Education and Experience

Dr. LaCost graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Psychology from The University of Pennsylvania. She received her M.A. and Psy.D. in Psychology, with a concentration in diversity studies, from Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino, California.

During her graduate studies, she completed 1) a one-year clerkship at The California Family Counseling Center, conducting assessments of children, adolescents and adults, 2) a two-year practicum at Eisner Pediatric and Family Medical Center, providing counseling services to children, adolescents and adults, and 3) a one-year pre-doctoral internship at Families in New Directions, conducting court-ordered forensic assessments of families in crises.

After finishing her studies, she completed a two-year fellowship at Reiss-Davis Child Study Center in the psychoeducational diagnostic services (PEDS) program. Her PEDS training included participation in the autism program, and use of the ADOS and ADI-R, the gold-standard tests for Autistic Disorder.

Dr. LaCost is a member of the American Psychological Association, the California Psychological Association, and the Los Angeles County Psychological Association. She has a private practice in Calabasas. She works in conjunction with psychologists, developmental pediatricians, developmental optometrists, auditory processing specialists, psychiatrists, therapists (e.g. speech, occupational, physical, educational, and neurofeedback), public, non-public and private schools, and advocates and lawyers to assess, diagnose, and otherwise assist families within a strengths-based framework.