Focus OC

The guiding principle behind Focus OC is that every evaluation and recommendation should be centered on the student. Rooted in special education law, my work is guided by a student focused approach, ensuring that each child’s unique needs, strengths, and experiences remain at the center of every decision.

My name is Carinne Peterson. I am a Licensed Educational Psychologist providing comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations for children and adolescents in Orange County.

I bring extensive experience working within public schools, where I have supported students across preschool, elementary, and secondary settings. My work has included conducting comprehensive evaluations, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and helping families and educators better understand each child’s unique learning and developmental profile.

I began my career in education at a specialized private reading school, where I developed a strong foundation in supporting students with diverse learning needs. From there, I worked as a special education instructional aide before becoming a school psychologist. My experience spans a wide range of assessments, including preschool evaluations, autism, dyslexia and dyscalculia, other learning disabilities, ADHD and executive functioning, as well as Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and ERMHS evaluations. I have extensive experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams on complex and high-stakes 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 to assessment is comprehensive, collaborative, and individualized.

I take the time to understand the whole child, including their strengths, challenges, and developmental history, rather than relying solely on test scores. I strive to create a comfortable, supportive environment so children can engage in the assessment process with confidence.

My goal is not only to provide clear answers, but also to offer practical, actionable recommendations that families can use at home and that can be meaningfully applied within school settings.

I aim to make the process as clear and supportive as possible, providing guidance along the way and ensuring that you leave with a deeper understanding of your child and a plan for moving forward.

As a Southern California native, I have earned a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Studies from California State University, Fullerton. I also hold a Master of Arts and Educational Specialist (M.A./Ed.S.) in School Psychology, with advanced training in Applied Behavior Analysis from Azusa Pacific University.

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, basketball, you name it, here’s never a dull moment.