Dr. Ellen G. Stein is a forensic and clinical psychologist in private practice in San Diego, California.
Maintaining a dual practice, Dr. Stein provides extensive forensic psychological consultation and expert witness testimony for civil, criminal and military litigation. Dr. Stein is also a Court-appointed evaluator for the Superior Court of San Diego, California. Dr. Stein is routinely retained by prosecution and defense counsel (criminal, military), as well as plaintiff and defense counsel (civil).
Dr. Stein also maintains a small private practice, offering assessment and treatment for adults, adolescents, pre-teens and latency-aged populations. Dr. Stein is a former Adjunct Clinical Professor at The California School of Professional Psychology (at Alliant International University) in San Diego, CA, as well as The University of San Diego, San Diego, CA.
After nearly 20 years of graduate teaching, Dr. Stein has continued to provide professional training and continuing education seminars for attorneys (various Bar association conferences), judges (California Judicial Council), and psychiatrists, psychologists, marriage/family therapists and social workers in a variety of clinical and institutional settings across California. Dr. Stein was a lead faculty member with the Association for Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences for nearly 20 years, and trained licensure candidates preparing for the EPPP national exam in areas of Physiological Psychology, Psychopharmacology, Life Span Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Statistics, Research Design and Test Construction.
Forensic Practice
General forensic consultation includes assessment, psychological testing, litigation consultation, jury consultation, and expert witness testimony. Dr. Stein is routinely retained by plaintiff’s counsel and defense counsel (Civil) as well as prosecution and defense counsel (Criminal and Courts Martial).
Criminal Cases Involving:
- Murder
- Attempted murder
- Sexual assault
- Domestic violence
- Child abuse and family violence
- Teacher molestation/sexual impropriety
- Confabulation and secondary gain in witness testimony
- Cultural diversity addressing gay/lesbian community
Civil Cases Involving:
- General labor/employment
- Sexual harassment
- Discrimination
- Hostile work environment
- Wrongful termination
- Emotional distress
- Assessment of injury and damages
- Professional sexual and/or clinical impropriety
- Probate matters focused on testamentary intent and undue influence
- Law enforcement misconduct
In addition, consultation and expert witness litigation services are provided for licensed mental health professionals facing either inquiry or investigation by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), the California Board of Psychology (BOP), the California Medical Board, or the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Clinical Practice
In her private practice, Dr. Stein specializes in family violence, rape trauma syndrome, sexual abuse, residual aspects of trauma/abuse, affective disorders, personality disorders and issues of sexuality and gender identity. Services are provided to children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Stein is also a long standing contracted treatment provider the U.S. Border Patrol & Immigration and Customs Enforcement, offering employee assistance, critical incident debriefing and ongoing treatment through employee assistance and private programs. Previously, Dr. Stein conducted pre-employment screening for SDPD law enforcement candidates.
Teaching
Dr. Stein is a former Adjunct Clinical Professor at The California School of Professional Psychology (at Alliant International University) in San Diego, CA, as well as The University of San Diego, San Diego, CA. Stepping down after over 15 years of graduate level teaching, Dr. Stein continues to specialize in teaching Advanced Law/Ethics and The Business of Private Practice. Related research consultation is offered on the legal/ethical aspects of clinical practice, informed consent, family violence and trauma, and cultural considerations in psychological practice with ethnic and sexual minorities.
Dr. Stein in an invited lecturer for vendors who provide BOP/BBS approved CEU seminars (6 hours) in Law/Ethics, across the State of California. Seminars are tailored to specific audiences, which routinely include Naval, Marine and Army bases, as well as hospital and university settings.
From 1999 until 2017, Dr. Stein was a lead instructor for the Association for Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences, training candidates for the national psychology license exam (EPPP) throughout California and the Western United States. Dr. Stein has taught Statistics, Research Design, Test Construction, Physiological Psychology, Psychopharmacology and Life Span Development review courses.
Published articles include: “Patient Death: Attending to Our Personal and Professional Responsibilities” (2004); “Ethical Considerations in the Treatment of Sexual Offenders” (2005); and “Ethical Considerations of Psychological Practice in a Recession” (2011). Her most recent article: “Ethical Implications of Major Incapacitation or Illness in Psychological Practice” (2013) is scheduled to be reprinted by the San Diego Psychological Association in March of 2014.
Professional Appointments
In February of 2010, Dr. Stein was appointed to a three-year term as a Member of the Ethics Committee of the California Psychological Association. The Ethics Committee is responsible for professional consultation statewide, to members of CPA, and continued work on the standards of care in California. In January of 2013, Dr. Stein was reappointed to this committee, and was also named the Vice Chair of the California Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee.