Founder · Laguna Beach
Dr. Courtney TracyThe Truth Doctor
USC-trained licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma and personality-disorder expert.
- Role
- Founder and CCO
- License
- LCSW · PsyD
- Clinic
- Joint Commission PHP / IOP
In her words
Me and my team help you go from feeling out of control, deeply misunderstood, and isolated to feeling in control of a life worth living.
— Dr. Courtney, aka ‘The Truth Doctor’
- Alias
- The Truth Doctor
- Role
- Chief Clinical Officer
- Place
- Laguna Beach, CA
Where Dr. Courtney Trained
She graduated magna cum laude from USC and summa cum laude from her doctoral program.
2016
Master of Social Work
University of Southern California
She completed her Master of Social Work at USC, magna cum laude, between 2014 and 2016.
2019
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
California Southern University
She completed her doctorate in clinical psychology, summa cum laude, between 2016 and 2019.
Her Licenses and Certifications
She holds certifications in DBT, personality disorder treatment, and trauma care, along with her clinical license and doctorate.
- LCSW
- PsyD
- RPA
- C-DBT
- C-PD
- CCTP
She has been featured in these outlets.
- The New York Times
- Good Morning America
- NBC
- Business Insider
- The Washington Post
Our Three-Part Clinical Model
Dr. Courtney Tracy built this model from more than a decade of work with people facing mental health and substance use at the same time.
Exist Centers was built to give people the kind of real, effective care they deserve but rarely find. Dr. Courtney Tracy, a licensed therapist who specializes in BPD and substance use, founded it and still leads our clinical team.
Somatic care
Body
Learn to exist in your body again.
We look at how your body and mind affect each other, with yoga, mindfulness, and other therapies for physical pain and emotional ups and downs. We also look at nutrition and pain, and work with your doctors.
Cognitive analysis
Mind
Notice the automatic thoughts that drive you.
We look at how you think, make decisions, solve problems, and see your life and other people. Then we help you turn automatic negative thoughts and reactions into healthier ones.
Psychoanalytical
Brain
Understand why you feel and act the way you do.
We give you a safe space to explore your unconscious mind and the hidden emotions and patterns underneath. It helps with deep emotional pain and with substance use.
Talk to the Clinic She Built
Call or text us at (949) 670-9345 and tell us what's going on. The team will tell you honestly whether PHP, IOP, Outpatient 1:1, or a referral would serve you best.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Courtney Tracy, LCSW, PsyD · Reviewed September 2026