Focus OC

At Focus OC, the guiding principle is that every evaluation and recommendation should prioritize the student. As a dedicated educational psychologist, I proudly serve children, adolescents, and families across Orange County. My practice is grounded in special education law and driven by a student-focused approach, ensuring that each child's unique needs, strengths, and experiences are at the heart of every comprehensive evaluation and service provided.

My name is Carinne Peterson, and I am a Licensed Educational Psychologist specializing in providing comprehensive evaluations and consultation services for students of all ages in Orange County. 

With extensive experience in public schools, I have supported students in preschool, elementary, and secondary settings. My role has involved conducting comprehensive evaluations, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, identifying each child's unique strengths and needs, and developing individualized education programs (IEPs). I am dedicated to partnering with families and educators to enhance special education support and foster meaningful educational planning.

I began my career in education at a specialized reading school, where I developed a strong foundation in providing special education support for students with diverse learning needs. I later worked as a special education instructional aide and became a school psychologist, ultimately obtaining my license as an Educational Psychologist (LEP). My experience includes conducting comprehensive evaluations across a wide range of assessments, such as preschool evaluations, autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other learning disabilities, as well as ADHD, executive functioning, Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), and Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) evaluations. I have extensive experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams on complex cases, including those involving legal considerations, and I value working closely with both families and school teams to ensure thoughtful, well-informed decision making.

My approach as an educational psychologist to comprehensive evaluations and consultations is thorough, collaborative, and tailored to each individual student. I invest the time to understand the whole child, considering their strengths, challenges, and developmental history rather than relying solely on test scores. By fostering a comfortable and supportive environment, I enable students to engage in the assessment process with confidence.

I strive to make the process as clear and supportive as possible, offering guidance throughout and ensuring that you leave with a deeper understanding of your student and a plan for special education support moving forward.

As a Southern California native, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Adolescent Studies from California State University, Fullerton. I also hold a Master of Arts and Educational Specialist credential (M.A./Ed.S.) in School Psychology from Azusa Pacific University, where I received advanced training in Applied Behavior Analysis. As a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP) and a nationally certified school psychologist, I conduct comprehensive evaluations and provide specialized educational psychologist services to offer essential special education support for students in need. 

Outside of work, I enjoy life in Dana Point with my husband and two sons. We spend much of our free time at the beach, traveling to mountain towns, and golfing whenever the opportunity arises. With two boys active in baseball and basketball, there is never a dull moment.