Sarah A. Haider, Psy.D

California, PSY24600
Colorado, PSY.004811

Dr. Haider has specialized in treatment of pediatric anxiety, OCD and behavioral problems for over a decade. In addition to CBT and exposure-based therapies, she has extensive training in biofeedback and a knowledge of the mind-body connection. She also has a background in school psychology and is keenly aware of the impact anxiety can have on school and work.

In addition to working directly with patients, Dr. Haider volunteers within the community to educate groups about the impact of anxiety on individuals and family members. Her passion is training others- including family members- to treat and manage anxiety.

Dr. Haider has chaired the Los Angeles County Psychological Convention (LACPA), sat on the LACPA Board, presents regularly at local and national conventions, conferences, teacher in-services, and parent trainings provided by schools and within the community. She has facilitated or lead well over 100 hundred community-based lectures.

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Abigail Hansen, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor, CO- LPC.0017186

Abby Hansen comes to Gameplan Therapy with 10 years experience working in mental health facilities and treatment centers. Abby has her MA in Transpersonal Art Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder, CO and her BFA in Sculpture and Pre-Art Therapy from Arcadia University in Philadelphia PA. In addition to utilizing art for assessment purposes, she guides clients to engage in art to help increase communication, improve emotional vocabulary, process trauma, and manage anxiety. She has been trained in Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), which embraces techniques designed to allow parents to foster healthy connections with their children, and support them in their recovery over anxiety. EFFT helps parents to overcome their own emotional blocks so that they can better respond to their children’s needs.

Abby has a passion for working with people and is motivated by helping clients identify their strengths and values as ways to improve their zest for life. She is specialized in treating children and families who struggle with anxiety disorders, eating disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, and general mood dysregulation. Abby believes in the importance of rapport building and knows the vulnerability it takes to seek help. She cares greatly about maintaining connection and trust when entering a therapeutic relationship with a client and prioritizes this in sessions.

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Allie Mizusawa, LPC

LPC 0110211

Allie is a crucial team member for GamePlan Therapy. Allie comes to us as a teacher and behavioral therapist from Los Angeles, CA. Her educational background is in Clinical Psychology, with a master’s degree in Clinical Psych from Antioch University. She specialized in Early Childhood and Professional Clinical Counseling. In addition to providing traditional therapy to individuals and couples, Allie works with families in school and home environments to develop individualized assessment, diagnosis and behavioral interventions for children and adolescents.

She brings to our practice a calm, diligent and compassionate lens when working with children and families experiencing challenging dynamics related to spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders, mood dysregulation and social skill implementation. The emotional world of children is complex. Allie is skilled in the art of joining with families to understand the unique circumstances that impact a child and their ability to cope, regulate and flourish. She has used creative, trauma informed, evidence-based treatments to help families find practical solutions to everyday challenges.

Jen Hurvitz, LMFT

LMFT #129811

A Los Angeles native, Jen comes to Gameplan Therapy with 10 years of experience working in special education, as a classroom teacher and then as an educational therapist. In 2018, she earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and loves engaging in work as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Her passion for supporting children and teens continues to come through in her clinical work with this population. The combination of her experience running classrooms, providing auxiliary academic support for students, and (most recently) working therapeutically with children, teens, and their families allows her to support her clients in the most holistic and effective way possible.

She understands the invaluable role that a strong therapeutic relationship plays in her work with clients and skillfully creates a space where that can flourish. Jen believes that each of her clients has an unlimited, often untapped, source of wisdom and strength within themselves. She approaches her work with clients with commitment, compassion and hope. Outside of the therapy room, Jen loves to explore new hikes and experiment with new baking recipes.

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Gameplan Therapy Coach

Research shows that a collaborative team approach improves “generalizability” of exposures- meaning that by practicing the same strategies with different people in different settings, we have a higher likelihood of creating long-term results.

An anxiety coach can be a great addition to the team; they are familiar with the team’s goals, and receive guidance in strategies outlined by the psychologist. The psychologist will lead family sessions and parent training sessions, and is responsible for developing the game plan for your family. The coach will motivate and provide additional one-on-one support to ensure the individual/family is able to follow-through with the week’s game plan.

This is done in one of two ways: Either through traditional sessions where the coach will complete exposures with the family/individual; or, with 10-15 minute check-ins with your family throughout the week. Your psychologist will determine which makes most sense for your family.

*A coach is not a licensed therapist, nor under a licensure track. A benefit to a coach is that they are more affordable to a therapist, but a coach is not typically covered through insurance.

Bailey Esch, M.Ed

Anxiety Coach

Under Dr. Haider's license, Bailey acts as an anxiety coach. Bailey has an extensive background working with children and families in different capacities- in preschools, school administration, hospital settings ad home-based family visits. Her educational background is in Special Education, receiving her master’s degree in education; Early childhood Special Education from the University of Washington, and a master’s degree in Education; Mind, Brain, Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has a Graduate Certificate in Advance Practice Nursing in Infant Mental Health from the University of Washington. Bailey has also completed course work and a practicum through Denver Health Hospital, in Child Life. Additionally, Bailey is a water color artist and appreciates bringing creativity into her sessions, and encourages clients to practice her belief that mind-body connection promotes overall health.

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Business Administration

Megan Caligiuri

Human Resource Business Partner

Megan is an experienced Human Resources Executive with a Fortune 100 company. She worked in HR for 10 years before taking time off to care for her three young children. Now that her children are older, she is excited to put her HR skills to use at Gameplan Therapy. She helps us administratively by assisting in communication between the coaches and their patients. Megan is from Pennsylvania and enjoys spending time with her family and friends, as well as spending time at the beach. She takes great pride in being able to have a positive impact on the lives of others.