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My Background

I am a licensed Psychologist in Pennsylvania and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. I received a BA in psychology from the George Washington University, a Ph.D. in Clinical and School Psychology from Hofstra University, and an Advanced Certificate in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy from the Albert Ellis Institute in Manhattan. I completed my pre-doctoral internship and part of my post-doctoral training at the Albert Ellis Institute where I worked directly with Albert Ellis, one of the founders of cognitive behavioral therapy. At the Albert Ellis Institute, I provided individual and group therapy using a wide range of cognitive behavioral techniques to help adults, children, couples, and families who experienced a variety of emotional and/or behavioral difficulties. Since moving to the Philadelphia area in 2005, I have worked as a school psychologist providing counseling services to students and performing psycho-educational evaluations. I completed my post-doctoral training at Rose Tree Media School District and, over the past four years, I have worked full-time at Colonial School District. As a school psychologist at Colonial, I conduct comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations to gather information regarding the reasons why a child/adolescent is having difficulties learning and I participate on educational teams to help the student achieve academically, emotionally, and behaviorally in school.

My clinical interests include helping adults, children, and adolescents who are experiencing issues with anxiety, depression, anger, stress management, phobias, OCD, learning/occupational difficulties, social difficulties, and/or problems with relationships. My therapeutic approach is based on rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) which is an action-oriented form of psychotherapy that teaches individuals to examine their own thoughts, beliefs, and actions and replace those that are self-defeating with more life-enhancing alternatives. I also have extensive experience conducting comprehensive psychological and psycho-educational evaluations to diagnose learning disabilities, ADHD, developmental disabilities, and various emotional/behavioral disorders. Whether it is through an evaluation or through a therapeutic relationship, I work closely with each client to help them understand and/or work through the difficulties they are facing and I try to assist each individual in identifying and/or achieving his or her goals. With the client’s permission, I am available for consultation with schools and/or other agencies.

Education

• Ph.D. in Clinical and School Psychology from Hofstra University
• M.A. in Psychology from Hofstra University
• B.A. in Psychology from the George Washington University
• Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral training at the Albert Ellis Institute

Work Experience

• Colonial School District, 2006-present: School Psychologist. Conduct psycho-educational evaluations and re-evaluations of high school and elementary school students to determine eligibility for special education services and recommend support services. Participate on teams that create and revise Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities and assist in the development of 504 plans. Perform testing to determine eligibility for gifted support as well as testing to determine the necessary accommodations for students with disabilities taking standardized tests and/or going to college. Consult with parents, and lead workshops for teachers, to teach strategies which address the academic, emotional, and behavioral needs of students.
• Rose Tree Media School District, 2005-2006: School Psychologist. Provided therapeutic services for students in need of emotional support at the high school, middle school, and elementary school levels. Led weekly groups and met with individual students for counseling. Conducted functional behavior assessments and developed behavior plans to help teach students new behaviors.
• Albert Ellis Institute, 2003-2005: Clinical Intern/Fellow. Conducted outpatient short-term and long-term individual, group, and family therapy sessions. Constructed and implemented therapeutic interventions incorporating various cognitive behavioral techniques. Led workshops for the public on how to cope with issues related to anxiety, depression, anger, parenting, and relationships.
• Roslyn School District, 2002-2003; 2005: Pre-doctoral Intern; School Psychologist. Performed initial and triennial evaluations, wrote comprehensive psycho-educational reports, and collaborated with teachers to develop and review IEPs. Provided individual counseling sessions at the middle school and high school and co-led weekly Social Skills and Banana Splits (for students with divorced parents) counseling groups. Ran Bully Prevention Workshop for teachers and students.
• The New York City Department of Education, 2005: School Psychologist. Performed initial evaluations for students referred to the Committee on Special Education. Wrote reports and made recommendations for services. Determined academic, behavioral, social, and emotional goals to be addressed in student’s IEP.
• Psychological Evaluation, Research, & Counseling Clinic at Hofstra University 2002-2003; Intern Psychologist. Conducted psychological assessments of children and adolescents who presented a range of educational, emotional, and behavioral problems. Also served as therapist for the clinic using cognitive behavioral techniques.
• Developmental Disabilities Institute, 2002: Assistant Instructor. Worked one-on-one with autistic children in an after school problem using Applied Behavior Analysis. Taught daily living, communication, socialization, and community integration skills.

Publications

• Koffler, A. M. (2005). Perceptions of beliefs in Rational Emotive Theory among college students: A multidimensional scaling analysis. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Hofstra University, NY. Nominee for H. Alan Robinson Dissertation Award
• Schmelkin, L. P., Hoag, J., Liebling, D. E, & Kaufman, A. M. (2004). Effects of expectations about evaluation and peer recommendations on student ratings. Perceptual and Motor Skills,98,643-646.