About Dr. Tiffany Joel
One of the most rewarding parts of this work is building genuine connections with the children and adolescents who come through the evaluation process. Feeling understood helps children share their experiences more openly and often makes the process more comfortable for everyone involved.
My Background
Like many people, my career didn’t begin in psychology. I spent several years working in the information technology field before realizing I wanted my work to have a more direct and meaningful impact on the lives of others. That realization led me to school psychology, where I found the perfect intersection of my love of children, my curiosity about human behavior, and my passion for helping families better understand how children learn, think, and grow.
For more than a decade, I have had the privilege of working with children and adolescents from preschool through college. What continues to inspire me is that every child has a unique story. I enjoy understanding how their strengths, challenges, experiences, personality, and environment come together to shape who they are. My goal is always to help families move beyond uncertainty by providing meaningful answers, practical recommendations, and a clearer path forward.
I continue to work full-time in the public school system because I genuinely believe it is one of the best places to understand children. Every student comes through our doors, giving me the opportunity to work with learners from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of strengths and needs. I deeply value collaborating with teachers, who continually impress me with their dedication, compassion, and commitment to helping children succeed. Whether I am supporting students receiving special education services or those who simply need additional guidance, encouragement, or an adult who believes in them, I consider it a privilege to be part of their journey.
My clinical work allows me to extend that support beyond the school setting. By collaborating with families, physicians, therapists, and other professionals, I am able to develop a more complete understanding of each child and provide recommendations that address the whole child rather than a single concern. Because I continue to work in both public education and private practice, I bring a practical understanding of what happens in schools each day and what recommendations are both meaningful and realistic to implement.
Areas of Expertise
ADHD & Executive Functioning
College & 504 Accommodations
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Gifted Evaluations
Learning Disabilities
Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs)
My Approach
I believe a psychological evaluation should do much more than answer a single question or determine whether a child meets criteria for a diagnosis. Every child is unique, and my goal is to understand the whole child, not just one area of concern. That means looking beyond the referral question to understand how a child’s thinking, learning, attention, emotions, behavior, relationships, interests, and life experiences come together to shape who they are.
While families often seek an evaluation because of a specific concern, those concerns rarely exist in isolation. A child struggling in school may also have exceptional reasoning abilities that have masked learning challenges. Another child may appear inattentive when anxiety is the underlying issue. An evaluation should explain these patterns, not simply describe them. By integrating interviews, observations, standardized testing, rating scales, and background information, I work to develop a complete picture of how a child learns, processes information, and experiences the world.
I also believe that understanding strengths is just as important as identifying areas of need. Strengths provide valuable insight into how a child learns best, solves problems, builds relationships, and responds to support. They help guide educational planning, identify opportunities for enrichment, and create practical recommendations that build upon what is already working rather than focusing solely on what is difficult.
Above all, my goal is for families to leave with more than a report. I want you to leave with answers, a deeper understanding of your child, and clear, meaningful recommendations that help you move forward with confidence. Labels are not the destination. They are simply tools that help us better understand how a child learns, experiences the world, and can be supported most effectively.
Every child brings a unique combination of strengths, challenges, experiences, interests, and goals. My passion is understanding how those pieces come together to shape who they are and how they learn, grow, and thrive.
Ready to Learn More?
Whether you are seeking diagnostic clarification, educational planning, or a deeper understanding of your child’s strengths and needs, I would be happy to discuss how an evaluation may help.
Schedule A FREE 15-Minute Consultation Today