Allison Asher, Ph.D., NCSP
School Psychologist
Specialization: Psychoeducational Assessment, Psychotherapy, School Consultation
Dr. Allison Asher is a licensed psychologist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and young adults to help them succeed behaviorally, emotionally, socially, and academically. She holds national certification in school psychology (NCSP) and professional certification in working with clients who have ADHD (ADHD-CCSP). Dr. Asher earned her doctorate degree in school psychology from the University of Maryland where she received advanced training in both psychology and education.
In her practice, Dr. Asher enjoys partnering with clients to gain insight into their personal strengths and support needs, and then tailoring recommendations and interventions to help them reach their goals. She has a special interest in therapy to improve executive skills functioning and ADHD coaching. Dr. Asher additionally specializes in psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for diagnosis, emotional and behavioral functioning, learning needs, and school admissions or accommodations. She also provides parent and teacher consultation and classroom observations to help build supportive environments.
Patricia Blackwell, Ph.D.
Developmental Psychologist
Specialization: Infant/Toddler mental health, Developmental differences, Parenting, Developmental and Psychoeducational assessment, Social and coping skills training, Behavioral intervention
Dr. Blackwell has practiced psychology for over 25 years. She earned her Master’s Degree from Columbia University and her Doctorate from Tulane. She works with teachers in school environments and with parents to address the needs of young children. She has a special interest in “quirky kids” and with individuals on the autism spectrum. She also assists with typical developmental concerns such as toileting and sleep issues. Preschool evaluations, ADHD, learning differences and autism testing are her evaluation specializations.
Psychologists
Kathryn Kirkhart, Ph.D., Practice Co-Owner
Clinical Psychologist
Specialization: Psychotherapy
Struggles bringing people to therapy often involve navigation of troubling life events or with problematic patterns of living. Therapy allows for a supportive process of personal discoveries to identify and develop paths toward desired changes.
I have provided psychotherapy/talk therapy to individuals and couples for over 40 years. Stress, depression, anxiety disorders, attention disorders, trauma, grief and loss, as well as other adjustment problems are among clients’ most common concerns and conditions.
Consistent with the standards and ethics of sound psychological practice, therapeutic approaches proved to be most effective are those which match the person, their needs, symptoms, and life context as well as the therapist’s training and expertise. In my work the major therapeutic styles facilitating growth can include cognitive/behavioral therapies, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, insight orientations, facilitation of awareness toward development of healthy coping and life skills, as well as assessment and psycho-educational approaches, as well as referral to adjunctive therapies such as medication strategies.
Please note that Dr. Kirkhart is no longer accepting new clients Dr. Kirkhart will be retired from clinical practice as of July 2024.
Dana B. Labat, M.A., Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Specialization: Psychotherapy & Assessment in: Women’s Mental & Reproductive Health, Parent/Child Relationship Difficulties, Couples Therapy, and Psychological/Psychoeducational Assessment
Dr. Labat earned her master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Her training includes a postdoctoral fellowship in Pediatric Psychology, which led to her position as Lead Psychologist at Children’s Medical Center Dallas’ Inpatient Psychiatric Unit and its Center for Pediatric Eating Disorders. Dr. Labat also received training in Perinatal Mental Health from Postpartum Support International.
Prior to joining Pelts, Kirkhart, and Associates, Dr. Labat worked with multidisciplinary teams in hospital settings and had a private psychotherapy practice in Dallas, TX. She continues to be licensed to practice psychology in both Louisiana and Texas. Dr. Labat partners with women and their families to prepare and cope through the transition into parenthood, whether it is a new experience or a repeated one. She also works with women and families who are in the process of trying to conceive through natural and medically-supported interventions. Experiencing a singular pregnancy loss or multiple losses can lead to many feelings, as can experiencing difficulties with conceiving a child. Dr. Labat works with women and their partners who experience this type of loss in an empathic, confidential, and therapeutic space.
Families experiencing acute or ongoing conflict can create stressful environments for all family members including the parent(s) and adolescent. Providing support and positive communication serves to decrease tension and foster growth and understanding among family members.
Dr. Labat conducts Psychoeducational assessments for ADHD, specific learning differences and diagnostic clarification.
Kim Smith, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Specialization: Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Dual diagnosis and Co-morbid medical disorders.
Dr. Smith earned her Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degree in clinical psychology from Louisiana State University (LSU). Clinical areas of interest and research included individuals with ID/DD, dual diagnosis, severe problem behaviors, epilepsy, and psychopharmacology. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical psychology internship at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Track. After she received her doctorate from LSU, she worked as a provisionally licensed psychologist in Nebraska where she conducted assessments, provided treatment, and provided staff training for adults with ID/DD at a developmental center and with children and their families in a private practice setting.