Dr. Wendy M. O’Connor is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Professional Life Coach with a private practice in Brentwood & Encino California. She has worked in various settings with over seventeen years of experience in the community. While attending graduate school with an emphasis in Infant & Toddler Specialization, and becoming a preschool teacher for over 12 years, she dedicated herself to volunteer work in the community specializing in physical and sexual abuse with children as well as worked with “at risk” teens in the legal system, non-public schools and outpatient clinics. Her work focused on helping teens redirect their anger and create meaningful goals for their future. This important work in the community inspired Dr. O’Connor to participate further in the community by continuing her work for over 15 years at a well-known organization Vista Del Mar Child & Family Services. There she focused on individual, Couples and Family therapy with various emotional issues such as Bipolar Disorder, Self-Injury, Eating Disorders, Depression, Grief & Loss, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Anxiety, ADD, ADHD and Attachment Disorders.

She is an advocate for children struggling with learning disabilities coupled with low self-esteem. Early intervention, working closely with schools and parents and empowering and encouraging teens and young adults to verbalize their needs became an ongoing passion for Dr. Wendy O’Connor. In addition to her work with teens, couples and young adults, Dr. O’Connor works extensively with adult single women seeking love and relationships. Her new book Stay Open focuses on Attachment Style and helping others work towards a more secure, healthy attachment for self and others. Along these lines Dr. O’Connor facilitates The Women’s Empowerment group weekly on the West Side to provide support, empowerment tools and increase secure attachment for women who would like to work on social, emotional and relationship issues.