Dr. Peter is a clinical and neuropsychologist with almost 30 years of experience contributing to the field of psychology as a practitioner, researcher, and educator.
She is a former associate professor of psychology at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles, where she was the director of the Psychology Graduate Programs, Clinical Supervisor to therapists in training, and acting Chair of the Psychology Department. She has conducted psychological research at the University of California at Berkeley, UCLA, and the RAND Corporation.
Dr. Peter has published numerous research articles and book chapters, and she has been a contributing columnist to the Los Angeles Times. She has presented professional papers internationally and has been the subject of local feature articles and stories. Full List of Publications.
After receiving her doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley, Dr. Peter went on to complete postdoctoral fellowships in social psychology, clinical psychology, and neuropsychology at UCLA, Devereaux Foundation, and Fielding. She was awarded diplomate status in Clinical Psychology from the American Board of Psychological Specialties, and then continued her studies with Dr. Allan Schore and Dr. Dan Siegel, clinical professors in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine. Both Dr. Schore and Dr. Siegel are considered pioneers in the area of Interpersonal Neurobiology and its application to helping people regulate emotion and connect empathically to each other. Dr. Peter then extended her studies to understand the intricacies of the brain’s frontal lobe with Elkhonon Goldberg, internationally renown clinical professor of neurology at New York University School of Medicine.
Dr. Peter has helped restabilize survivors and witnesses of 9/11, Iranian refugees, Israeli victims of terrorist attacks, and families who have fled war-torn countries. Dr. Peter has been a volunteer for Disaster Mental Health at the Red Cross, and is certified as a psychologist for Homeland Security by the American College of Forensic Examiners.
Dr. Melissa Gentry is a Doctor of Applied Clinical Psychology and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. She’s a psychological associate working under the supervision of Dr. Orli Peter. With over a decade of experience and an extensive educational and training background, she specializes in a wide range of psychological and neuropsychological concerns. Dr. Gentry is certified in Sex Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Trauma Focused (CBT-TF) and trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). Dr. Gentry’s expertise includes anxiety, ADHD, depression, trauma/PTSD, relationships,
intimacy challenges, codependency/attachment, and addiction. Her holistic approach
incorporates various therapeutic modalities such as DBT, CBT, Mindfulness, EMDR, Imago, and
psychodynamic therapy. Dr. Gentry is committed to guide her clients on their transformative journeys.
