Dr. Allison Kawa is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the evaluation of children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Dr. Kawa’s approach to assessment is informed by decades of work with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, formal training in object-relations theory, and cutting edge research in the field of interpersonal neurobiology.
Dr. Kawa’s pre-doctoral training was conducted at the UCLA Autism Evaluation Clinic (AEC) where she acquired extensive training in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders and a variety of other developmental disorders. Following her training, Dr. Kawa worked as a Staff Psychologist at the UCLA AEC while simultaneously completing the PsychoEducational Diagnostic Services Program (PEDS) Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Assessment at the Reiss Davis Child Study Center at Vista Del Mar. In this setting, she conducted comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations for children and adolescents with a diverse range of issues including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, learning disabilities, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders. She also completed the Child Therapy in a School Setting program offered by Phillips Graduate Institute, where Dr. Kawa gained training and experience in play therapy, social skills groups, and adolescent psychotherapy.
In addition to working in private practice, Dr. Kawa has taught child development and autism evaluation to pre- and post-doctoral fellows at the Reiss Davis Child Study Center at Vista Del Mar, where she also worked as a supervisor and consultant. Dr. Kawa has additionally taught graduate-level courses in assessment at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology as adjunct faculty.
