Skip to main content
(310) 375-8665
Complete Family ServicesDr. Corinne Hickson Barez, PhD
Begin Intake
Licensed Clinical Psychologist · PSY17257

Clarity, support, and a path forward — for every family.

Specialized psychoeducational evaluations, therapy, and family-centered care for children, teens, and adults across the South Bay. Led by Dr. Corinne Hickson Barez, with three decades of clinical experience.

Begin intakeExplore evaluations
Family together on a South Bay beach
Serving the South Bay
Torrance · PV · Beach Cities
30+
Years of practice
20+
Years as former 730 evaluator
PhD
Clinical psychology
South Bay
Torrance · PV · Beach Cities
Specialties

Comprehensive care across the moments that matter most.

From psychoeducational evaluations to reunification therapy, our practice supports children, teens, adults, and families through challenges at home, school, and in court. Every concern we work with — learning differences, ADHD, autism, anxiety, family transitions — sits at the intersection of mind, environment, and relationships, and that's how we approach it. The path forward usually begins with one of two questions: what's going on? (which calls for evaluation) or how do we move through this? (which calls for therapy). We help families figure out which question is theirs.

Two hands gently holding a ceramic mug of tea beside a notebook in warm afternoon light

Psychoeducational Evaluations

Comprehensive assessments identifying learning differences, ADHD, autism, executive functioning, and emotional factors affecting school and home.

ADHD & Autism Assessment

Diagnostic clarity for children, teens, and adults, including girls and high-masking presentations often missed by others.

Reunification Therapy

Specialized work to rebuild strained parent-child relationships after separation, conflict, or prolonged disruption.

Child & Teen Therapy

Developmentally attuned therapy for anxiety, mood, school refusal, and the social-emotional challenges young people face.

Divorce & Family Transitions

Helping children and parents navigate divorce adjustment, co-parenting challenges, and the complexities of blended-family life.

Executive Functioning

Practical strategies for organization, planning, and emotional regulation. We work with students, college kids, and young adults.

Our primary focus

Psychoeducational evaluations that actually answer the question.

When something isn't adding up at school, with friends, or at home, a thorough evaluation cuts through the guesswork. You leave with a written report, a clear diagnosis when warranted, and concrete recommendations for school, treatment, and daily life.

  • Cognitive, academic, and processing assessment
  • ADHD, executive functioning, and attention measures
  • Autism evaluation including girls and high-masking presentations
  • Emotional, behavioral, and personality functioning
  • School accommodation and IEP/504 guidance
Read our evaluation guide
An open notebook and pen on a clinician's desk, suggesting careful evaluation work in progress
“Helping families gain clarity, support, and practical solutions.”
Dr. Hickson Barez
Dr. Corinne Hickson Barez, founder of Complete Family Services
PhD
Clinical Psychology
30+ years experience
About Dr. Hickson Barez

Three decades of experience, and a steady hand through the hard moments.

Dr. Hickson Barez is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of Complete Family Services. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology and has spent over thirty years working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families across the South Bay.

Her career uniquely combines clinical depth with forensic experience: more than twenty years as a former court-appointed 730 Child Custody Evaluator, certification as a divorce mediator, and co-authorship of a chapter in The Handbook of Juvenile Forensic Psychology. That range, from psychoeducational testing to high-conflict family work, is what makes her practice distinctive.

PhD, Clinical Psychology
Licensed Psychologist · PSY17257
Former 730 Child Custody Evaluator
Certified Divorce Mediator
Member, Academy of Family Mediators
Co-author, Handbook of Juvenile Forensic Psychology

Dr. Hickson Barez meets me at my level and adjusts our session accordingly so I always get the most out of our time. She has helped me develop tools to combat anxiety — tools that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Client · Rolling Hills Estates
Where we serve

South Bay families and the Palos Verdes peninsula.

