Psychological Health and Wellness for Individuals and Families
The Path to Mental Health Begins with a Single Step - Take That Step Today
Dr. Lea A. Theodore
Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist
Fellow, American Psychological Association
Contact Me
Call or Email Dr. Theodore for a free 15-minute consultation.
Office Location: 142 Railroad Ave, Sayville, NY 11782
Email: lea@theodorepsychservices.com
Dr. Theodore is the owner and founder of Psychological Health and Wellness. A Licensed Psychologist with more than twenty years of expertise working with children, adolescents, and adults, I provide evidence-based treatment as well as psychological and psychoeducational assessments for a variety of issues (e.g., learning disabilities, giftedness, behavioral concerns, ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc.), while also considering adjustment within a larger social system. As a psychologist, I have the opportunity to impact my patients’ quality of life by providing interventions and preventative measures to optimize overall life functioning, which is vital to the human experience. My primary objective is to understand your present challenges and help you build a rich and fulfilling life, enhancing one's mental health and subsequently, overall wellbeing. Every individual can flourish given the proper support and I am dedicated to helping children, adolescents, and adults, maximize their success.
Psychology Today:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/lea-a-theodore-sayville-ny/1078287
Mission Statement
I am committed to increasing the knowledge of behavior and people's understanding of themselves and others. Thus, my mission is to enhance the lives of individuals and their overall quality of life by providing clients with a positive and transformative mental health experience. Through the provision of evidence-based services delivered in a validating, empathic, down to earth, and genuine manner, clients learn to:
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Take ownership over their change process by becoming their own advocate.
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Recognize unhelpful patterns of behavior and enact change via feasible, next steps forward.
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Strive towards value-based living and a more enriching life.
Areas of Expertise
Psychological and Psychoeducational Evaluations
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ADHD
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Adjustment Issues
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Anger Management
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Anxiety
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Behavioral Issues
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Career Counseling
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Coping Skills
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Depression
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Divorce
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Education and Learning Disabilities
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Giftedness
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Life Transitions
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Mind-Body Health
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Phobias
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Parenting Issues
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Self Esteem
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School-based Consultation
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School-based Advocacy (special education; services)
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Social skills and Assertiveness Training
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Stress Management
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Work-Related Issues
About Dr. Theodore
Dr. Lea A. Theodore is a Professor of Psychology in a graduate program and a Licensed Psychologist in both New York and Virginia. Dr. Theodore received her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 2002, a Top 10 University in her field, as well as two Master's degrees, and was awarded the Early Career Alumni Award from the University of Connecticut in 2009, in part due to her ranking as one of the top 20 most productive authors in school psychology. She earned a similar ranking in a second study published in 2016. Dr. Theodore was awarded the prestigious Plumeri Award for Excellence in 2013 from The College of William and Mary in recognition of excellence in research, teaching, and service. In 2019, she was awarded the Jean A. Baker Mid-Career Service Award by the APA. Moreover, she was awarded Fellow Status in the American Psychological Association. Dr. Theodore is also a member of Pi Lambda Theta, one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies.
Throughout her over two-decade career, Dr. Theodore has provided psychoeducational services in private practice (both New York and Virginia), and consulted with public and private schools, hospitals, publishing companies, behavioral health centers, the Virginia General District Court, Virginia Supreme Court, Virginia Federal Court, and Healthright International (conducting forensic evaluations, writing legal affidavits, and testifying in a court of law - advocating for individuals around the world who have experienced devastation, violence and national conflict). In sum, Dr. Theodore serves as a private practitioner for children/adolescents/adults, professor, an expert witness, fact witness, learning disabilities consultant, test/measurement consultant, educational advocate, and trainer/speaker for organizations nationally and internationally. During her extensive career, she also developed a comprehensive Academic Center of Excellence that serves children from preschool through high school, and hired, trained and supervised specialists in best-practices for assessment and implementation of evidence-based interventions for academic, behavioral, and social/emotional issues.
