Dr. Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., Licensed MFT

For 40 years I have sat with families who were told their child was the problem. They were not the problem. They needed the right support — and a clear understanding of what was actually going on in the brain.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a neurofeedback specialist with more than 35 years of experience helping children, teens, and adults navigate ADHD, anxiety, and related conditions. I founded the ADHD Information Library at newideas.net in 1997. Since then it has served more than a million families looking for answers that go beyond medication.

Licenses & Credentials

I am licensed to practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist in four states:

Education

• Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) — Newport University, Newport Beach, CA (1988)
• M.S. in Marriage, Family & Child Therapy — California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA (1986)
• B.A. in Philosophy-Religion — California Lutheran College, Thousand Oaks, CA (1978)

Specialized Certifications

• Certified Training Professional in Direct Neurofeedback (LENS)
• Certified Cranial Electrical Stimulation (CES) Provider — CalmBox by CalmWaves
• Creyos Cognitive Assessment Provider — Cambridge Brain Sciences
• Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP) — Applied Neuroscience for Anxiety
• Peak Achievement Neurofeedback Provider — Traditional EEG Biofeedback Systems
• TriWest / TriCare CCN Provider — Contracted mental health services for veterans and active duty military

Other Background

• Founder & Clinical Director, CalmWaves Brain Health and Performance (2020–present) — neurofeedback, CES, cognitive assessment, and performance training for athletes, treatment centers, and clinicians
• Pastor of Family Ministries & Associate Pastor — 15 years in pastoral ministry (Country Oaks Baptist Church; Roots Christian Fellowship; The Living Room)
• College Baseball Coach — university-level coaching; scouted for two Major League Baseball organizations
• Clinical Director, Director of Youth Services — in-patient hospital program

How I Work

I approach mental health the way a good coach approaches an athlete. We do not start with "how does that make you feel?" We start with "what can we do to make things better?" Improve performance, and confidence follows. Results are evidence.

I spent decades as a baseball coach before I was a therapist. The coaching mindset never left. I am not here to analyze you. I am here to help you perform better — in your relationships, your work, and your own head.

I believe every person carries real dignity and a genuine capacity for change. Not because I am an optimist by temperament, but because I have watched it happen for 40 years. The brain that learned to struggle is the same brain that can learn something different. That is not a cliché. That is neuroscience.

Neuroscience and faith both have a seat at my table, and neither apologizes for the other. My job is to hand you the right tools. The choice to use them is yours — and that is where the freedom is.

Areas of Focus

• ADHD in children, teens, and adults — assessment, type identification, and treatment planning
• Anxiety disorders — including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic, and anxiety co-occurring with ADHD
• Neurofeedback and neuromodulation — traditional and direct neurofeedback, CES therapy
• Marriage and family therapy — couples, parent coaching, family systems
• Performance coaching — executive function, focus, and cognitive performance

About This Site

I started the ADHD Information Library at newideas.net in 1997 — before "content marketing" was a phrase, before Google existed. I started it because parents needed real information and didn't know where to find it.

More than a million people have visited over the years. The site has gone through many versions. This one is the best — because the information is better, the tools are interactive, and the voice is more honest than any version I've published before.

Everything on this site is written by me, reviewed by me, and reflects 40 years of clinical experience. No AI wrote the articles without my direction. No content is published without my approval. That is what E-E-A-T means in practice — not a checklist, but a person standing behind every word.

All content on this site is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute clinical advice and is not a substitute for professional evaluation and treatment. If you have concerns about your mental health or your child's development, please consult a qualified professional.