Hi, I am Dr. Vera Joffe
Board Certified in clinical child and adolescent psychology, I have worked in the field of clinical child psychology since the 1980s, in two continents, and globally via Telehealth, providing consultations and treatment in both English and Portuguese.
My specialty is in the area of selective mutism (SM) and related disorders in children and adolescents, and I also work with children who have a wide range of neuro-developmental disorders, anxiety disorders and other conditions, as well as providing consultations and training for parents, teachers, and professionals around the world. I also offer consultations for families who are immigrating to the United States, to help create an optimal transition for the children. These services are available both in my Florida clinic and remotely, via telehealth services.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
– Benjamin Franklin (1736)
Background
I earned my psychology degree in Brazil, where I was born and raised. After moving to the United States, I earned my MA in Educational Psychology from UC Berkeley and my PhD in Counseling Psychology from Iowa State University. Over the last 15 years, I became Board Certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. I am also certified in PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapist) and in PCIT-SM (PCIT Protocol for Selective Mutism). I am licensed in NY (018249), and Florida (PY0004157)
I began working as a psychologist after receiving my PhD in 1988 and my roles have included working in many different settings, including hospitals, medical centers, child guidance centers and private practice. Over many years of working in the field of pediatric psychology, I started to take a special interest in children suffering from anxiety disorders, and in particular, those who were diagnosed with Selective Mutism. I wanted to be able to provide a more focused and scientifically based form of treatment, but there seemed to be very little information available. This led me on my global search for like-minded professionals and ultimately, to scientific research in the field. Over the years I have published papers and given many presentations, helping to reframe the way Selective Mutism is both diagnosed and treated. (For more information, you can see my C.V. in the resource center).
Books
I am also an author of a few books. I was motivated to write books to disseminate information about clinical topics to parents and teachers. I wrote (with Monica Iachan) “Sophie Story: A Guide to Selective Mutism” (in English, Portuguese, French and Mandarin), “Hi, My Name is Matt: I have Autism Spectrum Disorder” (also in Portuguese), and other books.
"The earlier, the better"
The earlier a child is appropriately diagnosed and treated with childhood mental health disorders, the more effective and the more successful treatment is likely to be. We know from research on Autism Spectrum Disorders that we can even screen and treat children with features of that disorder at the age of 18 months (or earlier). But this is not just with Autism, it is with all mental health disorders of childhood and adolescence. I have tremendous passion in working with young children because I know from experience and from research that treatment works best with this age group of children.