The Friends Program Staff

















  (l-r)         Dr. Luisa, Dr. Laurie, Ms. Alice, Ms. Monika, Ms. Mirella

Laurie Leventhal – Belfer Ph.D.  dr.laurielb@gmail.com
Dr. Leventhal–Belfer is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in working with children with Asperger’s Disorder and their families.  She developed and directs The Friends Program and plays an active role in teaching and supervising trainees in the areas of Psychology and Child Psychiatry as well as providing lectures and consultations on this topic to both professionals and parents.   Dr. Leventhal–Belfer is the co-author of the recently published book, Asperger’s Syndrome in Young Children: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, and has a private practice in Palo Alto where she sees children with a wide range of issues, including develpmental diesorders, anxiety problems, mood disorders and children with chronic illnesses, and their families.  She also conducts evaluations of young children.  She is a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Stanford in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  

Luisa Montaini-Klovdahl Ph.D. drluisamk@sbcglobal.net
Dr. Luisa is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in working with young children. She has a private practice in Palo Alto and is active in helping families, children and their community through evaluations, interdisciplinary team testing, psychotherapy, and consultation to parents, teachers and schools. Although Dr. Luisa specializes in the young child population, she provides psychological services for the school and adolescent age children and their families. Trauma, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, anxiety, depression and learning differences are a few areas of need addressed in Dr. Luisa’s practice. She has enjoyed working and collaborating with the Friends  Program for several years. Dr. Luisa is an adjunct volunteer supervisor at the Children’s Health Council supervising psychology interns and postdoctoral fellows. She looks forward to her Tuesdays when she is privileged to work with the preschool and kindergarten Friends Groups.

Mirella Louise Minnich mirellaminnich4@aol.com
Mirella is a young child educator with many years experience as a preschool teacher and preschool director. Her energy and creativity well served the children in the after school programs and summer programs she directed in the Midwest. Ms. Mirella is a talented artist and we are fortunate to have her artistic support infused in many of the visual aids and charts used in the Friends Group. Ms. Mirella supports the lead clinicians in the kindergarten and 1st and 2nd grade Friends Groups.

Monika Perez B.A. mperezconsultant@sbcglobal.net
Monika is an independent Child Care/Preschool Consultant serving children, families and childcare providers. Specializing in early childhood education and child development, her services include Individual Consultations, Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, Staff In-service Training, and Parent Education. Monika’s primary focus is helping children make a positive adjustment to their preschool environment. Through observation, she identifies the individual needs of a child and develops a plan for both their families and childcare providers. She established her reputation through her many years of work at the Children’s Health Council in Palo Alto, where she served as Childcare Consultant through the Outreach to Childcare Program. She has been a clinician in the Friends Program for many years.

Alice Locke Chezar MA, MFT, ATR alice@paloaltoparenting.com
Alice is the principal therapist at Palo Alto Parenting Solutions, a specialty practice focusing on therapeutic work with children and families who struggle with behavioral, social and emotional issues.
“My passion, working with children and families struggling with emotional and behavioral issues, is informed by my personal experience as a parent of special needs children, and my years of professional training and clinical experience."
Hailing from New York where she received her Bachelors Degree from The School of Visual Arts, she later went on to receive her MA in Marriage and Family Therapy with a Specialty in Art Therapy at Notre Dame de Namur University in  Belmont California. She has lived and worked in the Bay Area for over 25 years where, along with her husband, raised two amazing and challenging children.

The Friends Program
Laurie Leventhal-Belfer, PhD
Palo Alto, CA
Office: (650) 322-4431    
Fax: (650) 493-1754
Email: Dr.LaurieLB@gmail.com