Lin-Ann Ching, MSW

Lin-Ann Ching, LCSW (CA, NY), LICSW (MA), is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker at Stratus Mental Health Center, which opened in the Fall of 2018 under its former name of Boston Child Study Center-Los Angeles. Lin-Ann aims to improve the lives of youth and families through evidence-based treatment, community education and training. Lin-Ann is a practitioner, consultant, supervisor and educator who specializes in the application of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for adults, children, adolescents, and families. Lin-Ann has extensive experience working with diverse client populations in a wide range of clinical settings including therapeutic day school, short-term stabilization (C-BAT/ART), partial hospital, outpatient and community-based mental health, and intensive residential programs.

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Prior to joining Stratus Mental Health Center, Lin-Ann was co-Director with Dr. Fleisher of the LA office of the Boston Child Study Center. Prior to that, she was Founder and Director of The Middle Path, an outpatient psychotherapy clinic located in Arlington, Massachusetts specializing in CBT, DBT and other evidenced-based therapies for children, adolescents, parents and families. Concurrent with her position at The Middle Path, Lin-Ann held an Adjunct Faculty Position at Boston College School of Social Work, where she developed new curriculum for and taught graduate-level courses in DBT.

 

Lin-Ann has also served as Clinical Team Manager/DBT Therapist at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate, in the 3East Adolescent DBT Intensive Residential and Partial Hospitalization Programs. At 3East, Lin-Ann facilitated individual, group and family therapy using DBT and Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) interventions, and coordinated treatment for adolescents with suicidal and self-injurious behaviors and their families. She also provided clinical supervision and training to clinical and residential staff. During her time at McLean Hospital, Lin-Ann also served as Clinical Trainee in the Mentalization-Based Therapy Clinic and provided individual MBT treatment to adult clients.

 

Lin-Ann began her training and practice of DBT while holding positions as Clinical Director and Treatment Coordinator at Germaine Lawrence, Inc., an all-girls residential treatment center in Arlington, MA.

Lin-Ann has completed Intensive Training in numerous evidenced-based treatment modalities including DBT for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (DBT-PTSD), DBT Prolonged Exposure Therapy Protocol (DBT-PE), Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT), and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC). Lin-Ann also has a background and training in the performing arts, Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT). Lin-Ann and her therapy dog Lola Bean are a Pet Partners Registered Therapy Animal Team and offer Animal-Assisted Therapy to individuals and groups in therapeutic, medical and educational settings.

 

Lin-Ann earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one in the Humanities (Theater Arts) and one in Art & Design (Architectural Design). At MIT she was also elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Lin-Ann completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at Boston University, where she was awarded a two-year, full-tuition merit-based scholarship, as well as the Herbert S. Strean Memorial Prize for Excellence in Clinical Practice. Lin-Ann completed her graduate clinical internships at Arbour Counseling in Boston, MA, where she worked with urban youth and families, performing family stabilization and family reunification services, and at the Lesley University Counseling Center in Cambridge, MA, where she provided short-term solution-focused individual therapy for undergraduate and graduate students studying in the Master of Arts Programs in Counseling Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy.

 

In addition to her role at Stratus Mental Health Center, Lin-Ann provides professional trainings, continuing education workshops, and consultation in DBT and Borderline Personality Disorder to professional organizations, mental health practitioners, clinicians, interns and students in the U.S. and internationally.

 

Lin-Ann is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California, Massachusetts and New York.