Silvia Grassetti-Kruglikov, LEP

I am a school/educational psychologist with expertise in psycho-educational assessments including intelligence testing, identifying learning disabilities/dyslexia, ADHD/ADD, Autism, and more. I also offer mental health counseling, parent coaching, and can support families navigate the Special Education maze. I am also a certified Irlen screener.

After more than 11 years working in the public schools it is time for me to offer my services to the public. I have worked with students from age 3 to age 22 primarily completing psycho-educational assessments to determine eligibility for Special Education, but also offering both play-therapy and talk-therapy as appropriate. I often incorporate mindfulness into my counseling practice because I believe that learning mindfulness skills can help students thrive throughout their lives. In addition, I am available to support parents as they support their children. I can also offer support around the Special Education process.

A typical psycho-educational assessment involves a detailed history, records reviews, interviews with parents and educators, observations in the school environment, cognitive testing, processing tests (auditory, visual, memory), and rating scales to identify social and emotional functioning. I also often include an Irlen screening as part of my assessments. My reports are accessible and thorough. I am happy to provide a sample report upon request.

I approach counseling from a perspective of positive regard for the client. The first few sessions are all about building rapport and getting to know each other. From there, I like to address dysfunctional thought processes, teach skills, and help the client identify their strengths. Play is the work of childhood, and I use play as a means to explore and address feelings. As the children age their play changes, so play with a young child is different from play for an older child. I follow their lead.

I have been an Irlen screener for more than 10 years. Irlen is a visual perceptual difficulty that often, but not always, plays a part in dyslexia. The wonderful thing about Irlen is that there is often a simple solution. Many students find that their visual difficulties are greatly reduced by using colored overlays when reading. Part of the screening is to identify the correct overlay color. Once an Irlen screening is completed, an Irlen diagnostician can provide tinted glasses if desired.

A little about me. I am a twin and the mother of four adult children, including a set of identical twins! I am a Bay Area native and have lived in Alameda with my family since 2006. In my free time I enjoy baking and cooking, gardening, and hanging out with my family.