ABOUT
Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. You’re probably searching for answers and support for yourself or someone you love, and I’m here to help you in this journey.
Let me tell you a bit about myself. I am a licensed psychologist in both CT and FL. I earned my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in clinical psychology at Nova Southeastern University and went on to complete my psychology internship at Florida State University’s Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Consulting Center. I am a board certified psychologist in Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). I’m also trained and research-reliable on administration of the ADOS, which is considered the "gold standard" of autism assessment. I absolutely love working with children and their families. I am a mother of two young girls (ages 3 and 5) and have learned what neurotypical and neurodiverse development can look like through them. They have, by far, been my greatest teachers.
I hope to have the privilege of working with you and your family.
Dr. Alessandra
MY APPROACH
Neurodiversity is professional and personal for me, both as a psychologist and as a parent. My goal is to welcome you and your loved one into a space where you can be free to be yourself without judgement. During the evaluation process, you’ll learn about your child’s differences and strengths. My goal is to have the diagnostic process be a positive experience for my clients and their loved ones. I complete all my own testing and report writing. I will give you personalized recommendations for getting the supports you and your child need. Parenting children that are wired differently is hard work, but also can be incredibly rewarding. The good news is, you don’t have to do it alone.
Evaluations for Adults
The time has come for a paradigm shift when it comes to diagnosing autism. We now understand that many autistic individuals learn to camouflage at a young age, to the point that autism is not even readily observable to their family members or mental health professionals. In these cases, learning about an individual's subjective experience is how we can uncover and understand their autistic traits. Rating forms from parents, siblings, significant others, and other close informants can be helpful but should not be prioritized over the individual's subjective experience. My assessment process for adults gathers information about a client's inner experience and insight into themselves, seeks to understand client concerns and how inner experience shapes their behavior, and is neuro-affirming with a focus on strengths and building trust
Early Childhood Developmental Evaluations (18 months - 5 years)
Assess all aspects of early development to identify if your young child is struggling with developmental challenges, including physical, adaptive behavior, social-emotional, cognitive, and communication. Get clarity and personalized recommendations for how to support your little one.
Autism Assessment
If you or a professional have concerns for autism spectrum disorder, I can tailor an assessment to evaluate for social and communication challenges. I specialize in recognizing subtle or atypical presentations of autism. Sometimes the go-to autism assessments, such as the ADOS, are not sensitive enough to pick up on less obvious presentations of autism, particularly in girls and women. In these cases, I will handpick appropriate measures that identify behaviors not easily recognizable.
Comprehensive Psychoeducational
Evaluations
Comprehensive evaluations that assess the cognitive, academic, social-emotional, and behavioral profile and needs of each child. Every child's profile and needs are unique and I tailor each of my evaluations to meet the specific needs and presenting problems of my client. Evaluations include parent interview, review of developmental history and prior evaluations, comprehensive testing, full written report with recommendations, feedback to parents, and ongoing support.
Explore What I Can Offer
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS
After the evaluation is scheduled, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access my forms, which I ask that you complete before your first appointment. These forms will include a background questionnaire, parent rating scales, consent forms, and forms to give other significant people in your child's life, such as teachers. We'll then schedule an intake interview so that I can collect relevant background history information and thoroughly understand what you're seeking from the evaluation process.
Testing will take place over 1-3 sessions, depending on the age of my client and complexity of the referral questions. A feedback session will take place after the completion of the evaluation. During the feedback session, I will meet with the parents (or adult client) to review the results of the evaluation. These results will include a discussion of the scores, any applicable diagnoses, and recommendations. A detailed written report will be sent to the parents (or adult client) approximately two to three weeks after testing takes place.
I will not share the evaluation results, diagnoses, report, or any other aspect of your (or your child’s) protected health information without your written authorization.
CONTACT
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