Lina Fancy MSc., AMFT has worked in Neurodiversity for 24 years and was the Director of Jumpstart, the parent coaching program at the Autism Center of Northern California for 12 of them providing behavior consultation, developmental coaching and educational advocacy. Most recently, Lina has launched LF Autism CA in the Bay Area, focusing on holistic family support. She collaborates with numerous developmental psychologists and pediatricians in Marin to help families navigate the difficult path after receiving a diagnosis for their child. After 20 years in the field, she has also completed her MFT at the Dominican University of California and plans to eventually incorporate psychotherapeutic support for couples, siblings, and families who are navigating this journey, in addition to providing Clinical Quarterbacking for their intervention teams.
In addition to working in Neurodiversity, Lina has stepped up as Program Director of FITT-Fostering Interconnection Through Therapy within the Marin Foster Care Association. She is an attachment based and EMDR trained therapist who focuses on trauma regulation by bringing together decades of Neurodevelopmental Behavior Modification with Neurophysiological Psychotherapy, in addition to CBT and Psychodynamic work. She is being supervised by the esteemed Dr. Sara Edrington.
My Story
Lina Fancy began her career in autism as an extension of her interest in art therapy, combining her early career as a fine artist and experiences with the Learning Disability Foundation in Canada where she worked directly children with Cerebral Palsy, ADD, ADHD and Cognitive Delays. Lina first began working with children on the autism spectrum in 2000 which through subsequent training in ABA, PRT and most recently ESDM, has developed into a solid behavioral grounding that strongly focuses on natural opportunity learning as well as play modalities. Her expertise extends to best practice intervention in 1:1 direct training, parent training, navigating educational placement and services, and in a variety of community settings, focusing on teaching content that in conjunction with behavior, also spans aspects of academic readiness, communicative interaction, emotional regulation and independence (life skills). She firmly believes that family education and training using a developmental approach focusing on generalization will yield higher levels of progress as well support cohesion in the child’s family. Lina has consulted for home programs, school districts and lectures locally, nationally and internationally.
Lina's passions absolutely encompass the artistry of behavior, and she is a keen student. When not in 'study mode', she revels in the moments with her two elementary school aged boys at home with her husband Mark in Marin County. She is an avid artist, cook, world traveler and loves the outdoors whether on a mountain or on the water. After a 20-year hiatus, she has an oar in her hand again and races with the Marin Rowing Association as part of their competitive Master Team.