Her career focus has been on promoting effective and efficient intervention strategies to improve individuals' overall level of functioning and is dedicated to helping maximize their success. Dr. Theodore was a key founder of a Mindfulness Center on Long Island, which benefits many individuals and communities. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Terrace Metrics, which focuses on behavioral health in schools, and is a clinical consultant at Stony Brook University. Dr. Theodore has published scores of professional articles, chapters, and books, and has conducted invited keynote addresses, peer-reviewed presentations, and in-service presentations at local, state, national, and international venues. She served as Associate Editor for School Psychology Quarterly, the flagship journal in School Psychology, and currently sits on the editorial boards of several national and international journals. Dr. Theodore has been active in Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association (APA) through nationally elected positions, including President, Vice-President of Professional Affairs and Vice-President of Membership. She was appointed by the APA Board of Directors to serve on the Committee on Division/APA Relations (CODAPAR), and served as Vice-Chair of CODAPAR in 2021. Dr. Theodore was also elected to serve as a Division 16 Council Representative. As an advocate for mental health services and on behalf of the APA, she lobbied legislators on Capitol Hill for the successful passage of the Mental Health Parity Act, the Mental Health Reform Act (S. 1945), and Helping Families in Crisis Act (H.R. 2646).
Personally, she is an energetic person with an active lifestyle. In her free time she enjoys gardening, restoring old furniture, playing competitive tennis, exercising - High Impact Interval Training (HIIT) and Tabata, reading, and spending time with her family.
Making the decision to seek therapy takes strength and is an act of vulnerability. I meet all clients where they are. With collaboration, empathy, compassion, and patience, I will work to help you understand the challenges you are experiencing and develop effective and meaningful solutions to become more resilient and adaptive. The therapeutic relationship is a very personal and individualized partnership. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist's office. As a psychologist, my primary objective is to understand your present challenges and help you build a rich and fulfilling life, something that may require breaking old patterns and sacrificing short-term comfort for long-term growth. In this journey, I will serve as your guide, both supporting you and challenging you to become your own agent of change and facilitate building sustainable mental health practices. In order to do this, we will work collaboratively to develop a customized and sound treatment plan which uses a range of evidenced-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, and Positive Psychology.
My primary counseling orientation is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) framed within an ecological framework that considers one’s background, including their personal biology, interpersonal relations, culture and community, and environments as critical influences on development and psychosocial adjustment. This approach views all individuals holistically within and across multiple contexts (e.g., families, schools, neighborhoods, communities, vocational settings) in light of multiple influences (i.e., socioeconomic factors, social policy, reward systems). Traditionally, psychology has focused more on the individual and perceived internal influences and less on environmental factors that influence a person’s adjustment. As a psychologist, I think systemically; I am aware of the profound impact culture and environment have on the multiple aspects of an individual’s life and overall adjustment.
This assessment and treatment approach allows me to systematically assess the fundamental characteristics of children, adolescents, and adults, so that they might better understand that which is influencing their behavior (e.g., media, school, state, and federal policies, neighborhood and local communities). I employ treatment approaches that have been shown to work; that is, approaches that are evidence-based and consider adjustment within a larger social system. The interaction between an individual’s age, gender, level of development, immediate family/community, and the societal landscape create the environment within which the person is created as a “whole.” This whole person’s development is strongly influenced by their personal biology, interpersonal relations, the immediate environment, and the interplay of all of these personal factors within the larger sociocultural environment.
I believe it is important to work collaboratively in developing an appropriate treatment plan that incorporates effective strategies to manage difficulties and promote mental health. Therapy can be extremely helpful and fulfilling, and it is a process that requires work both inside and outside of sessions to be most effective.
My Treatment Approach
Areas of Expertise
Psychological and Psychoeducational Evaluations
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ADHD
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Adjustment Issues
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Anxiety
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Behavioral Issues
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Coping Skills
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Depression
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Divorce
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Education and Learning Disabilities
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Giftedness
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Life Transitions
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Mind-Body Health
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Parenting Issues
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Phobias
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Self Esteem
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School-based Consultation
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School-based Advocacy (special education; school services)
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Social Skills and Assertiveness Training
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Stress Management
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Work-Related Issues
Privacy & Confidentiality
The law protects the relationship between a client and a psychologist, and information cannot be disclosed without written permission.
Exceptions include:
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Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse, for which we are required by law to report to the appropriate authorities immediately.
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If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s, we must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
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If a client intends to harm himself or herself, we will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in ensuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, we will take further measures without their permission that are provided to us by law in order to ensure their safety.
Resources
Mental Health Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Behavior & Conduct Disorders
Depression
Additional Resources: