My Life Journey.

I began my career in the social services and community mental health arenas, where I held a number of roles to include probation, foster care case manager, inpatient psychiatric unit counselor, county designated mental health professional, and several program administrator roles within county government and non-profits. It was because of my experience as a parent to a child with learning differences experiencing tremendous challenge and a dislike of school, that I took a step back to realize there was such a disconnect between all of the systems children interface. Every system has different eligibility, terminology, and the family and child are lost in the middle.

I didn't think that I, one person, could fix the situation. But, I did feel that if I returned to graduate school to become a school psychologist, I could at least do my part with those whose lives I had the opportunity to touch. And so I worked as a school psychologist for some time. Across several states. I held administrative roles. I added counseling again as an attempt to spark the flame. It seemed that in order to either make more money or to pique my ever curious interests, I had to work more, leaving me with little time for self care, family, and fun.

I decided to take a giant leap one year. Life's circumstances made it so that it was going to be then or never. I made it happen; I opened my first practice. My work included private assessment, school contracts, and overseas testing opportunities. I offered training in dyslexia evaluation in a country where there is not even a phonetic alphabet!

Fast forward to now. I have owned several successful private practices generating assessment only revenue of 25k+ a month. I have worked as the lead testing psychologist at a number of specialty groups to include developmental behavioral pediatrics and eating disorders clinics. I have been retained by attorneys to complete autism evaluations of incarcerated individuals who had not yet been diagnosed. I have coached fellow testing psychologists in autism and ADHD assessment, along with practice building. And, I play a lead role in an educational consulting firm.

In the fall of 2023, while completing evaluations in Silicon Valley, I chatted with the parent of a child I was assessing who I eventually learned was the head of a well known tech company who asked me, "Why aren't you teaching this to other psychologists? The wait is so long and professionals are burned out." It never dawned on me.....until then.

Presently, I own the Center for Assessment and Learning-an educational psychology group, and I am co-founder of MindfulU Consulting and Wellness-a social enterprise with the mission of promoting culturally responsive and neuroaffirming practice while simultaneous transforming the clinical practices of medical and mental health clinicians. I have held several adjunct and research appointments, together with experience in assessment and evaluation across a number of states, territories, and several countries abroad to include a most memorable experience living and working in China and the Virgin Islands.

I'd love to share all of my training, experience, ups and downs, and hope for the future of access to quality care with you. Won't you help me break down these barriers and in turn, build a practice that brings you more joy and time for yourself?

I believe in you!

-Darlene