Intervention without assessment can be like surgery without imaging; exploratory or trial and error. Assessment is a complicated process where lots of information is presented that may leave you feeling overwhelmed or even confused by the results. I believe that as the recipient of an assessment, you should be empowered to advocate for your child’s needs by truly and genuinely understanding your child’s performance and understanding that we all have unique learning profiles filled with different strengths and weaknesses. Assessments, whether psychological, behavioral, psychoeducational, or neuropsychological, can help provide insight into the functioning of our social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and/or academic worlds. With many diagnoses sharing symptoms, individualized assessment helps illuminate the right intervention path to explore at the time. Brain development is a process that often isn’t complete until mid to late 20’s so understanding how a child is learning in that particular phase of development and potentially seeing how it changes with time, can be wildly informative. If you have questions about you or your child’s performance, I provide assessments to assist in understanding profiles that include a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dygraphia, general learning disabilities, as well as emotional disabilities (referred to as emotional disturbances in schools) and other developmental disabilities. Additionally, collaboration among the entire team (community professionals, parents, and children) is exceptionally powerful in finding the path towards success. 

Along with my assessment work, I provide therapy as a psychological associate. If you or your child are struggling with navigating difficult emotions or experiencing challenges with behavioral or emotional regulation, making or maintaining relationships, building effective psychological flexibility for when life throws you lemons, or want to build your coping tools toolbox, therapy may be a good answer! I believe in working with you to navigate the ups and downs to bring balance to your life. 

Education: 

• BA in Psychology

• MA in Education, School Psychology

• Graduate Certificate in School Based Mental Health

• PsyD in Educational Psychology

• Diplomate, School Neuropsychology

Experience contributing to assessment practice: Completed a post-graduate certification program in school neuropsychology to enhance assessment knowledge for more unique profiles or brain injury. More than a decade of special education experience in public schools working with individuals from TK to young adults: first as special education instructional assistant, and then as a School Psychologist.  Conducted educationally related mental health services (ERMHS) and Functional Behavioral (FBA) assessments and supported program development for students with emotional disabilities including RAD, Anxiety, and DMDD as well as neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD and ADHD.  Participated in writing the manual for a district implementing the Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) Model for identifying Specific Learning Disabilities. Have worked with a variety of school-based programs including mild/moderate, moderate/severe, autism specific, and emotional disability specific as well as assessed students in non-public schools (NPS) and residential treatment centers (RTC). 

Experience contributing to therapy practice: Provided school based counseling to address anxiety/disability awareness, low frustration tolerance, impulsivity/self-control, emotional and behavioral regulation, coping skills, peer/adult interactions/social skills,  self-advocacy, and executive functioning/organization of materials.  Currently a psychological associate under the clinical supervision of Dr. Jeanette Morgan. 

Certification: 

• School Based Mental Health 

• School Neuropsychology, ABSNP

• UCLA PEERS School Based Social Skills  

• ABA/DTT 

• Pro-ACT 

Treatment Specializations: 

• ADHD

• Executive Functioning Disorders

• Anxiety Disorders 

• Social Skills 

• Behavioral/Emotional Regulation 

In supervision in working with: 

• Tourette/Tic Disorders 

• Trauma 

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder