Carol Jahchan, Ph.D. is a licensed bicultural clinical psychologist with a specialization in the neuroscience of serious mental illness. She works at the Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Los Angeles, CA and maintains a part-time private practice.

Dr. Jahchan has gained experience in the diagnostic assessment and treatment of a wide spectrum of mental health problems during her doctoral training at UCSD and internship at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to working at VA outpatient clinics in both LA and San Diego, she has provided psychotherapy to students at the SDSU Psychology Clinic and young people with early risk signs of psychosis at the UCSD Cognitive Assessment and Risk Evaluation program. Her expertise is in the adjunctive treatment of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She currently provides recovery-oriented psychosocial rehabilitation services to Veterans with serious mental illness and is a contracted provider for Lyra Health, offering evidence-based care to employees and dependents who receive mental health benefits through their employer. She also offers individual therapy through video conferencing to residents of California seeking support for depression, anxiety, or trauma-related problems. Dr. Jahchan has been licensed in the state of California since 2011 (PSY 24632).

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Jahchan’s research has focused on understanding the neural mechanisms and functional implications of the cognitive abnormalities in schizophrenia, with the goal of improving the lives of affected individuals. She has spent 9 years working in the renowned Green Laboratory at the VA Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. She has received funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (Career Development Award) as well as the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD Young Investigator Award) to conduct randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of a variety of cognitive remediation interventions and neurostimulation techniques on cognition in schizophrenia. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Psychological Medicine, Brain and Behavior, Schizophrenia Research, Neuropsychology, Bipolar Disorders, and Journal of Psychiatric Research.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Dr. Jahchan is a travel photographer and endurance athlete who has explored over 40 countries. Her adventures have taken her to the Amazon, Himalayas, and summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. She has immersed herself in the daily life of the Tatuyo, Maasai, and Tana Toraja communities, as well as Palestinians living under occupation - experiences that have deepened her understanding of human connection, resilience, and cultural wisdom. Dr. Jahchan practices what she encourages in her therapeutic work: cultivating a life of meaning, balance, and growth. She maintains a disciplined Ashtanga yoga practice and integrates mindfulness into her mountaineering and other physically demanding pursuits. She believes in stepping outside one’s comfort zone, embracing challenge, and developing self-awareness through embodied experience. Whether learning a new skill or capturing stories through her lens, Dr. Jahchan brings these values into her work, inspiring clients to explore their own edges and live in alignment with what matters most. 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING               PROFESSIONAL Experience