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 specializes in treating children and teens experiencing anxiety, depression, OCD, executive dysfunction, ARFID, and social-emotional or behavioral challenges. Her clinical practice utilizes evidence-based interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Talk Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Play Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Habit Reversal Training (HRT), and Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT). Cara’s goals are to help clients decrease problematic thought patterns, replace unhealthy behaviors, and improve emotional regulation through structured support and creative, interest-based interventions.
Cara has extensive experience in social skills training and specialized training in supporting youth with selective mutism. She prioritizes real-world exposures to ensure that progress made in the office translates to the client's everyday life. Cara’s philosophy is grounded in helping clients dissolve inner conflicts, increase autonomy, and develop the necessary tools to thrive.
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
In addition to Cara’s work with anxiety and mood disorders, she specializes in supporting youth with ADHD and Autism. She has specific expertise in conducting neuroaffirming psychological assessments to evaluate neurodevelopmental diagnoses, intellectual abilities, learning styles, and executive functioning. She also works with children navigating trauma and significant life transitions, such as divorce or relocation.
Cara’s practice integrates structured, strategic treatment with warmth and curiosity, helping families build resilience and achieve balance through self-compassion and growth.
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.
