"I don't have a crystal ball," says owner of anger management counseling service that treated accused murder Steven Zinda

March 23, 2011

It has been acknowledged for some time that the mental health profession is unable to reliably predict patient violence.

So it is no surprise that in the following article, Claudia Dias admits her inability to do that, in reference to a former client who was charged with murder just days after graduating from her anger management program (which he'd been in for a year). 

One could also conclude that, in the case of the accused, anger management counseling does not work.  Columbine High School shooter Eric Harris had been through anger management counseling prior to his killing rampage with pal Dylan Klebold in April 1999.  And in June 2010, Virginia anger management counselor Jose Luis Avila was jailed for pointing a loaded firearm at federal Marshalls (Avila, who did not know they were federal Marshalls, had honked at the men, who he thought were standing in the road.  He initially left the scene but, thinking one of them had made an obscene gesture at him, came back and pointed a gun at them). 

So much for anger management.

The following story describes Dias as a counselor, though the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences, which licenses mental health counselors, does not list an active license in her name (or for "Claudia Diaz"). 

 

An anger management counselor who treated Steven Zinda for over a year said she was "devastated" when she heard Zinda was charged with killing a young man with an axe just days after he graduated from the program.

"I don't have a crystal ball," said Claudia Dias, Director of Changing Courses, where records obtained by News10 show Zinda, 29, enrolled in a court-ordered anger management program in December 2009.

"I've done this kind of work for about 30 years and I've never had anyone do (anything like this) with my name on a completion certificate," Dias said. "This is not my shining moment."

Sacramento County sheriff's investigators said Zinda killed David Valdez, 20, after chasing him nearly a quarter mile through a field in Rio Linda.

Valdez' car became stuck in the mud in front of Zinda's home early Sunday morning and Zinda apparently mistook Valdez for a burglar who had earlier broken into his home.

The counseling order is contained in a 2009 divorce petition filed by Zinda against his wife, Joanna, 21, who lives in Yuba City.

The couple share legal custody of a 2 and a half-year-old son named Lucas, although Steven had sole physical custody. The file was still active with the next court hearing scheduled for April 5.

"Parents shall participate in counseling to address issues regarding domestic violence with a licensed mental health provider," reads the Sacramento County Superior Court order.

The file also suggests substance abuse problems. "Parents shall participate in an alcoholism and drug dependance evaluation," the order reads.

Zinda was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in a Sacramento County Jail courtroom on a murder charge. He appeared briefly with a retained attorney but did not enter a plea and remains in custody without bail.

Clients who were leaving the Changing Courses anger management class Tuesday did not wish to talk about their former classmate, but Dias spoke for the group.

"We're devastated. All we can think about is the 20-year-old kid and how much terror he must have been in, and Steven's 3-year-old son, and Steven's family. There's a ripple effect on the people," Dias said.

Dias said she often uses the teachings of Austrian psychiatrist Victor Frankl with her anger management clients.

"Between every action and reaction there's a space. And in that space is choice," Dias said. "And (in this case) wrong choices were made."

Source: "Counselor devastated by client's fatal axe attack," ABC News10 (Sacramento, CA), March 22, 2011.

Comments
ak
2011-04-14 02:22:46
ClaudiaDias has a "Canceled" license since April 30,1999 from the California Board of Science and has been operating under the radar.

Changed Courses
2011-11-11 15:12:08
Claudia Dias lies to her clients about her licenses and she also, has a restraining order against her in Placer County. How does the court order people to go to her for counseling or anger management?!?! Talk about "shining moments!" She sure does operate under the radar. Shocking that our own courts are not aware of her legal records or lack there of.

Jim
2013-12-11 12:39:30
I took Claudia's class for 3yrs because of personal problems
with my temper. I was not court ordered, I could have walked away anytime. She changed my life. She taught me ways
to think while I was angry to not be destructive or harmful.
Taking her class made a BIG difference in my life. I don't care if she has all ( or any) certifications, THIS LADY CAN TEACH! If I had problems, I would go to her before I would anybody else. I don't care what paper you put up on a wall, at the end of the day, it's who can get the job done. She's top notch in my book.

MA
2014-10-29 15:49:48
Back in 2003 I went to Claudia Diaz at Changing Courses for anger management. Her program was terrible: she would publicly shame people in her group therapy, had her favorites in the class intimidate those she didn't like and personally I found her to be a quack. After 6 sessions I had enough, I told her her program's a joke and I went somewhere else for anger management.The other place I went to get anger management counseling was wonderful and the psychologists there were certainly qualified. I believe Claudia Diaz is only interested in money and keeping people in her program as long as possible.Back in 2003 her anger management groups were freaking huge and there was soo many people there. At the other place I went, the groups were small and they weren't interested in keeping me there past what I needed LOL. Of course Claudia thinks she's perfect and if you disagree with her she says you have an anger problem. Unfortunately in Sacramento's Family Court she's listed as one of the Court approved anger management counselors and it absolutely floors me how she's even listed!

Gloria
2021-11-10 13:28:10
I was in hiv shelter and part staying there was going to her classes , instead of going into a long story I paid a tension to all her things that she taught us in clash and some stories she told helped us make sense of how to control our anger my feelings about her is this happening in 2008 and now it%u2019s 2021 and I%u2019ll never forget what she taught me and how I learn to be more conscious of my anger and how to control it better so yes it might not of worked for others but it sure did work for me and the people that was in the shelter so I think her 100%

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