Our Background

The enduring commitment of PCDA (Professional Child Development Associates) to top-notch, family-centered, interdisciplinary services that prioritize children's emotional well-being is a testament to the hard work and dedication of its founders, Diane Cullinane, MD, and Mimi Winer, MS, RN.

Diane and Mimi, coming from diverse professional backgrounds, shared a common interest in early childhood development and had similar training in social-emotional development and parent-child relationships.

In 1993, while Mimi was the Early Start Program Supervisor at the Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center (ELARC), she and Diane connected through mutual interests in early intervention and discovered a shared vision for aiding young children and families. Diane assumed the role of Developmental Pediatrician for ELARC, where her collaborative relationship with Mimi took root and flourished.

Mimi and Diane were introduced to Dr. Stanley Greenspan's work in the DIRFloortime approach during their education and professional journeys, and they were drawn to his holistic approach to clinical treatment for children with developmental needs and their families.

In 1996, Diane proposed the idea of establishing a private multidisciplinary center rooted in their shared values of promoting social-emotional development and invited Mimi to join her. Together they laid the foundation for PCDA, outlining services and business strategies.

Beginning with just one employee in a small house in Pasadena, CA, in January 1997, PCDA was among the pioneering clinics in the U.S. dedicated to the DIRFloortime approach.

Diane and Mimi, both highly respected clinicians in Los Angeles County, developed a strong partnership with the Lanterman Regional Center Community Services Department, which endorsed PCDA to provide services and programs.

PCDA's initial programs, Building Blocks Infant Development Program, and the Social-Emotional Developmental Intervention Program, paved the way for the wide range of services that PCDA continues to offer today: 14 different clinical and intervention services for children, teens, and young adults, all rooted in the DIRFloortime model.

In 2008, PCDA transitioned into a nonprofit organization with Diane as the Executive Director and Mimi as the Director of Programs and Services, maintaining a collaborative leadership approach.

Diane retired in 2019, followed by Mimi in 2023, leaving behind a legacy that continues to uphold the foundational principles of PCDA, centered on the DIRFloortime approach and the significance of relationships in child development.