Cat Beer, PhD in Clinical Psychology

Professional Background

I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University in San Diego, with a concentration in forensic psychology and advanced training in trauma and PTSD treatment. During my doctoral training, I worked across high-acuity settings including inpatient hospitals, residential rehabilitation programs, forensic facilities, and the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, treating severe mental illness, complex trauma, and co-occurring conditions. In my final year of training at the San Diego VA Healthcare System/UCSD School of Medicine, I provided ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for veterans with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. Witnessing the profound shifts that can occur in the therapy room deepened my commitment to thoughtful, intentional integration work. I have since presented research on psychedelic integration and recovery-oriented care at international conferences including MAPS and ALPS.

Prior to entering clinical psychology, I worked in advertising, contributing to creative campaigns, conducting consumer research, and analyzing the psychological drivers of behavior. This early career strengthened my desire to understand human motivation, storytelling, and systems-level influence. This background continues to shape my clinical work, where I intentionally bring creativity and evidence-based practice to help clients re-write their own stories and access new growth.

Specialization

As a practicing clinician (a post-doctoral fellow with Restore Psychology in San Diego, California), I specialize in working with trauma, PTSD, mood disorders, anxiety, and ADHD, particularly when symptoms are rooted in complex or relational trauma. I practice from an integrative framework that blends evidence-based modalities (CBT, ACT, DBT, CPT) with recovery-oriented, relational, and attachment-based approaches. My work also includes Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and psychedelic integration, with a focus on translating insight into sustained functional and relational change.

Education

University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a Major in Marketing and Emphasis in Psychology

Alliant International University, Master of Arts (MA) & Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Certifications

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) Provider Certification – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Membership:

San Diego Psychoanalytic Consultation Group

American Psychological Association

Research Focus

1. Neuromodulation Clinic, San Diego VA Healthcare System

• Collaborated with the lead psychologist within Ketamine clinic to explore the synergy between psychedelic treatments and recovery-oriented care, enhancing protocols for preparation and integration in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
• Assisted a Postdoctoral Fellow to evaluate treatment outcomes by comparing weekly KAP and integration sessions to standard clinical procedures, contributing to advancements in neuromodulation interventions.

Presentations:

• Beer, C., Perivoliotis, D., & Morland, L. (2025, October). From Insight to Integration: Sustaining transformation after psychedelic therapies with recovery-oriented and evidence-based practices. Poster presented at the Awareness Lectures on Psychedelics (ALPS) Conference, Geneva, Switzerland.
• Perivoliotis, D., Beer, C., & Morland, L. (2025, June). From Insight to Integration: Sustaining transformation after psychedelic therapies with recovery-oriented and evidence-based practices. Poster presented at Psychedelic Science 2025, Denver, CO, United States.
• Scheinblum, K., Perivoliotis, D., & Beer, C. (2025, June). Implementing Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for Veterans with Treatment-Resistant Depression: A clinical pilot project at the VA San Diego Neuromodulation Clinic. Poster presented at Judd Symposium, University of California, San Diego, United States.

2. Doctoral Dissertation, Alliant International University          

• Studied specific mitigating and aggravating factors’ impact on jury members’ decision-making in juvenile “Life Without Parole” (LWOP) sentencing
  — Investigated the impact of academic achievement as a mitigating or aggravating factor for black vs. white adolescents.
  — Evaluated how jury members’ levels of conservativism and religiosity predict attitudes toward sentencing.

Presentation:

• Beer, C., & Dalenberg, C. (2025, June). Judging juveniles: Public attitudes toward life without parole and the influence of race and academic achievement in a simulated homicide case. Poster presented at the Judd Symposium, University of California, San Diego, United States.