Find Someone
Who Gets You
Meet our Doctors
Get to know the Doctors dedicated to your growth & healing. Our team of dedicated providers brings a wealth of experience, compasion, & specialized expertise, to support you on your journey to wellness. Each member of our staff is commited to creating a safe non-judgmental space where you can explore, heal, & grow.
Dr. Margaret Sawires, Psy.D.
Founder, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
In-Person & Telehealth Sessions
PSY 26208
About
Dr. Sawires earned both her Master’s & Doctorate degrees from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, San Diego. She further honed her expertise through a post-doctoral specialization in Adult Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center. With over 19 years of experience serving the San Diego community, she has worked with diverse populations across a range of clinical settings, including inpatient hospital facilities, crisis homes, outpatient clinics, school counseling centers & private practice. Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Sawires serves as the Clinical & Training Director for her team, where she provides leadership & guidance. She also offers Professional Consulting Services for clinicians seeking to establish or refine solo & group practices, as well as Clinical Consultation Services for providers navigating complex cases. Passionate about fostering the next generation of psychologists, she is a dedicated mentor to many early-career professionals.
Approach
Her approach is warm, authentic, grounded & playfully engaging. She is dedicated to providing personalized, tailored care that meets each patient’s unique needs. With a focus on uncovering & addressing core issues, rather than merely managing symptoms, she takes pride in delivering care that fosters true healing & lasting growth. Embracing a holistic, whole-person perspective, she ensures her treatment approach is both comprehensive &deeply meaningful. She enjoys working with patients across the lifespan, offering in-depth, long-term support to navigate the nuanced challenges that arise at every stage of life.
Dr. Candice Silveira, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
In-Person & Telehealth Sessions
PSY 35516
About
Dr. Candice Silveira [she, her, hers] earned both her Masters & Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology, with a Child & Family Emphasis at the California Professional School of Psychology at Alliant International University (AIU), San Diego.
She has worked in clinical positions as a clinician, student supervisor, & instructor. Dr. Silveira’s experiences have ranged from working with children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of settings. This has included schools, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, & long-term outpatient clinics. She has experience working with military members, voluntary sex workers, family systems, and community systems. Dr. Silveira actively aims to incorporate decolonized perspectives into her practice to support people with an array of experiences. She has considerable training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), & Relational Therapy.
Dr. Silveira has completed a Fellowship at the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center & an APA internship at a community clinic in Oakland, CA. Engagement in these training programs gave her the ability to apply Psychoanalytic theory into therapeutic practice with individuals and family systems.
Approach
Her approach is sincere, as she integrates openness, awareness, & inclusivity into all of her work. Dr. Silveira is skilled at delicately holding different factors of lived experiences (such as: neurotypicality/neurodivergence, social implications, systemic elements, gender identity, culture, socio-economic status, & transgenerational trauma, to name a few) to support individuals, as they navigate their personal and collective trials of life.
PSB 94024797
Dr. Tina Tram, Ph.D.
Registered Psychological Associate*
Telehealth Sessions
About
Dr. Tina Tram earned both her Masters & Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University (AIU), San Diego.
She has worked in clinical settings as a clinician, program evaluator, & coordinator. Her experience has ranged from dual diagnosis outpatient facilities, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, working with active duty service members, as well as the underserved Asian population of San Diego, at the Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC). She has worked in clinical settings as a clinician, program evaluator, & coordinator.
Her experience has ranged from dual diagnosis outpatient facilities, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, working with active duty service members, as well as the underserved Asian population of San Diego, at the Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC).
She has considerable training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Humanistic, Relational, & Trauma-Focused therapies. She is a recent graduate of the Fellowship program at the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center, where she deepened her skills even further.
Approach
Her approach is sincere & comprehensive, taking into account a combination of factors including biological, psychological, & sociocultural issues that may impact the struggles her patients face. She is also able to provide services in Vietnamese.
