About Dr. Pearl

MentalPress 7

We all have many stories. Here are a few of mine.

I am a licensed psychologist in CT and NY and a nationally certified school psychologist. I work with children, families, and schools, and have special interests in anxiety and depression, learning disorders, attention and executive functioning, social skills, autism and developmental delays, early childhood development and education, parenting, and trauma. I love to learn, and regularly engage in continuing education and supervision so I can continue to provide evidence-based interventions that are the best fit for my clients’ needs. I provide therapy, consultations, and diagnostic and psycho-educational evaluations.

Work Experience

I have worked with children, families, and schools in various capacities since 1998. Prior to opening my private practice in 2012, I fulfilled roles including:

  • aide in a self-contained classroom for children with autism
  • student teacher, public school classroom for deaf elementary schoolers
  • evaluator for private school admission
  • school psychologist
  • counselor in a residential treatment facility
  • evaluator for early intervention
  • mental health coordinator and consultant for Early Head Start
  • trainer of camp staff and direct service staff working with individuals with autism and mental or behavioral health concerns
  • social skills group facilitator
  • program development consultant
  • individual therapist

I have also presented my research on risk factors for academic and behavioral failure in middle school at national conferences, taught at the graduate level, and supervised students working towards masters degrees.

Education

I earned a BA in Psychology from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, in 1999, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude with distinction in psychology. I went on to Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York, where I obtained an Ed.M. (Masters in Education) in school psychology in 2003, after which I became a certified school psychologist and began working in public schools while I continued my doctoral education. I received my Ph.D. in psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University in October 2006. I began my post-doctoral work at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio and completed it at Special People in Northeast (SPIN, Inc) in Philadelphia, PA, where I continued to garner clinical experience and hone expertise in autism and developmental disorders.

Licensure and Certification

Connecticut Licensed Psychologist (003049)

New York Licensed Psychologist (018412)

Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP)

Health Service Provider in Psychology (HSPP)

Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)

Professional Affiliations

Member, American Psychological Association

Member, National Association of School Psychologists

Member, American Psychological Association Division 42 - Psychologists in Independent Practice

Member, American Psychological Association Division 53 – Child and Adolescent Psychology

Member, American Psychological Association Division 56 – Trauma Psychology

Orientation

My approach is tailored to each specific individual. I utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, and mindfulness and relaxation, among other approaches. In most cases, a child or teen is my identified client, and I strive to partner with the systems in which the child exists – family, home, school, and community. We all develop in the context of our surroundings, which is why it is so important that intervention occur at multiple levels.