About our Owner
Amanda Zintsmaster, Psy.D. MSCP
Dr. Amanda Zintsmaster is an experienced psychological expert and licensed clinical psychologist licensed in California and New Mexico State. She is one of the few psychologists nationwide to have undergone rigorous training and examination process in effort to work towards prescribing psychotropic medications (in NM). Dr. Zintsmaster has specialized expertise in the assessment of psychiatric conditions and psychiatric medications. She also specializes in individual psychotherapy and has extensive training in psychodynamic, cognitive, and dialectical behavioral therapy practices. She is particularly interested in the treatment of relationship problems, sexual issues, sports psychology, complex trauma/first responder trauma, depression, executive therapy, and whole health well-being. Her goal is to build on strengths, creating healthy dynamics, and creating a new vision for the future. She aims to provide an empathic environment that facilities healing.
Academic Background
Dr. Zintsmaster received her bachelors of arts in Psychology and English from University of California at Davis. She also received a masters of arts from University of San Francisco in counseling psychology with a focus in marriage and family therapy, and a Doctorate of Psychology from Azusa Pacific University in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Forensics. Additionally, she holds a Post Doctoral Masters of Science degree from Fairleigh Dickenson University in Clinical Psychopharmacology. Dr. Zintsmaster has been licensed as a clinical psychologist in California since 2015, in New Mexico since 2022. She has held medical staff hospital privileges at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, CA since 2015 and at Anaheim Community Hospital since 2023.
Clinical Training
Prior to onset of training in psychology, Dr. Zintsmaster was a high school Special Education Teacher. She has over 14 years of experience in mental health and has worked in a variety of settings. Among those, in a rehabilitation unit in a hospital in San Pedro performing neuropsychological assessments, performing forensic autopsies and child psychological assessment at University of California at Irvine. Additionally, in pre-doctoral internship she completed rotations at male and female correctional facilities providing individual psychotherapy, performing diagnostic psychological and neuropsychological assessments, as well as facilitating sexual offender treatment. She has extensive experience providing psychotherapy using Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic techniques, as well as Trauma Focused CBT.
Dr. Zintsmaster completed her post-doctoral residency and became clinical coordinator with Pacific Forensic Psychology Associates Inc. providing psychological services in an outpatient forensic psychology clinic, while later serving as the Program Director for a large substance abuse and dual diagnosis outpatient treatment program in Orange County. She has also served as an adjunct professor with The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and most recently has spent the last 7 years and is currently with St. Joseph Hospital providing contract services in the Emergency Department and Emergency Clinical Decision Unit performing risk assessments, evaluating psychiatric holds, and performing crisis treatment. Additionally, she is a medical staff member of the Interdisciplinary Practice Committee at St. Joseph Hospital. Dr. Zintsmaster is also the director and contracted psychologist with Anaheim Community Hospital of a forensic inpatient unit.
Over the previous 6 years she has owned a business and run a private practice aimed at helping individuals who feel overwhelmed with life challenges, opportunity to process and lead healthier and happier lives, The focus in practice has been primarily treating executives, first-responders, and athletes.. Dr. Zintsmaster has focused on the intricacies of human dynamics, addressing self-defeating and destructive patterns, and works to move individuals closer to living their best possible life. Patients and psychologist have strived together to build self-awareness and enhance relationships.
Dr. Zintsmaster holds a post doctoral Master's degree in psychopharmacology making her one of only a handful of psychologists nationwide with eligibility for prescriptive authority. She is currently pursuing prescribing privileges in New Mexico State and has completed an intensive internship under a board certified psychiatrist to gain appropriate training in prescribing psychiatric medications. She has also completed rigorous training under a board certified Emergency Medicine physician in primary medical care to meet requirements for prescription privileges in NM. The advanced training in psychopharmacology and unique training under a psychiatrist and Emergency Medicine physician allows her to bring an additional perspective to patient care regarding benefits, need, or lack thereof of psychiatric medications.
Practice, Media, Research Publications/Presentations
Dr. Zintsmaster is currently the CEO and owner of Critical Care Psychological Specialists, Inc. We provide psychological services in private practice setting, consult services in hospital and forensic settings, and executive coaching services.
Dr. Zintsmaster has previous publications in International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology on the subject of adverse childhood experiences for violent female offenders. She has presented at the National Commission on Correctional Health Care conference. She also completed a doctoral dissertation in the area of forensics, and was the assistant research investigator with UC Irvine in a NIMH funded research project examining genetic and biochemical brain abnormalities in severe mental illness. She also functioned as the lead research investigator with WI department of corrections in a women’s maximum security institution.
Dr. Zintsmaster is a current member of the APA Society for Health Psychology, the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, the APA Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy, and the International Association of Trauma Professionals.
Dr. Zintsmaster is a board certified diplomate with the American Board of Sexology and a certified sexologist.
Office
Office Space
Our office is located in San Clemente, CA and offers a comfortable, casual, and private environment to connect in.
Tele-psych Services
We provided tele-psychological services on a case by case basis when appropriate. Online sessions are held from the safety of your own home at a time that is convenient for you through a HIPAA compliant program. This can be a beneficial service for those who prefer this structure and/or who have time limit/scheduling constraints.