Currently on Sabbatical
PSB 94028745
About
Dr. Alicia Rickels (she/her) earned her Master’s & Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, San Diego.
She has diverse clinical experience, serving as both a clinician & student supervisor across various settings, including community mental health, primary care facilities, rural health clinics, as well as outpatient services at UCSD Integrated Behavioral Health.
She completed an APA-accredited internship at I Ola Lāhui, focusing on culturally responsive care for individuals in underserved rural Native Hawaiian communities, supporting them in tobacco cessation & addressing co-occurring mental health issues.
Dr. Rickels has considerable training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), & Trauma-Informed therapies. She has extensive experience working with couples, athletes, military service members, military spouses, as well as young adults--meeting each individual where they are, in an effort to foster growth & healing.
Approach
Her approach is kind, collaborative, integrative & multicultural, recognizing the critical role that intersecting identities—such as culture, gender, physical health & sexuality play in mental and emotional well-being.
Dr. Alicia Rickels, Psy.D.
Registered Psychological Associate*
In-Person & Telehealth Sessions
About
Dr. Stephanie Santiago (she/her) is a bilingual Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Psychology who earned her Masters & Doctorate degrees from Ponce Health Sciences
University. Her academic & clinical journey spans internationally, including training experiences in Puerto Rico, the UK & the United States.
Dr. Santiago brings over eight years of diverse clinical experience, having provided psychological care across a wide range of settings, including outpatient clinics, community mental health centers, public schools, hospitals & digital health platforms.
She has worked extensively with children, adolescents, adults & families, navigating complex challenges such as suicidal ideation, trauma, autism spectrum disorder,
substance use & severe mental illness. Her background also includes meaningful service to populations impacted by domestic violence, homelessness, as well as the
foster care & juvenile justice systems. She has received specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT),
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Play Therapy & Psychodynamic Therapy. Dr. Santiago’s clinical work is rooted in trauma-informed care. She provides services in both English & Spanish.
Approach
Dr. Santiago therapeutic style is warm, collaborative & culturally-attuned. She
integrates evidence-based modalities with a personalized approach, which honors each patient’s
lived experience & intersecting identities—including culture, language, gender & socioeconomic
background. Her goal is to create a compassionate, nonjudgmental space that supports healing,
resilience & emotional growth.
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PSB 94027987
Dr. Stephanie Santiago Psy.D.
Registered Psychological Associate*
Telehealth Sessions
Dr. Gabriela Tiraspolski, Psy.D.
Registered Psychological Associate*
In-Person & Telehealth Sessions
PSB 94029324
About
Dr. Gabriela Tiraspolski earned both their Master’s & Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, San Diego. They have provided therapy & psychological evaluations across a variety of settings, including community health centers, academic clinics, private practices, co-occurring clinics & residential substance-use treatment programs.
Dr. Tiraspolski works with individuals, couples, families & groups from diverse racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, generational, neuro & body backgrounds. They have extensive experience supporting clients who have faced historical adversity, including racial & ethnic
minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants & people navigating the criminal justice system.
Their approach integrates trauma-informed, culturally responsive & evidence-based care,
with advanced training in psychodynamic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), humanistic approaches & harm reduction. Dr. Tiraspolski recently completed an APA-accredited internship at Southwest Behavioral and Health Services in Phoenix, Arizona, where they deepened their expertise in complex trauma, identity development,
intergenerational trauma & life transitions.
Approach
Their work is grounded in compassionate, individualized care that honors authenticity and cultural connection. They take a collaborative, meaning-focused approach, drawing on each person’s natural strengths to guide healing and growth. Dr. Tiraspolski also provides services in Russian.
PSB PENDING
Dr. Jeanette Vuong, Psy.D.
