Liz McConnell, Ph.D.

(they/she)

Clinical-Community psychologist

About

Dr. Liz McConnell is a clinical-community psychologist licensed in California and Oregon. They specialize in trauma, relationships, and LGBTQ+ communities.Dr. McConnell sees adolescents and adults in private practice, supervises trainees specializing in LGBTQ+ psychology, and leads a research lab on the mental health and wellbeing of intersectionally diverse LGBTQ+ communities. They are an Assistant Professor at Palo Alto University, where they teach in the MS and PhD Programs and direct the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic @ PAU.Dr. McConnell received their Ph.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology from DePaul University in 2019. They completed a fellowship with Northwestern University's Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, where they have ongoing collaborations and a history of NIH funded grants. Dr. McConnell has authored over 35 peer-reviewed publications and 75 conference presentations on relational and contextual influences on mental health and wellbeing for minoritized populations, and their work has been cited over 2,500 times. They have worked clinically in university counseling, hospital, community mental health, and private practice settings.Dr. McConnell provides individual, relationship, and group therapy from a trauma-informed, experiential, social justice approach. They believe that change happens through relationships and form warm, authentic connections with their clients that support healing. Dr. McConnell has completed advanced training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). They help clients move beyond developing insight into their patterns to accessing deeper, transformative experiences of change.In addition to clinical work and supervision, Dr. McConnell frequently provides trainings, workshops, and consultation. Interested? Get in touch!

Clients

You might be feeling stuck: disconnected from yourself, your relationships, or the kind of life you want to be living. Maybe you're navigating stress from high expectations or caregiving roles, or struggling to feel close to others even when you crave connection. You may carry pain from earlier experiences or feel like you've had to hide parts of yourself just to get by. Whatever brings you here, you're considering the brave and vulnerable work of change, and that is huge.I work with people who are ready to feel more grounded, more connected, and more like themselves. I bring a particular focus on working with LGBTQ+ and multiply marginalized clients navigating the emotional toll of invisibility, hypervisibility, or living in systems not built for them, but enjoy working with clients of all identities who may be feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or stuck in patterns that no longer serve them. I am neurodiversity-affirming, use an attachment-based lens, and provide letters for gender-affirming medical services. You don’t have to go through this alone, and you don’t have to explain your existence before we can get to the heart of things.In addition to individual therapy, I offer CNM-inclusive relationship therapy. I use Emotionally Focused Therapy and an attachment-based lens to help partners feel safer, more seen, and more emotionally connected. We focus on shifting out of reactive cycles and into more secure, responsive ways of relating.I bring a warm, relational, trauma-informed approach that honors your wisdom and your goals. Together, we can explore what’s getting in the way, deepen your emotional insight, and create space for more authenticity, clarity, and intimacy in your life. When you feel safe and seen, amazing things can happen.I’d love to connect about how I can support you. Reach out to me at 650-955-0795 or [email protected] to schedule a free consultation.

Providers

In addition to my clinical work, I offer services for mental health providers and organizations, including clinical supervision, consultation, training, and program evaluation. I have years of experience supervising graduate students and postdocs. I direct a training clinic, where I support emerging therapists in developing strong, affirming, and trauma-informed skill sets. If you are a pre-licensed clinician seeking supervision, I’d be happy to connect and discuss how I can support your growth and licensure goals.I provide consultation and workshops at the local, regional, and national levels on topics such as LGBTQ+ mental health, CNM-affirming care, relational therapy, trauma, and identity-informed clinical work. My approach is collaborative, reflective, and grounded in real-world clinical experience as well as current research. If you’re part of an organization looking to develop a customized training, I’d love to work with you to design something that meets your team's specific needs.I also support programs and organizations through equity-informed evaluation, curriculum design, and training development, with particular attention to systems that serve multiply marginalized communities. Whether it’s clarifying your goals, designing a strong program model, or evaluating impact using mixed methods, my goal is to provide tailored support that anticipates your needs and delivers lasting value.

Contact

Call or text: 650-955-0795
Email: [email protected]