Dr. Serena Mazzola
CEO & Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Serena Mazzola is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 17 years of experience working with people of all ages. She began in community services, foster care, and mental health before entering a medical system with more resources and programs. Her experience with children and families in both types of care made her realize that so many programs weren’t meeting the clients where they were. She created Blackhawk Family Development Center and now Newport Beach Family Development Center to meet the needs of families the way a larger company may be able to, while still making it based on the fibers of each and every individual that walks through the door.
Dr. Mazzola completed her undergraduate degree at DePaul University and earned her doctorate and masters from Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Her education, combined with her experience, is what has made her so wildly committed to implementing creative approaches and thinking outside-of-the-box to meet clients exactly where they are.
As the mom of two kiddos, wife to the love of her life, and leader of Family Development Collective, Dr. Mazzola is a nurturing role model to every child and family that she interacts with. She is so passionate about the work she does and is committed to helping clients fill their potential gap. That’s why the foundation of this center is built upon the strengths and offerings of bigger companies, with the loving, nurturing, individualistic approach of community health.
Dr. Mazzola truly believes that delving deep to find the source of the symptoms can allow any family or individual to face their problems head on, allowing them to overcome the roadblocks in all aspects of their lives. Together, Dr. Mazzola and her clients work toward strengthening relationships both on a personal level and within their families and other systems, paving the way for growth and a more developed sense of purpose.
Dr. Mazzola is committed to growing as an individual. She practices foreign languages (she speaks some Spanish and is fluent in Gujarati and English), plays musical instruments (piano and guitar), and practices yoga. When she’s not stretching her mind and body, she’s spending time with her family and dogs — the unconditional love, warmth, and connection from her pups refuel her!