Dr. Laura Bui, PsyD

Training & Experience

I earned my Doctorate of Psychology (Psy.D.) from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Anaheim, with a concentration of Child and Adolescent Psychology. During my graduate training, I worked with children, teens, and families in community mental health clinics in Los Angeles County, such as The Help Group and Didi Hirsch. I also provided psychological testing for children and teens with neurodevelopmental conditions at The South Central Los Angeles Regional Center. I completed my American Psychological Association (APA) accredited pre-doctoral residency at The Guidance Center, where I received specialized training providing assessment, psychological testing, and treatment for children and teens, while providing mental health consultation at The Stramski Children's Developmental Center at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital in Long Beach, CA. After graduating from my doctoral program, I returned to Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services (Child and Family Division) and worked as a psychologist from 2022 to 2025. I have background and experience providing assessment, psychological testing, individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and parenting support sessions. The population that I have worked with has consisted of diverse children and teens with complex mental health histories and conditions, including emotional, cognitive, relational, behavioral, school, and/or family challenges. I am certified to provide Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A). 

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Philosophy & Style

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I believe that children can do well if they can. If we can support children with teaching them the skills on how to cope with big feelings, navigate through challenges with problem-solving skills, and develop healthy communication skills, they will be able to have the opportunities to live a productive and fulfilling life, build a healthy sense of self, and develop healthy relationships around them throughout their lifespan. 

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In my work with children and families, my approach is informed by empathy, unconditional positive regard, and establishing a safe, therapeutic relationship as the foundation of therapy. My goal is to provide a safe and warm space, while incorporating a person-centered approach and evidence-based therapies (such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy for Depressed Adolescents, or Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to work towards client's and family's goals and to work through and overcome challenges together. I strive to understand my client's and family's culture and histories to adapt and guide my interventions and treatment in a sensitive and mindful way. As children are a part of a system, I value working collaboratively with those involved in a child's life to coordinate care and working closely with parents and caregivers to support them with strategies on how to best support their children through the different phases in a child’s life. I also incorporate various modalities in my therapeutic space to best meet my client's needs, using a combination of talk therapy, play therapy, and/or art-informed therapy.