Hello!

Hello! I am a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY#29550) specializing in working with children, adolescents, and young adults with medical conditions and health concerns including headache disorders, chronic pain, and functional neurological symptoms (FND/FNSD). I also work with young people experiencing anxiety, depression, OCD symptoms, and a range of other emotional concerns.

I approach therapy as a team with my clients and their families, using a cognitive behavioral (CBT) framework integrated with other evidence-based therapies. Although therapy is different for each family, clients will learn a range of skills to help them manage their symptoms, improve their life, and work toward their personal goals.

I have a background as a hospital-based pediatric psychologist, which has provided me extensive experience working with medical providers, hospital systems, and schools to understand and advocate for my clients’ needs. I have been working with children and families as a therapist for over a decade. My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and goal oriented. 

Education & Background

I earned my doctorate in clinical psychology, with a focus on child development, at the University of Southern California (USC).

I then completed a pre-doctoral internship at the Institute on Development and Disability at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)

My internship was followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in Pediatric Pain Psychology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

I established and directed the Child and Adolescent Headache Psychology Program and Pediatric Brain Center Psychology Program at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children’s Hospital for over 6 years. I remain a UCSF Volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor today. 

Selected Publications

I have published numerous articles and book chapters in the areas of pediatric headache and pain psychology. I also provide trainings on these topics to psychologists, masters level therapists, nurses, physicians, and a range of other healthcare providers. 

    • Ross, A.C., Karvounides, D., Marzouk, M., Seng, B., & Powers, S. Preventive behavioral headache management. Pediatric Headache, 2022

    • Karvounides, D., Ross, A.C., Marzouk, M., Seng, B., & Powers, S. Acute behavioral headache management. Pediatric Headache, 2022

    • Morris, C., Ross, A.C., Greene, K., Irwin, S., Wagstaff, A., & Gelfand, A. (2022). Outcomes that matter to adolescents with continuous headache due to chronic migraine and their parents: A pilot survey study. Neurology, 98(23), e2347- e2355.

    • Gelfand, A. A., Pavitt, S., Ross, A.C., Szperka, C. L., Irwin, S. L., Bertisch, S., ... & Allen, I. E. (2021). Later high school start time is associated with lower migraine frequency in adolescents. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 61(2), 343-350.

    • Karvounides, D., Marzouk, M., Ross, A.C., VanderPluym, J. H., Pettet, C., Ladak, A., ... & Szperka, C. L. (2021). The intersection of COVID-19, school, and headaches: Problems and solutions. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 61(1), 190-201.

    • Kiarashi, J., VanderPluym, J., Szperka, C. L., Turner, S., Minen, M. T., Broner, S., Ross, A.C. ... & Charleston, L. (2021). Factors associated with, and mitigation strategies for, healthcare disparities faced by patients with headache disorders. Neurology, 97(6), 280-289.

    • Wren, A., Ross, A.C., D’Souza, G., Almgren, C., Feinstein, A., Marshall, A., & Golianu, B. (2019). Multimodal pain management for pediatric patients with acute and chronic pain: A foundational treatment approach when prescribing opioids. Children, 6(2), 33.

    • Feinstein, A.B., Sturgeon, J.A., Bhandari, R.P, Yoon, Y.A., Ross, A.C., Huestis, S., Griffin, A., & Simons, L.E. Risk and resilience in pediatric pain: The roles of parent and adolescent catastrophizing and acceptance. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 34(12), 1096-1105.

    • Ross, A.C., Simons, L.E., Feinstein, A.B., Yoon, I.A., & Bhandari, R.P. (2017). Social risk and resilience factors in adolescent chronic pain: Examining the role of parents and peers. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 43, 303-13.