DR. RHONDA JESSUM

Dr. Rhonda Jessum is an accomplished clinical psychologist, holding both Doctorate and Master’s degrees from the California School of Professional Psychology, accredited by the American Psychological Association. She graduated with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was a distinguished member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society.

Dr. Jessum is licensed to practice in California, Hawaii, and Alabama, and is an active member of the American Psychological Association as well as the Society for Environmental Population and Conservation Psychology. As a specialist in Behavioral Medicine, she operates a private practice where she effectively treats a wide range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and addiction. Her passion for interpersonal relationships is supported by specialized training in The Gottman Method and the Mindsight Institute. Dr. Jessum’s work emphasizes the importance of interpersonal neurobiology, focusing on enhancing all forms of relationships—interpersonal, familial, and community—as essential for optimal health and well-being.

In addition to her therapeutic practice, Dr. Jessum provides comprehensive psychological assessments, including psychodiagnostic evaluations, ADHD assessments, pre-surgical and neuropsychological screenings, as well as psychoeducational and personality assessments. She served as the head screening psychologist for the Center for Bariatric Surgery at West Hills Hospital for over a decade.

Dr. Jessum is a published author in peer-reviewed journals and possesses experience in professional presentations, management consultations, and corporate health. She has served for two years as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, California, and has contributed to a special edition of Elsevier on "The Biological Basis for Mind-Body Interactions."

Additionally, Dr. Jessum has made significant contributions as a media psychologist, including a featured role in an international National Geographic project. She has independently produced various media projects, such as "My Baby Heart," an educational video designed to promote social and emotional intelligence in young children.

Dr. Jessum is also dedicated to environmental justice causes. She is the founder of the citizen’s group "Our Right To Know” and won the 2015 California Safe School Environmental Champion award for her years-long effort to remove the cancer-causing Roundup pesticide from the Las Virgenes Unified School District. Dr. Jessum is currently actively involved with the Malibu Monarch Project, educating the public and advocating for the cultivation and protection of Monarch butterfly habitats while raising awareness about the overuse of toxic chemicals.

Over the past decade, Dr. Jessum has integrated her professional career with her deep love for nature. Recently, she became a Certified California Naturalist. She is the owner and caretaker of Las Flores Creek Sanctuary, a small private wilderness sanctuary in the Malibu area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Dr. Jessum has dedicated nearly ten years to restoring the fire-impacted creek habitat on this historic homestead property. Her efforts have focused on promoting habitat sustainability, with particular attention to restoring the property’s native pollinator plants and seed banks.

For the past five years, Dr. Jessum has represented herself in legal matters to protect Las Flores Creek Sanctuary from unjust encroachments by polarized political and corporate interests. She has steadfastly defended her land rights while simultaneously restoring the ecosystem to a state of autonomous sustainability. This challenge underscores Dr. Jessum’s unwavering dedication not only to larger community causes but also to the rights of individuals. Striking a balance between personal interests and our interconnectedness reflects the harmony found in healthy, sustainable environments. Throughout the contentious and protracted litigation, Dr. Jessum drew strength and solace from her immersion in the natural world, which generously imparts wisdom to anyone willing to deeply listen.