Patricia P. Lakatos, PhD

Psychologist, Early Childhood Mental Health, UCEDD Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Attending Physician
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Clinician Educator), Keck School of Medicine of USC

Patricia Lakatos, PhD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Lakatos is a bilingual and bicultural licensed psychologist, a member of the ZERO TO THREE Academy of Fellows, and is endorsed by the California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health as a Mental Health Specialist and Reflective Practice Facilitator Mentor.

Dr. Lakatos obtained her “Licenciada” in psychology degree from the University of Buenos Aires and her doctorate with a concentration in individual and family clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. She was trained in infant mental health at the Cedars-Sinai Early Childhood Center in 2002 and completed the University of Massachusetts/Napa Infant-Parent Mental Health Post-Graduate Certificate Program in 2011. Dr. Lakatos is a supervisor and clinician in the Early Childhood Mental Health program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  Dr. Lakatos is the lead trainer for Child-Parent Psychotherapy at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a trauma-informed dyadic intervention for children birth to five, and has provided several trainings for the Birth to Five series sponsored by the Department of Mental Health.  Dr. Lakatos leads the reflective supervision training series for the American Psychological Association-accredited psychology postdoctoral training program in early childhood mental health. She has had a key role in developing the Early Childhood program team’s relationship with the NICCU and High Risk Infant Follow-Up clinic, supporting the parents in understanding the impact of trauma and strengthening the parent-infant relationship. Dr. Lakatos is now building the bridge with the Institute for Maternal Fetal Health and beginning interventions with parents in that setting to support their transition to the NICCU, to follow up services, and home.

Education

Medical School

Alliant International University

Graduate School

Ph.D, Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Alhambra, CA

M.A. Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, CA

Licenciada en Psicología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Internship

Internship, Psychological Services Center, Los Angeles, CA

Internship, Verdugo Psychotherapy Institute, Glendale, CA

Fellowship

Fellowship in child and family mental health services, Reiss-Davis Child Study Center, Los Angeles, CA

Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship, Kristie Brandt, CNM, MSN, DNP, University of Massachusetts, Boston at Napa, CA

Accomplishments

Certification

Certification in Nonviolent Parenting, Center for Nonviolent Education, Los Angeles, CA

Publications

Harley.K.E*, Williams, M.E., Zamora, I., Lakatos, P. Trauma treatment in young children with Developmental Disabilities:  Applications of the Child-Parent Psychotherapy Model. Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy, 10 (3), 156-195, 2014.

Williams, M.E, Carson, M., Zamora, I., Harley*, K.E, Lakatos, P., (2014).  Child-Parent Psychotherapy in the Context of Developmental Disability and Medical Service Systems. Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy. 10 (3), 212-226.

Ashby, B., Scott, S., Lakatos, P. (2016). Infant mental health in prenatal care. Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews 16(4), 264-268.

Lakatos, P. Helping parents cope with trauma: A journey towards healing. ZERO TO THREE Journal, 32 (6), 9-13, 2012.

Research

  • Infant-family and early childhood mental health
  • Trauma informed care including Child-Parent Psychotherapy, with particular interest in the NICU and high risk pregnancy
  • Reflective practice