Our Torrance practice serves families throughout the South Bay, including Torrance, Palos Verdes, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and Rolling Hills. We see families in person and via secure telehealth.

Torrance
Main office
Palos Verdes
Peninsula
Manhattan Beach
Beach cities
Redondo Beach
Beach cities
Hermosa Beach
Beach cities
Rolling Hills
Peninsula
Frequently asked

Questions families bring us — and how we answer them.

How is Complete Family Services, Inc. different from other South Bay psychology practices?
A few things set the practice apart. First, we combine clinical depth with forensic expertise. Dr. Hickson Barez has 30+ years of clinical practice and more than 20 years of experience as a court-appointed 730 Child Custody Evaluator, which gives us perspective most practices don't have. Second, we treat evaluations as the start of treatment, not the end. Our reports are written so families and schools can actually act on them. Third, we work the whole system. When a child is struggling, we look at the family, the school, and the relationships around them, not just the child. And finally, Dr. Hickson Barez is an active author and educator. Her forthcoming Life's Lessons children's book series brings her clinical work into the lives of families and educators directly.
What kinds of families do you work with most?
Most of our clients come to us when something isn't adding up: a bright child who's struggling in school, a teen whose anxiety has gotten harder to manage, a family navigating divorce, or parents who suspect autism or ADHD but have been told their child is "fine." We work with children as young as two and adults through every stage of life. Many families come through pediatrician, school, or attorney referrals; many find us through other families we've helped.
Are you accepting new clients?
Yes. We typically have availability for new evaluations and therapy within 2–4 weeks, depending on the service and time of year. Forensic services (reunification therapy, divorce mediation, forensic consultation) usually have a longer intake process given the complexity of the work. The fastest way to find out is to call us. Most families start with a brief phone consultation so we can hear what's going on and recommend the right next step.
Should I start with an evaluation or therapy?
It depends on the question you're trying to answer. If you're trying to figure out what's going on (why your child is struggling, whether they have ADHD or autism, why nothing has worked), start with an evaluation. If you already know what's going on and need help working through it, start with therapy. If you're not sure, that's exactly what a first phone consultation is for. We'll help you figure out which question is yours, and what to do next.
How do I know if my child needs an evaluation?
Common signs: school performance that doesn't match their intelligence, ongoing anxiety or emotional struggles, difficulty making or keeping friends, attention or organization challenges that aren't improving with effort, or a feeling that something is being missed. Evaluations are also useful when previous testing didn't quite fit, when school recommendations haven't worked, or when you need documentation for accommodations. If you're not sure, a phone consultation can help clarify whether an evaluation makes sense.
What does a first appointment look like?
For most families, the first contact is a brief phone call, usually 15 to 20 minutes, where we listen to what's going on and explain how we'd approach it. There's no pressure, and no charge for this initial conversation. If we move forward, the first formal session looks different depending on the service: an evaluation begins with a parent intake meeting, therapy begins with an individual session, and forensic services start with a structured intake process tailored to the case.
Resources & insights

Practical guidance from the practice.

Psychoeducational vs neuropsychological evaluation comparison
Evaluations · 7 min read

Psychoeducational evaluation vs. neuropsych eval: what's the difference?

Both are comprehensive and both involve testing, but they answer different questions. A guide to knowing which one your child needs.

Understanding autism diagnosis in girls
Autism · 9 min read

Why autism is so often missed in girls — and what to look for instead.

The diagnostic criteria were built around a male presentation, and the result has been a generation of girls misdiagnosed with anxiety. A clinical perspective.

Reunification therapy for families
Family work · 6 min read

Reunification therapy: what it is, and what to expect.

For families navigating estrangement after divorce or conflict, reunification therapy is a structured path back to connection.

Ready to begin? We'd be honored to help.

Most families start with a phone consultation. We'll listen, answer your questions, and recommend the right next step, whether that's an evaluation, therapy, or something else entirely.

Call (310) 375-8665Begin intake online