Intern Psychologist / Principal
Allen has worked with children of a variety of ages and mainly in public school settings. For the past 22 years Allen has worked as a psychologist in the public school system. In this role, he has worked with students that have behavioral challenges, requiring him to consult with parents and teachers to help youth learn to manage emotions and use problem-solving skills in order to get needs met. His focus is that the same strategies used to teach youth to read, ride a bike, or other skills need to be used in order for them to behave in ways that help them meet their goals.
Allen helped lead the district in adopting a trauma-informed approach to student behavior. He is certified as a TBRI practitioner, which is a program that uses what is known about how trauma impacts individuals to design interventions that help people meet needs in appropriate ways. The main focus is on preventing problems by ensuring youth are connected with adults, the adults are teaching the required skills and using trauma-informed knowledge when correcting and meeting biological and physiological needs that might contribute to challenging behavior. Allen also worked as a crisis worker for nine years conducting intakes with patients, their families and support networks that visited the ER with mental health concerns.
This involved an assessment to determine what level of treatment the client needed and then consulting with a psychiatrist to provide recommendations. Allen also ran groups and conducted individual counseling with patients admitted to the behavioral unit at the hospital.
Allen obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Southern Utah University and Educational Specialist Degree in School Psychology from Idaho State University. Currently, Allen is working to complete a doctoral program in clinical psychology at California Southern University. His dissertation focuses on attachment and its impact in education among teachers and their use of discipline methods in their attempts at classroom management.
Allen enjoys spending time with his wife, children and extended family. He also loves being involved in outdoor activities like hiking, hunting, camping, and fishing. Allen is very physically active. He likes to run and exercise to relax and have fun.