_Family Counseling _
_Special Education Consultation _
_Parent Guidance _
_Online & In person_
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Yulika Forman, PhD, LMHC
Special Education Consultant, Psychologist, Mom of Three
Yulika Forman, PhD, LMHC
The Informal Introduction
Hello, I am so glad that you have found my page. Instead of starting with my work history and credentials, I wanted to introduce myself and some of the people and creatures that I love, as well as the place where I live and things I love to do.
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I live in the Boston area with my three children and two cats, who are twins. I love being outdoors, and am most passionate about cycling, skiing, running, hiking and mountain biking. I bring a lot of energy to everything I do, and that includes my work. I absolutely love working with families and helping them figure out what their children need in order to do their best and how to make it happen. If I have a difficult case, sometimes I will be waking up at night with a helpful thought or idea. I am also passionate about teaching, so putting together training videos and a blog is a natural outgrowth of that.
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I hope you poke around on my website and come back many times. I really like receiving questions that I can then write about, so if you have something on your mind that you are wondering about, let me know and if I can, I will cover it. Hope to hear from you soon!
I have worked with families of children with disabilities for the past twenty years, as a psychotherapist, researcher and most recently as a special education consultant and advocate. I have deep expertise with children on the autism spectrum and am passionate about finding solutions that work for even the most extraordinary and complex profiles. I also have worked extensively with children with communication disorders, sensory integration and processing disorder, ADHD, specific learning disabilities, dyslexia and other language-based disorders, behavioral disorders, gender dysphoria disorder, depression, anxiety and other disabilities and mental health conditions. My multi-disciplinary background combines clinical expertise with thorough training in special education law and an in-depth understanding of how special education teams and school districts operate.
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Most importantly, I do not see a disability, I see a developing child who is a whole person. I am fiercely committed to each child receiving the services and supports he or she requires, in the setting that is best for progress. I am equally committed to each family’s voice being clearly heard and respected by special education teams.
It is my firm belief that IEPs need to make sense clinically, developmentally and legally. An IEP can meet all legal requirements, yet not serve the child well. When I review your child's IEP, my recommendations go well beyond what is obvious. As a part of your child's team, I make sure that school will serve your child best both today and in preparation for the future years in school and beyond.
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I received a PhD in Child Development in 2005 from Tufts University, Master’s degree in Mental Health and Rehabilitation counseling in 1999 and BA in Psychology in 1997 from the University of South Florida. I have also completed the Federation for Children with Special Needs Parent Advocate Training (Boston, MA), Fundamentals of Special Education course, Suffolk University School of Law (Boston, MA), Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Bootcamp, as well as multiple other special education law and clinical trainings. I am a former board member of Special Needs Advocacy Network who has worked in over 30 school districts, attended hundreds of IEP meetings and reviewed countless IEP proposals, public school evaluations, as well as neuropsychological and other private evaluations.
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If I can be of assistance, please email me, and remember to sign up on the top of the page to receive updates on new helpful blog posts, webinars, courses, etc.
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