Counseling Services

Individual child/teen
Social challenges
Anxiety and Fears

Emotional Dysregulation/Depression

Personal Growth
Parenting Support
Stress Management

About Me

Karen Begun, Psy.D. specializes in psychoeducational and neurocognitive evaluations. She also provides individual child and adolescent psychotherapy.  Dr. Begun maintains a private practice with an office in Westlake Village, California. Dr. Begun is a cognitive-behavioral therapist.  Her therapeutic approach is to empower children by helping them learn strategies and coping skills to manage their emotions and behavior.  She offers a highly personalized approach tailored to each child. With compassion and understanding, she works with each child to help them build on their strengths and attain growth and happiness.
 

Education and Professional Training:

Dr. Begun has over 25 years' experience as a child psychologist in private practice. Prior to starting her private practice, she was a staff child psychologist at Kaiser Permanente in Maryland for three years.  Dr. Begun earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine and obtained her Master's and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University.  Dr. Begun began her work with children, adolescents and families during graduate school, having completed her training programs at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center in the Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic; Kaiser Permanente, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine in San Diego; and Kaiser Permanente, Department of Psychiatry in Maryland.  Dr. Begun's doctoral dissertation was on the development of an instrument measuring expectations of parents of children who have learning disabilities in the area of academic achievement. 

Dr. Begun's extensive work in the area of child and adolescent psychology has enabled her to build a successful practice with an expertise in helping children and adolescents with a broad range of developmental, behavioral, emotional and learning issues.  

Licenses:

Dr. Begun is a licensed psychologist in California and Maryland

Personal:

Dr. Begun was raised in the Conejo Valley. She attended Medea Creek Middle School and Oak Park High School.  Dr. Begun has been married for 29 years and has two children. She is active in the community, frequently participating in charity runs and volunteering at homeless shelters throughout the community.  Dr. Begun's hobbies include running, yoga, traveling and walking her two golden retrievers.