Dr. Rachel Zoffness is a Clinical Psychologist, medical consultant, educator, and author in Northern California’s East Bay. She specializes in chronic pain, medical illness and injury. Dr. Z provides therapy, parent coaching, trainings and workshops. She is a Clinical Professor at the UCSF School of Medicine where she teaches pain education to medical residents.
She works with tweens (ages 12 and up), teens, and young adults. She sits on the Steering Committee of the American Association of Pain Psychology and founded their Pediatric Division. Dr. Zoffness is the author of The Chronic Pain and Illness Workbook for Teens, a guide to pain management for youth, parents and providers.
She is Co-President of the American Association of Pain Psychology and a Board Member of the Society of Pediatric Pain Medicine.
As an integrative doctor, Dr. Z provides a safe space for teens and families to work through physical and emotional pain. She integrates biological, psychological and social factors affecting health and wellness, so that your child is viewed as a whole person rather than just an injury or illness. Treatment is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and other evidence-based approaches.
Issues treated include:
- Migraines, headaches
- Concussions, TBI, sports injuries
- Stomachaches, nausea, vomiting, IBS, IBD
- Chronic and amplified pain conditions (CRPS, fibromyalgia, post-surgical pain…)
- Chronic illness (pediatric rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme, Lupus, POTS…)
- Anxiety, mood dysregulation, sleep issues
- Academic and social difficulties
Dr. Zoffness earned her BA from Brown University in Brain & Behavior, a combination of Neuroscience, Biology and Psychology. She completed her honors thesis on the neuroscience and psychology of pain. Inspired by her work at the NYU Child Study Center, she earned an MA in Psychology and Education from Columbia University. She went on to earn a MS in Clinical Psychology from SDSU, and a PhD from UCSD with a focus on CBT for children and teens. She received additional post-doctoral training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for chronic pain and illness at the Mindful Center.
Dr. Z has worked with children, teens, and adults in hospital, community, and private practice settings for over 15 years. She taught undergrad Psychology courses at SDSU and supervised therapists-in-training at the Wright Institute’s CBT Clinic. Dr. Z currently provides consultation and training for medical professionals, therapists, and parents on CBT for pediatric pain and illness at hospitals and schools. She collaborates with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Children’s Hospital Oakland, Stanford’s Pediatric Pain Management Clinic, and other international pain programs. She currently teaches medical school at UCSF Children’s Hospital Oakland, where she is a Clinical Professor of Medical Education.
Dr. Z previously taught children’s science classes at the Bronx Zoo and was a science writer for the American Museum of Natural History magazine. She has published numerous articles on effective, evidence-based therapies for youth. A select list of publications & presentations are available. She loves what she does, and feels very lucky to serve as a source of support for youths in pain.
To apply for a spot in Dr. Z’s practice, please complete this contact form. For trainings, presentations and consults, please click here.
https://www.zoffness.com
[email protected]
San Francisco Bay Area
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