(ETA 2027)
Registered Psychological Associate*
Telehealth Sessions
About
Dr. Jeanette Vuong (she/they) earned their Master’s & Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Sacramento. They have delivered psychotherapy & psychological evaluations across a diverse spectrum of clinical settings, including charter schools, outpatient clinics, community mental health centers, and private practices. Dr. Vuong provides individual, couples & family therapy alongside comprehensive assessments across the lifespan, with a primary clinical focus on adults. They aim to specialize in providing gender-affirming care tailored to the LGBTQIA+ community. Their practice synthesizes evidence-based,
culturally considerate interventions, drawing from foundational training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy &
Nature Therapy.
Approach
Dr. Vuong’s therapeutic style is collaborative, authentic & relational, thoughtfully utilizing humor as a bridge to cultivate trust & psychological safety in the clinical space. They prioritize feedback-informed care, incorporating regular check-ins throughout the therapeutic process to ensure treatment is continuously tailored to each client's unique needs and goals. Grounded in a multicultural, social justice framework, Dr. Vuong approaches every individual with profound curiosity, empathy & genuine care.
Dr. Autumn Hernandez, Psy.D.
Registered Psychological Associate*
In-Person & Telehealth Sessions
PSB PENDING
About
Dr. Autumn Hernandez earned her Master’s degree & Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) with a Child Emphasis from Pacific University. She provides comprehensive psychotherapy & psychological assessment to children, adolescents, emerging adults, & families across outpatient, academic, community mental health & integrated care settings. Specializing in complex trauma, mood pathology, anxiety disorders, identity development & systemic family conflict, Dr. Hernandez frequently collaborates with multidisciplinary care teams to deliver holistic treatment. Her practice is grounded in a trauma-informed, culturally responsive framework, utilizing a variety of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) & attachment-informed interventions.
Approach
Dr. Hernandez’s practice centers on establishing a secure, collaborative therapeutic alliance as the foundation for clinical progress. Synthesizing empirical rigor with cultural humility, she provides an individualized space designed to foster emotional regulation, distress tolerance & adaptive coping mechanisms. Whether working with individuals or family systems, Dr.Hernandez emphasizes insight, systemic resilience & actionable skill acquisition
to help clients process complex stressors & achieve long-term, values-aligned psychological well-being.
Dr. Dina Lim, D.O.
Medical Director
DO, 20A 8089
About
Dr. Dina Lim is a dual board-certified Adult & Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist with over two decades of clinical experience. She earned her B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Music from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) & her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her psychiatric internship at North Shore University Hospital, her Adult Psychiatry residency at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), & a Child & Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at Weill Cornell’s Payne Whitney Clinic. Dr. Lim also holds advanced post-graduate training in psychodynamic psychotherapy from the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center. Throughout her career, Dr. Lim has accumulated 21 years of private practice experience alongside 12 years as a consulting psychiatrist in community behavioral health settings. Her extensive clinical background includes delivering comprehensive psychiatric consultations,
supervising therapist trainees, & leading multidisciplinary care teams to support coordinated,
patient-centered treatment.
As Medical Director, Dr. Lim serves as a foundational anchor for Urban Psych’s growing group practice & clinical training programs, working to ensure our practice values remain steadfast. In this leadership role, she focuses exclusively on administrative oversight, quality assurance, & clinical training & is not available for direct psychiatric consultations or medication management through the practice. Dr. Lim oversees documentation compliance, quality assurance (QA) & utilization review protocols while advising executiveleadership on optimizing overall QA standards & operational workflows. Additionally, she designs staff educational programming, operational workflows,& professional development workshops to foster clinical excellence. Through her leadership, Dr. Lim upholdstop-tier clinical standards with unwavering integrity, advancing Urban Psych’s mission to deliver accessible care to our San Diego community & beyond.
*Registered Psychological Associate:
This is a term designated for clinicians advanced in their clinical training, but who are not yet licensed & able to provide services independently. They are working towards their final requirements for licensure, are supervised by Dr. Margaret Sawires directly, & are employees of her independent practice. They have been thoroughly screened & registered through the Board of Psychology for this position.