Dr. Lori Butterworth is a licensed clinical psychologist, child advocate, educator, and nonprofit leader whose career has been dedicated to improving the lives of children and families. Along with Dr. Ramona Friedman, she co-founded the Center for Youth Mental Health (CYMH) to expand access to evidence-based mental health care for children, teens, and families throughout California.
After helping launch and establish the organization, Dr. Butterworth has transitioned from her leadership role at CYMH to focus on her private practice, where she continues to serve children, adolescents, young adults, and parents.
In her private practice, Dr. Butterworth specializes in the treatment of OCD and other anxiety-related disorders using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and other evidence-based approaches. More information about her practice is available at www.drloributterworth.com.
Before becoming a psychologist, Dr. Butterworth spent more than three decades leading innovative nonprofit organizations. After 13 years as a bilingual educator, she founded Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services, growing it from her kitchen table into a nationally recognized organization that continues to support thousands of families facing childhood cancer. She later co-founded the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition of California, helping lead statewide advocacy efforts that contributed to changes in the Affordable Care Act, expanding access to palliative care for seriously ill children.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Butterworth served as CEO of AIM Youth Mental Health, where she led significant organizational growth before partnering with Dr. Friedman to create CYMH in response to the growing youth mental health crisis.
Her leadership has been recognized with numerous honors, including Oprah Winfrey’s Use Your Life Award, the California Association of Nonprofits Achievement in Innovation Award, the City of Hope Award for Outstanding Leadership, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award of Excellence, and the American Red Cross Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dr. Butterworth earned her Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) from California Southern University, a Master of Liberal Arts in Psychology from Harvard University, a Master of Education from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA. Inspired by her grandfather, who earned his doctorate at age 73, she believes learning is a lifelong pursuit and remains committed to advancing evidence-based care for children and families.
We thank Dr. Butterworth for using her experience in nonprofit organizational management to help found CYMH.