Title: Clinical Program Director

Credential: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

Location(s): Lafayette

Years With Evolve: 6

Emily Bell is the Clinical Program Director for Evolve Lafayette, bringing a warm, collaborative approach to adolescent mental health. She loves the unique energy that teens bring to the therapeutic process, embracing their humor and celebrating when they begin to show excitement for their passions again. When working with parents, Emily leads with deep empathy, recognizing that bringing a teen to treatment can feel scary and overwhelming. She focuses on guiding families by modeling the vital balance between offering gentle compassion and maintaining firm, healthy boundaries.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, and her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Santa Barbara. Emily built her early clinical foundation completing her practicum training on the adult psychiatric and detoxification unit at Cottage Hospital, gaining invaluable experience in high-acuity care before dedicating the rest of her clinical career entirely to supporting adolescents.

Emily’s professional journey is deeply rooted within the Evolve ecosystem. Driven by a strong passion for the organization’s mission, she initially joined as a Residential Counselor at Evolve Ojai before quickly advancing to Primary Therapist. Over the years, she has served in versatile clinical leadership roles, acting as an Associate Clinical Director and providing vital clinical oversight and support across multiple Evolve programs. Now guiding the team at Lafayette, Emily leverages her hands-on experience at every level of care to supervise her staff and foster a structured environment where teens feel safe, understood, and supported to make lasting changes.