About Dr. Theodore
Dr. Lea A. Theodore is a Professor of Psychology for the Master’s and Doctoral Programs in School Psychology at Adelphi University. Prior to Adelphi, she served as Professor and Director of the graduate program in School Psychology at the College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia. She is a Licensed Psychologist in both New York and Virginia. Dr. Theodore received her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 2002 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.
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.. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Terrace Metrics, which focuses on behavioral health in schools. Dr. Theodore has published scores of professional articles, chapters, and books, and has conducted many keynote addresses, invited and peer-reviewed presentations, and in-service presentations at local, state, national, and international venues. 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 is served as Vice-Chair of CODAPAR. 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).
Areas of Expertise
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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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Mind-Body Health
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Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
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Phobias
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Parenting Skills Training
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Self Esteem
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School-based Consultation
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Social skills and Assertiveness training
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Stress Management
Psychological and Psychoeducational Assessments for children ages 3 through 21.
Counselling, Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy & Psychiatric Consultation.
My counseling and assessment orientation is based on an ecological framework that considers one’s background, including their personal biology, interpersonal relations, and cultural and community, environments as critical influences on their 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 (ages 3 to 21 years), 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.
Contact Me
Dr. Lea A. Theodore
Call or Email Dr. Theodore for a free 15-minute consultation.
Office Location: 142 Railroad Ave, Sayville, NY 11782
Email:
Phone:123-456-7890
