“Adria’s spirit, vitality and sensitivity help her to understand and connect with adolescents. Hearing her speak on numerous occasions has given me the tools and knowledge to work more effectively…”
– Sarah Horner, Director of Tom Sawyer Camps Inc.
Dr. Adria O’Donnell is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in San Diego. For the past 15 years, she worked with children and adolescents, with a specialization in teen and pre-teen girls. Her foci are on anxiety and stress management, conflict resolution skills, learning disabilities, tech-aggression and relational aggression, a more covert form of bullying often used by girls.
In these areas, Dr. O’Donnell has become a coveted public speaker and has developed several pioneering programs. Her “Brave Talk” program is designed to teach children practical tips to maintain their “truth” and balance during peer conflicts and teach kids and teens a type of “verbal self-defense”, conflict resolution skills and other forms of self-empowerment. She also supervises and facilitates a local social skills groups FRIENDS for socially struggling grammar school aged children.
Dr. Adria has been speaking locally about the effects of technology on teen’s social and emotional development as well as proving workshops to help parents “update” their parenting software. Her lively workshops bring a modern twist to traditional parenting. Dr. Adria has spoken at the prestigious Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, and locally at the Bishops School and Gillespie School in La Jolla, the Grauer School in Encinitas, Horizon Prep in Rancho Santa Fe, Canyon Crest Academy, San Deguito Academy, and Coronado SAFE. She works regularly with several local chapters of the National Charity League, Teen Volunteers in Action, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Girl Scouts Association of America.
Dr. O’Donnell has a full-time private practice in Del Mar. In the summer, Dr. Adria is the Sr. Clinical Director and Behavior Coach at Outpost Summer Camps in Poway and worked at both Excelsior Academy, a small private school for learning disabled children 8-18 and at New Bridge Academy in Poway, California. Before she received her doctorate, she cut her teeth working with kids as the Assistant Director for Tom Sawyer Camps Inc., Pasadena.
Dr. O’Donnell earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of San Diego in Communication and Hispanic Studies, attended the University of Granada, Spain, and earned her Doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego.
Recent list of presentations/locations:
1. National Charity league (NCL)
2. Young Presidents Organization (YPO)
3. Girl Scouts of San Diego
4. Coronado’s SAFE
5. The Boys & Girls Club, San Deguito
6. The Gillespie School, La Jolla
7. The Bishops School, La Jolla
8. The Grauer School, Encinitas
9. St. John’s Episcopal School, Santa Margarita CA
10. Horizon Prep, RSF
11. Solana Vista Elementary, Solana Beach
12. Skyline Elementary, Solana Beach
13. Del Mar Heights, Del Mar
14. Carmel Del Mar, Carmel Valley
15. Ocean Air Elementary, Carmel Valley
16. Ashley Falls Elementary, Carmel Valley
17. Our Lady of Grace, San Diego
18. St. James Evangelical, Encinitas
19. St. Didicus, San Diego
20. Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena
21. St Michael’s Academy, San Diego