD, depression, anxiety, and chronic medical illnesses. She is a consultant to innovative mental health tech companies and other healthcare providers. Additionally, she specializes in supervising and training doctoral students in ACT, CBT, and exposure therapy and provides mentorship on doctoral dissertations.
Victoria Lemle Beckner, Ph.D. is a partner at the San Francisco Group for Evidence-Based Psychotherapy, and Associate Clinical Professor at the UCSF Department of Psychiatry. She obtained her doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, where she conducted research on the neurobiology of stress and memory. In her practice she specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders and trauma, and she volunteers with the American Red Cross and other local disaster organizations providing acute trauma care. She is the lead author of the book, Conquering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Robyn Gobin, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in interpersonal trauma and women's mental health. She specializes in culturally responsive treatment of traumatic stress in adults and couples using cognitive-behavioral, emotion-focused, and mindfulness-based interventions. She is the author of The Self-Care Prescription: Powerful Solutions to Manage Stress, Reduce Anxiety, and Increase Well-Being and The Doing My Work Therapy Journal. In addition to her clinical work, she is a University professor, consultant, and grant-funded researcher. Dr. Gobin is a highly sought-after public speaker who regularly facilitates workshops on self-care, mindfulness, and trauma recovery.
Jordana Hazam, Psy.D., is a multiethnic clinical psychologist who divides her time between private practice and serving survivors of sexual abuse at the Kap‘ioloni Medical Center for Women and Children, Sex Abuse Treatment Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Dr. Hazam graduated from The Wright Institute in Berkeley, California. She completed her doctoral internship at the Alaska VA Healthcare System, and her post-doctoral residency at the San Francisco VA Healthcare System with an emphasis in PTSD and Substance Use Disorders. She provides specialized training on the intersectionality of race and traumatic stress, including bicultural identification and Moral Injury in combat Veterans, and cultural considerations in the treatment of Arab-American/Middle Eastern & North African population and Indigenous communities.