An Aviation Psychologist Who Has Sat in Your Seat
I'm Corinne, a licensed clinical psychologist, FAA/HIMS trained aviation psychologist, and former pilot. Pilots and air traffic controllers are the largest part of my practice. Whether you need confidential therapy that understands the medical, or FAA-required documentation written to the agency's standards, you'll work with someone who already knows the culture, the stakes, and the AME Guide.
Who You'll Work With
Hi, I'm Corinne.
I'm a licensed clinical psychologist (PsyD) with extensive experience supporting trauma survivors and marginalized communities. You'll work directly with me at every step. I run every session and sign every evaluation myself. More about me →
- PsyD, Licensed Psychologist
- Online in 45+ states
- In person in Orange County, CA
Most therapists have never read the AME Guide
Aviation is one of the few professions where seeing a clinician can have regulatory consequences. A well-meaning therapist who doesn't know that can write a diagnosis into a chart without realizing what it means for your medical. An evaluator who doesn't know what Aerospace Medicine needs to see can produce a report that gets sent back, months later, for more. Aviation psychology is a specialty for a reason, and it's the one I've built my practice around.
Former Pilot
I spent years flying before I became a psychologist. When you talk about checkride pressure, a failed upgrade, crew dynamics, or the mental load of flying the line, you don't need to translate. I already understand.
FAA/HIMS Trained
HIMS is the FAA's program for evaluating and monitoring pilots with substance use and mental health histories. My training covers how the FAA thinks about fitness to fly, what gets reported, and what a report has to contain to hold up at Aerospace Medicine.
Doctoral-Level Assessment
My doctoral training is in assessment and diagnosis. I complete multiple FAA evaluations every week, and I write them to the FAA's requirements so your AME can use them.
Current on the 2026 Guidance
The FAA's May 2026 update now encourages counseling and therapy for pilots and controllers. I stay current on what changed, what didn't, and what it means for you specifically, before you decide anything.
Four services for pilots and controllers
Therapy is ongoing, confidential work. The three evaluations are one-time services that produce the documentation the FAA or your AME has asked for. Bring your correspondence to a free consultation if you're not sure which one you need.
Therapy for Pilots & Air Traffic Controllers
Confidential, aviation-aware therapy for performance pressure, close calls, burnout, relationship strain, and career transitions. $225 per session, online nationwide.
FAA ADHD Fast Track Evaluation
Record review, clinical interview, and the FAA ADHD Summary for pilots with an ADHD history. $650 all inclusive, by video or in person.
FAA Psychological Evaluation
AME-requested, Special Issuance, and HIMS-related psychological evaluations. $2650 all inclusive, in person in Orange County, CA.
FAA Gender Dysphoria Evaluation
Meets the FAA Gender Dysphoria Mental Health Status Report requirements, from a WPATH-qualified, LGBTQIA+ affirming psychologist. $550 all inclusive.
Every corner of aviation
Airline & Corporate Pilots
Line pilots, captains, and corporate crews managing schedules, upgrades, and the medical.
Student & General Aviation Pilots
Applicants working through a first medical, and private pilots who want to keep flying.
Military Aviators
Active duty, guard, reserve, and those transitioning to civilian flying.
Air Traffic Controllers
Controllers under the same encouragement to seek care, and the same reporting questions, as pilots.
Instructors & Examiners
CFIs, check airmen, and DPEs who carry everyone else's pressure as well as their own.
LGBTQIA+ Aviators
Affirming care and FAA documentation from a psychologist who is a member of the community.
Online across the country, in person in Orange County
Therapy, the ADHD Fast Track, and the gender dysphoria evaluation are all available by secure video in more than 45+ states through my PSYPACT license, plus California, Colorado, Texas, Nevada, and Alaska. My office is in Santa Ana, in the heart of Orange County, a short drive from John Wayne Airport (SNA) and within reach of Long Beach and LAX. Orange County is the only place I see clients in person, and the FAA Psychological Evaluation is completed there.
Directions to the Santa Ana office are on the contact page.
“You don't have to choose between getting help and protecting your career. Done thoughtfully, therapy supports both.”
â Dr. Corinne Votaw-Freer, PsyD
Straight answers on therapy, medication, and the FAA
Can Pilots Go to Therapy?
What the FAA encourages, what has to be disclosed, and what doesn't.
Pilots Have Been Hiring Life Coaches
Why the FAA's May 2026 guidance changed the calculation.
Antidepressants and Your FAA Medical
The approved list, the stability period, and the special issuance path.
HIMS Explained
What happens to your medical after a substance-related event, step by step.
All aviation articles are collected under Aviation.
Questions aviators ask first
What is an aviation psychologist?
A licensed psychologist with specific training in the FAA's aeromedical standards and the psychological demands of flying and controlling. In my case that means FAA/HIMS training, years of experience with pilots and controllers, and time as a pilot myself. It does not make me an AME, and I don't make certification decisions.
Will seeing you affect my medical certificate?
That depends on what we're doing. Counseling that doesn't involve a diagnosis is treated differently from treatment of a diagnosed condition, and I'll tell you which we're doing before the first session ends. What you report on your application is your responsibility, and I'll make sure you understand what typically must be disclosed and what generally doesn't.
Do I need therapy or an evaluation?
If your AME or the FAA has asked for documentation, you need an evaluation, and which one depends on the letter. If you're carrying something and want help with it, that's therapy. If you're not sure, bring your correspondence to the free consultation and I'll tell you.
Do you see pilots in person?
Yes, at my Santa Ana office in Orange County, California, near John Wayne Airport. That is my only in-person location. Everything except the FAA Psychological Evaluation is also available by video nationwide.
Do you work with air traffic controllers?
Yes. Controllers work under the same FAA encouragement to seek care and face the same disclosure questions as pilots, and they make up a meaningful part of my practice.