Professional Profile
Dr. Darlene R Townes is a licensed psychologist with over 12-years of professional experience and a myriad of life experiences including, a 10-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves. She has worked as a private school principal, administrator, church leader, military spouse and home-school mom of 6-children from birth to college. In 2010, after raising and preparing her children for college degrees, she returned to academia.
Dr. Townes earned psychology degrees (Psy.D. and M.A.) from John F. Kennedy University in Northern California, graduating in 2016. Her pre-doctoral training was in Escondido, CA at Palomar Medical Center Behavioral Health In-patient Psychiatric, Geriatric and Acute Rehabilitation Units. Dr. Townes’ post-doctoral training was conducted in San Diego, CA under direct supervision providing psychotherapy services for HELP Therapist and Fraternity House, Inc., serving the HIV-AID population from 2017 through 2019. In addition, Dr. Townes worked as a Geriatric Specialist for Community Research Foundation and the County of San Diego. Her years of professional training focused on treating mood, anxiety, trauma, substance use and issues pertaining to health, women, LGBT, geriatric, and couple relationships.
Dr. Townes joined the San Diego Psychological Association (SDPA) in 2016. She continues to serve on five committees: Continuing Education, Events, Science Fair, Fall Conference, Cultural Diversity. In 2017, she was the first African American person elected to serve on the Board. In 2018, she was elected as the Chair of the newly re-formed Cultural Diversity committee. Dr. Townes was re-elected to the Board for another 2-year term in 2019 and again in 2021. Dr. Townes’ other professional activities include an active member of the local chapter of the Association of Black Psychologist; and a member of the American Psychological Association for over 12-years.
As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Townes uses evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Brief Therapies, Gottman Couples Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. In addition, she is especially interested in serving communities of color. She has studied under Dr. Joy DeGruy to address racial trauma and the effects of residual slavery using two effective model approaches: the multi-disciplinary, multisystemic, multi-cultural model and the relational model. For those interested in incorporating their Christian faith in the therapy process, Dr. Townes has decades of faith-based pastoral experience.
Population Served: Adults of all ages, ALL people, especially those marginalized and of the African Diaspora.
