Dr. Sky Cardwell

I'm Dr. Sky Cardwell, a licensed clinical psychologist in California with a PhD in Child Clinical Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University. I completed my internship and fellowship in Early Childhood and Pediatrics at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and over the past eight years I've developed broad experience treating a range of mental health concerns across the lifespan. My areas of focus have included neurodevelopmental disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, trauma, and perinatal mental health, along with specialized training in supporting infants, young children, and medically involved children and their families. My goal is to bring both clinical rigor and genuine warmth to every client and family I work with.

My approach is collaborative and grounded in evidence-based practice. Depending on what you're working through, I draw on tools such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure Therapy, TF-CBT, and Motivational Interviewing; for new and expecting parents navigating the emotional demands of pregnancy, postpartum, or early parenthood, I also incorporate perinatal-focused support; and for families with young children, I use approaches like Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Parent Management Training, and DIR/Floortime. I tailor the specific methods I use to each client's needs rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Above all, I aim to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where you feel understood and equipped with practical strategies for meaningful change.

In our first session, I focus on getting a clear picture of what's bringing you to therapy and understanding your goals and priorities. Together, we'll begin co-creating a treatment plan that reflects both what you hope to gain and my clinical recommendations based on evidence-based care. I create a warm, low-pressure environment where you can share openly, ask questions, and get a feel for how we'll work together. By the end of the session, you should have a clearer sense of the plan moving forward and feel confident that your concerns have been heard.