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
My career began in information technology, where I learned to analyze complex information, solve problems, and think in systems. I eventually brought those skills into school psychology, and they remain central to how I approach evaluations today.
For more than a decade, I have worked with children and adolescents from preschool through college. I am genuinely curious about what makes each child who they are. I want to understand how their strengths, needs, experiences, personality, and environment fit together, because test scores alone never tell the full story. My goal is to help families make sense of what they have been noticing and leave the evaluation process with meaningful answers, practical guidance, and a clearer path forward.
I continue to work full-time in the public school system because I believe schools are one of the best places to truly understand children. Every kind of learner comes through our doors, from many different backgrounds and with a wide range of strengths and needs. Working alongside students, families, teachers, and school teams has given me firsthand knowledge of how children function in classrooms, how schools make decisions, and what support can look like in everyday practice.
My clinical work gives me the opportunity to look more deeply. By listening carefully to children and families and collaborating with physicians, therapists, and other professionals, I can consider the many factors that may be shaping a child’s learning, behavior, emotions, and daily life. I do not approach an evaluation as a search for a label. I see it as a process of understanding the person, identifying what may help, and giving families information they can actually use.
My Approach
A psychological evaluation should do more than determine whether a child meets criteria for a diagnosis. Concerns about learning, attention, behavior, or emotional functioning rarely exist in isolation. By integrating interviews, observations, testing, rating scales, and background information, I look for patterns across the different areas of a child’s life.
A child having difficulty in school may also have strong reasoning abilities that have helped compensate for a learning difference. Another child may appear inattentive when anxiety, processing demands, or other factors are contributing. Evaluations do not always produce one simple explanation, but they can bring greater clarity to what a child is experiencing and what kinds of support may be helpful.
Strengths are an essential part of that understanding. They offer insight into how a child learns best, solves problems, connects with others, and responds to support. They can also guide educational planning, identify opportunities for enrichment, and shape recommendations that build on what is already working.
Labels are not the destination. They are tools that can help families and professionals communicate, identify appropriate supports, and better understand a child’s needs. My goal is for families to leave the evaluation process with useful information, meaningful recommendations, and a stronger understanding of their child.
Areas of Expertise
- ADHD
- Executive Functioning
- Autism
- Learning Disabilities
- Academic and School Concerns
- Anxiety
- Social and Emotional Functioning
- Developmental Differences
- Diagnostic Clarification
Education & Credentials
Doctor of Psychology in School Psychology
University of Colorado Denver
Postgraduate Training in School Neuropsychology
School Neuropsychology Institute
Licensed Psychologist
State of Georgia
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