EMDR Professional Training

Kristen Garubba, Ed.D., LMFT, was trained by Dr. Popky to become a DeTUR™ trainer, working with all of the nuances of his specific steps and interweaves.  With Kristen’s training and experience, A.J. Popky’s legacy remains intact and the excellent results of the DeTUR™ protocol will continue. 

Dr. Garubba works with a variety of populations, taking special interest in trauma, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and family relational issues. Her experience includes work within the non-profit sector, county crisis residential programs, victims of crime, residential substance abuse, and mental health program participants.  Dr. Garubba has also served as a clinical director and supervisor within substance abuse and private practice settings.

Kristen uses a variety of treatment approaches, including CBT, psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, and EMDR therapy with related specialty interventions including RTEP and DeTUR™.  She now takes the role of training others in DeTUR™, having been trained in the protocol by A.J. Popky, Ph.D.

Currently, Dr. Garubba owns and operates her private practice in San Juan Capistrano, California, providing individual, couples, and family therapy.  She is also an adjunct professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology where she teaches graduate level courses.  She also serves in a supervisory capacity for psychotherapists who are new to the profession.  Kristen brings with her long-standing experience in the field and holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Doctorate in Educational and Counseling Psychology both from Argosy University.

 Dr. Garubba’s Theory on Healing and Wellness:

“We are all capable of change and healing. We are not sick, broken, or damaged as many might believe. We are but a product of the world in which we are raised. As a healer in the mental health field, it is my job to find ways to aid my patients in finding a path to healing through education, caring, and coping skills. We learn in EMDR therapy that many issues such as depression, anxiety, and trauma are a direct result of adverse life events. Healing is possible through understanding the impact of those events and taking steps to achieve a sense of well being.” - Kristen Garubba Ed.D., LMFT