Hi, I’m Cara McEachin!
Educational Psychologist offering in-person services in Carlsbad, California. Virtual services statewide in California.
Meet Cara McEachin (She/Her)
Cara McEachin, PSY.S., LEP (LEP#4268) is a licensed educational psychologist at the Child Psychology Center, specializing in working with children and adolescents navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and behavioral challenges. She is passionate about helping young people build confidence, self-awareness, and healthy coping strategies to support their overall growth and development. Cara operates from a warm, strengths-based, and compassionate lens. She uses fluid, evidence-based practices that integrate structured interventions into a person-centered approach. Whether working individually with children or collaboratively with families, she strives to create a safe and supportive space that will facilitate lasting, meaningful change.
Therapeutic Approach
Cara’s ability to help caregivers navigate the school setting, including support related to IEPs, 504 Plans, and other school-related difficulties is key to her therapeutic approach. She takes great care in ensuring her clients are meeting their treatment goals and monitoring progress across areas of functioning, including home and schools. Cara has experience helping kids and teens with their social skills. She makes use of role-plays and creative interventions that make use of an individual’s particular interest to improve their social functioning. Cara has had unique training in running camps supporting children and teens with selective mutism. Relatedly, she’s well-versed in using exposures for socially anxious children and teens and helping them make progress in real-world settings to promote change outside of the therapy office.
Cara’s therapeutic philosophy is grounded in the belief that therapy can dissolve inner conflicts, foster self-understanding, and help children and teens develop the tools they need to thrive. She integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Play Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Techniques, Behavioral Modification, Exposure Therapy, and specialized Selective Mutism treatments. She works with clients to help them develop flexible thinking, reframe negative thoughts, and cultivate self-worth. With a genuine and caring nature, Cara’s goal is to help children and families build resilience and harmony in both their inner and outer worlds.
Education and Training
Cara earned her Master’s degree in Psychology/School Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and a Master’s degree in Education from The College of William and Mary. Her background in both psychology and education gives her a unique perspective on child development, learning differences, and emotional wellbeing. This foundation allows her to tailor interventions that address the cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors influencing each child’s life.
Cara has had unique training in running camps supporting children and teens with selective mutism. Relatedly, she’s well-versed in using exposures for socially anxious children and teens and helping them make progress in real-world settings to promote change outside of the therapy office.
Additional Training:
Cara has received advanced training in trauma informed CBT in schools.
Professional Development & Associations
Cara maintains her commitment to professional growth through ongoing continuing education (CEU) courses, workshops, and specialized trainings in effective, evidence-based treatments. She is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and she continues to expand her knowledge through active participation in the professional community.
Areas of Expertise
Cara specializes in supporting children and teenagers experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and child behavioral challenges. She has a particular interest in helping youth develop self-esteem, flexible thinking, and the ability to challenge cognitive distortions. Cara has expertise in completing neuroaffirming psychological assessments to better understand neurodevelopmental diagnoses, intellectual abilities, learning style, executive functioning, and mental health diagnoses. She has worked with youth who have experienced trauma and are undergoing stressful situations, like divorce, recent moves, etc. Her practice is grounded in self-compassion, self-acceptance, and growth, integrating structured interventions with warmth and curiosity to help children and families find balance.
Services Offered
Cara provides in-person services in our Carlsbad, California office. She offers teletherapy statewide in California. She offers psychological and educational testing, individual therapy, and group therapy for children and adolescents. Her integrative approach ensures that each service is tailored to meet the developmental and emotional needs of her clients. She values collaboration with families and educators to create continuity between therapy and daily life, fostering consistency and success.
What Inspired Her Journey
Cara’s desire to help others began early in life. Even as a child, she was eager to make a difference, encouraging her family to sponsor children in developing countries and volunteering to teach and mentor youth in her community. Inspired by her mother’s work in the psychological field and her own early experiences connecting with under-privileged children, Cara pursued a career in education and received advanced degrees in both psychology and education. For her, being able to walk beside others on their journey toward growth and healing is one of life’s greatest privileges.
Outside the Office
When she’s not working, Cara enjoys photography, hiking, and listening to audiobooks. She loves spending time with her husband and her family. She recently celebrated welcoming their first child into the world. Whether she’s capturing the beauty of nature through her camera lens or exploring new trails, Cara finds joy in staying present and appreciating life’s small, meaningful moments.
