Life Focus Center

ELAINE KINDLE, , LCSW, Board Certified Diplomat, is the Founder and Director of Life Focus Center. The goal of Life Focus Center, since its beginning in 1981, is to provide high quality evidence-based services in a private, caring, comfortable, and supportive environment.

Dr. Kindle focuses her work in areas that include: Trauma (Complex & PTSD); Anxiety; Panic attacks; Performance in school & in the workplace; Anger management; Depression & other Mood Disorders; Grief & loss (such as death and divorce); Relationship concerns (pre-marital, marital, parent-child, blended families, single parents); Adoption issues and Stress Management.


ABOUT DR. KINDLE: Dr. Kindle holds a and an in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California. She is a certified practitioner and consultant for EMDR and is a certified trauma specialist. She has taught psychology to students at Alliant University for more than ten years and enjoys participating in many doctoral dissertations. Her work there keeps her current in the field which in turn provides her clients with up-to-date treatment options, skills and tools.

In addition, Dr. Kindle has given presentations on topics such as stress management, self-esteem, and communication to large and small corporations, communities and groups such as Eisner Pediatric And Family Medical Center, AT&T, Chevron, RainBird, California Steel & Tube, Century 21, Whittier Presbyterian Hospital, Whittier Hospital, Queen of the Valley Hospital, St. John Vianney Church and Sheriff’s Star Academy. She also authored several articles for local magazines and publications and in 2000, she was recognized by Soroptimist International of Puente Hills as Woman of the Year.



DONNA S. MELINKOFF, MA, MFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has more than 25 years experience as a mental health and social services professional. She holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and is an experienced Psychotherapist, Family Counselor, Children’s Services Worker, Clinical Supervisor for therapists in training, Workshop Presenter and Speaker.

Donna provides services for adults and adolescents through brief, solution-focused counseling, long-term individual psychotherapy, couple and family counseling. She provides personal coaching for skill building, task management, focused personal growth and goal-oriented strategies. She is a Relationship Specialist who works with couples, families and individuals on a variety of concerns, including: pre-marital, blended family, marriage adjustment, parenting, and divorce recovery and separation concerns. She is certified through the American Academy of Bereavement as an Advanced Facilitator of Bereavement and grief counseling, including pet-loss grief. She also specializes in helping people with time-of-life concerns, impasses and transitions, including: young adults leaving home, mid-life and retirement changes and challenges, lifestyle changes, and losses. Donna’s expertise includes mood problems, especially depression, and women’s issues, including self-esteem, self-concept, self-acceptance, changing roles. Donna provides Critical Incident Debriefing and Trauma Aftercare Response services, and has a certification as a Trauma Response Specialist. In 2002, Donna was awarded The Michael Lambert, PhD. Award for Clinical Excellence by Pacificare Behavioral Health.
As a Clinical Supervisor, Donna has provided clinical supervision, in-service training and consultation for undergraduate field placements, trainees, post-graduate interns and licensed professionals, since 1997. From 2000-2003, Donna served as an Oral Examiner for the State of California, Board of Behavioral Sciences, Marriage and Family Therapist licensing examinations.
As a Speaker and Workshop Facilitator, Donna has presented a variety of topics on psycho-educational and clinical issues to community and professional groups, including time-of-life challenges, women’s concerns, relationship dynamics, life-skills, and prevention and early intervention strategies.
Donna has been an Associate Therapist at Life Focus Center since 1988. She is committed to Life Focus Center’s goals of helping people meet life’s challenges by providing high quality, cost-effective professional services in a private, personalized, caring and supportive environment.
“I approach therapy and counseling as a collaborative and interactive process that comes from a real and meaningful alliance between therapist and client. My holistic view of personal well-being incorporates mind/body/spirit, and the interpersonal, contextual, family history and development dimensions of a person’s life experience. In my private practice at Life Focus Center, I have had the privilege of helping adolescents and adults help themselves to attend to, go through and grow beyond the sometimes overwhelming, painful and puzzling challenges of everyday living, and to achieve greater personal effectiveness, satisfaction and balance in their lives and relationships.”