JEFF BALL, PhD

I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology at UCLA in 1985. I’ve been an academic, private practice clinician, lecturer, and have worked as a psychologist at the VA Medical Center. In the past few decades I’ve worked to develop a progressive psychosocial treatment model within my own treatment center. As CEO of Psychological Care and Healing Center (PCH), I supervise, teach, and consult in addition to managing a large psychological treatment and wellness program. I’ve been on clinical faculty at UCLA for many years, and have taught undergraduate and graduate-level psychology courses including Psychopathology, Psychological Assessment, Psychoanalysis, and Law and Ethics in Psychology.

I’ve presented my psychosocial model and vision for mental health both within the center as well as in the clinical and academic community. That model de-emphasizes pejorative and usually invalid diagnoses as well as promotes a whole person approach with includes an integrative approach to psychiatry appropriately using light medications within a context-based approach. Our approach of not “othering” those labelled with psychiatric diagnoses fits within a general Social Justice model of mental healthcare.

As an artist, I started painting as a child and took about a 30 year hiatus... but my best paintings were always of figures and faces as well as subjects in which I have a passion. In recent years, I hadn’t had much time to paint until the lockdown in 2020, in which I had lots of time between Zoom calls! I’ve found that my best are of people and/or animals that I know very well, as well as of subjects in which I feel passionate. In recent years, I’ve studied with the artist Bo Bartlett. Bo’s work has always captured the psychology of his subjects, and many of his paintings have a strong Social Justice theme.

The Boys
(Oil on Linen, 32” High X 32” Wide) 

During the pandemic lockdown I had time that I hadn't had in years. I started painting for our PCH Activism Show, which were paintings related to the George Floyd murder and Social Justice. After completing that work, I chose some favorite photos from previous years and began painting photos of family members. My best paintings have always been of subjects that I know personally, and I know few better than my own boys (and my parents small dog). I find I'm able to capture the personalities and this painting captures them pretty well.

jball@pchtreatment.com
www.pchtreatment.com
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