Early Childhood Development Associates
The Early Childhood Development Associates invites parents to see the world from the perspective of their children. When we practice mindful parenting and focus on positive qualities, children learn about trust, caring for others and meaningful relationships. Children develop the social and emotional competence they need to be successful in school and later in life.
The Early Childhood Development Associates invites parents to see the world from the perspective of their children. When we practice mindful parenting and focus on positive qualities, children learn about trust, caring for others and meaningful relationships. Children develop the social and emotional competence they need to be successful in school and later in life.
Meet Our Team
Marilee Hartling, RN, MFT
Marilee is the founder and director of Early Childhood Development Associates. She is a licensed Child and Family Therapist who worked for many years in the Early Childhood Program at Cedars Sinai Medical Center with children ages 0 – 10 years old and their families.
Marilee is also a registered nurse with a child development specialty who worked in Pediatrics, the NICU and Early Intervention. Marilee combines her medical experience with her knowledge of developmental psychology, her relationship-based mindful parenting expertise and her collaboration with specialists from a variety of disciplines to provide families with quality, individualized developmental care. In addition to leading groups for typically developing children, Marilee specializes in early childhood assessments and treatment of children and families. She also was an adjunct faculty member in the MFT department at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, CA for 10 years.
Marilee is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 5. She reminds us that parenting is a life long journey!
Patricia Joseph, PHD
Pat is our Preschool Prep consultant and creator of our Preschool Prep curriculum. Pat came to us from the Center for Early Education. She is a busy grandmother of one adorable five year old. She supervises and oversees the curriculum here while also maintaining her directorship at St. James Preschool. Pat visits us periodically as a participant of our program, providing consultation and supervision to our teachers when requested.
Cynthia Epps, MS, IBCLC
Cynthia is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Infant Feeding Specialist with a Masters Degree in Metabolic Nutrition. She specializes in lactation, transitioning to solids, toddler “food wars” and gentle weaning. She has written for LA Family Magazine and Mothering Magazine and she facilitates breastfeeding and infant feeding workshops all over the Los Angeles area.
Cynthia is the mother of two wonderful grown daughters and enjoys sharing her own mothering experiences with new moms as they navigate the challenges of feeding their infants and young toddlers.
We welcome Cynthia as our feeding consultant and frequent guest speaker for our group programs.
Beth Weisman
Beth is a very experienced parent educator in the community and currently is the parent educator at IKAR. She leads parent discussion for the parents and caregivers of the children who attend our Little Friends Group in our Parent and Me Groups on Sundays at ecda, and we are so lucky to have someone with her experience on our team. She has a Masters degree in education and has held positions as director and teacher in multiple educational settings.
Beth is the mother of two grown children and often shares her own parenting experiences with parents and caregivers in our after school program.
Vivan Dugre MA, AMFT
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist #129895
Employed by Early Childhood Development Associates (ECDA)
Supervised by Marilee Hartling, RN, LMFT
Vivan (Vee)is an associate marriage and family therapist, supervised by Marliee Hartling. At ECDA, Vivan (Vee) engages with children through creative play and sometimes pure silliness to create a loving, fun, and safe space for them to express themselves authentically and receive the help that they need.
Vee provides children and their parents with the tools they need to deal with behavioral and/ or developmental challenges.
Vee also believes that all parents are doing their best and that having children offers a unique opportunity for parents to explore their own histories and heal old wounds.
Vee works with parents and children ages 2-12 years in group programs and individual therapy at ECDA. As a therapist Vee’s colleagues describe her as empathetic, dynamic, playful, and warm.
Vee completed her master’s degree in clinical Psychology at Antioch University Los Angeles and holds a bachelor’s degree from NYU. She has worked individually with teens, adults, and families at Southern California Counseling Center. Vee is also a trained EMDR therapist. She is currently working in the Preschool Prep Program at ECDA and does individual work with children & families. We are happy to have Vivan on our staff at ECDA!
To inquire about Vivan’s therapeutic services, please contact ECDA at office@ecdevelopment.co or (323)655-5580.
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist #139485
Employed by Early Childhood Development Associates
Supervised by Marilee Hartling, RN, LMFT
Elizabeth Shaffer, MA, AMFT
Elizabeth Shaffer is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist supervised by Marilee Hartling at ECDA who is dedicated to helping children, adolescents, and families navigate life’s challenges with resilience and confidence. She works with children ages 3–17 in both individual and group settings, using a playful, creative, and relational approach to build trust and foster emotional growth.
Elizabeth specializes in supporting children and teens in developing skills related to emotion regulation, anxiety management, behavioral flexibility, and social connection. She draws from evidence-based practices including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and parent management training to create individualized treatment plans that support each child’s unique needs.
In addition to her broader work with children and families, Elizabeth has experience supporting neurodivergent children and their caregivers, offering strategies to enhance communication, executive functioning, and adaptive skills in both home and school environments.
Elizabeth holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles, a master’s in criminology from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree from Brown University. She is known for her warmth, creativity, and ability to connect with children through empathy, play, and genuine engagement. We are happy to have Elizabeth on our staff at ECDA!
To inquire about Elizabeth’s therapeutic services, please contact ECDA at office@ecdevelopment.co or (323) 655-5580.