CLINICAL EXPERIENCE:

Dr. Viviana McKenney is a Postdoctoral Psychological Associate with graduate training at the intersection of psychology and law. She earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology and M.A. in Legal and Forensic Psychology. This provided her with a strong foundation in the application of psychological concepts within legal settings. Before her career in psychology, Dr. McKenney worked as a legal assistant, which exposed her to legal processes and the importance of objective information in legal contexts. Dr. McKenney’s interest in forensic psychology began with an undergraduate externship with the LA County Juvenile Probation Department, where she gained exposure to the juvenile correctional system. During her graduate training, she developed her forensic interests through research and clinical experiences. Her doctoral dissertation explored the online radicalization of school shooters, which focused on the intersection of emotion, behavior, and online environments in assessing targeted violence. She also contributed to research with the Center for Educational Improvement (CEI) focused on school safety and tools for threat response. Dr. McKenney’s professional interests focus on criminal and civil forensic psychology and psychological evaluation. She has experience with clinical interviewing, diagnostic formulation, psychological assessment, and clinical documentation. Her clinical background includes providing evidence-based, culturally responsive care to adults with anxiety and mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and trauma. Dr. McKenney is bilingual in English and Spanish and integrates her clinical training, legal background, and forensic education to provide culturally informed psychological services within legal and clinical settings.