Karen Pavlidis, Ph.D.
Founder

Education:

B.A. Psychology,
University of Rochester

Ph.D. Child Clinical Psychology, University of Washington

Licensure:

Licensed Psychologist
WA PY 2360

Authorized to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) under PSYPACT in participating states.

Faculty Position:

Clinical Instructor, Department of Psychology, University of Washington

Professional Memberships:

American Psychological Association
Washington State Psychological Association

Training:

  • APA-Approved Pre-Doctoral Child Clinical Internship:
    Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Tacoma:  Pediatric psychology and neurodevelopmental disabilities.

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center on Human Development and Disability at the University of Washington: Neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Advanced Clinical Training:

  • Intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Children (DBT-C)

    Dr. Pavlidis has completed intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Children (DBT-C) with Dr. Francheska Perepletchikova, the treatment’s developer. DBT-C is an evidence-based treatment for children with severe emotional and behavioral dysregulation. It adapts standard DBT for younger children and places parents at the center of treatment, teaching them skills to help their child manage intense emotions and build lasting change.

My Story:

I started out my career as a staff psychologist at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital before entering private practice in 2002.  After many years in solo private practice, I wanted to have more impact. I founded Child and Teen Solutions in August 2020, where we have a fantastic team of providers and a greatly expanded capacity to serve kids and their families.  I love that we can use a team approach with the children we evaluate, allowing us to be highly comprehensive in the care that we offer.

It’s important to me that we deliver care that is grounded in a family systems approach.  My experience has taught me that parents are a crucial part of their child’s mental health care team.  For many parents, making the decision to hire a child psychologist can bring up feelings of vulnerability. Parents can expect compassion, validation, and understanding from us.  At the same time, I believe it’s important for providers to be no-nonsense and direct about where changes need to happen.  With a rigorous science-practitioner frame as a backdrop, we use humor, warmth, and creativity in our work to adapt to the specific needs of each family.