Licensed California PI

We are long-time members in good standing of the

California Association of

Licensed Investigators

More about us

 

 

Ellen A. Gold M.Ed - Experienced Private Investigator

 

After completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration I worked in Early Childhood Education for three years. I then traveled throughout Europe for six months. Upon returning to the United States I took a position in Social Services and began working on a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology.

 

Upon receiving my Masters Degree with a concentration in Psycho­Educational Processes, I accepted an internship in a Community Mental Health Center as an Out­patient Therapist and Psychological Examiner.

 

Following my internship I was employed as an Out­patient Therapist in an Adolescent Treatment Unit for juveniles referred through the County Probation Department. I also worked as a Crisis Counselor in a Crisis Intervention Unit located adjacent to the emergency room of a community hospital.

 

I then pursued studies in Clinical Psychology in a PhD program prior to holding positions as a Behavior Modification Specialist in a Day Treatment Program for Adults with Profound and Severe Mental Retardation, as Clinical Coordinator in a Foster Care Agency, as Director of Project OPEN, developing community group homes for people with special needs, as a Special Treatment Program Director in a locked, long­term Psychiatric Hospital, as an Instructor in a Community College program of Transitional Skills Training for psychiatric patients in the locked units at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, as an Investigator with Children’s Protective Services, as a Child Care Coordinator at the county jail, as a Community Parks Monitor, as an Adult Probation Officer, as an Intern with the State Parole Unit of the Department of Corrections, as a Rehabilitation Counselor in the County Drinking Driver Program for DUI offenders and finally as an Interim Shared Housing Coordinator for an Innovative Housing Project, before founding Paula Drake Investigations.

 

Over the course of my career I completed Continuing Education in Sexual Exploitation Investigation Strategy, Task Force Approach to Serial Cases, Criminal Apprehension Team Training, Powers of Arrest, PC 832, Officer Safety Tactics and Weapons Familiarization for High Risk Environments. Street Survival, Criminal Occults, Criminal Apprehension, Child Abuse Prevention Effort Hot­line Training, Parenting, Crisis Intervention, Psycho­drama, Psychology of the Aging, Advanced Clinical Interpretation of the MMPI, Implosive Therapy, Assertion Training, Comprehensive Rorschach System, Physical Crisis Intervention, Publicity for Organizations, How to Stage a Successful Conference, Detecting Deception in Forensic Interviews, Internet Investigations and Advanced Internet Training.

 

My Professional Projects include Parent Skills Training, Adolescent Growth Group, First Group Experience, Self-Awareness Training, What Makes You, You?, Sensitivity Training and Strategies for Changing Neighborhood Attitudes.