Lara Jaramillo, M.Ed

Lara currently offers individual psychotherapy to children (ages 4 and over), adolescents, and young adults who may struggle with ADHD, executive functioning difficulties, Autism, anxiety, selective mutism, and depression. Lara utilizes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) and Mindfulness in her therapy work. She is trained in bilingual assessments as well. She is also skilled at the identification of learning disabilities, including characteristics of dyslexia and twice-exceptional learning profiles. Lara implements a skill-building approach within her therapeutic work, and aims to help clients identify and develop the skills necessary to feel more successful.

Prior to joining the team at Think Happy Live Healthy, Lara has been a school psychologist within the public school system for 15 years. She has worked for Fairfax County Public Schools for 11 years, and before her time in FCPS, she worked as a bilingual school psychologist for 4 years in the New York City Department of Education. She has extensive experience and knowledge relating to psychoeducational assessment, as well as the special education identification process.  Throughout her work as a school psychologist, Lara has completed hundreds of psychological assessments and has expertise in working with cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic diversity. Her experience also includes individual and group counseling, behavior intervention plan development, crisis response, and consultation with parents, teachers, and other school teams to support the social/emotional functioning and learning of children and adolescents.

Lara earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Virginia in 2004. She earned her Master’s of Education in School Psychology at Columbia University, Teachers College, as well as a Bilingual Extension certification in School Psychology at Brooklyn College, in 2007. She also earned certification as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) in 2007. 

In her free time, Lara enjoys reading, travel, and spending time with her family, friends, and two cats. 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

Learning & Developmental Disabilities

ADHD

Anxiety & Selective Mutism

Depression

Exposure to Trauma