Dr. Clarice Mendonca, PsyD (USA)
Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist
Individual short and long term psychotherapy and neuropsychological, psychoeducational, and psychological assessments for adolescents (12 years+) and adults. Services offered in English and Hindi.
My therapeutic approach
My aim in therapy is to help individuals work towards a sense of wellbeing by finding and restoring their purpose, ability, and agency, within the boundaries of the circumstances they find themselves in.
My adult clients value the safe space I provide to help them reflect on their experiences and work through their problems. Through insight-building conversations, feeling through emotions, and/or identifying coping skills, my clients are able to reestablish a sense of control, capability, and connection with themselves, their values, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and relationships.
With adolescents, I help them develop an integrated and comprehensive self-concept by reinforcing their strengths in order to overcome their difficulties. This leads to healthy relationships, the ability to regulate their emotions and behaviors, resilience, confidence, and rationality, all of which make the client more responsive and less reactive to their internal and external challenges. Alongside individual psychotherapy, I also offer parenting support aimed at improving the parenting relationship and developing effective parenting skills.
My areas of interest include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Life Transitions
- Stress
- Trauma and Abuse
- Dissociation
- Psychosomatic Difficulties
- Personality disorders
Theoretical Orientation
With all my clients, I use a client-specific and culturally-sensitive integration of psychodynamic, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness, attachment, and trauma-informed approaches. The support I offer in psychotherapy is both to repair/reduce current difficulties and prevent future problems, all of which is based on an understanding of the person, their circumstances, and what influences their experiences.
My aim in therapy is to help individuals work towards a sense of wellbeing by finding and restoring their purpose, ability, and agency, within the boundaries of the circumstances they find themselves in.
I offer structured and process-based assessments for those who experience cognitive and psychological problems without a clear understanding, diagnosis, or prognosis. Through three phases of data collection and interpretation, I learn about the person’s life, what they can do, and what they struggle with. I then review this information in the context of similar profiles, related skills, and scientific findings. Using this insight, I collaborate with the person and/or their care team to identify effective interventions and strategies to manage or relieve their suffering.
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My areas of interest include:
- Intelligence
- Learning
- Attention
- Memory
- Executive functioning (planning, decision making, control)
- Language
- Visual Spatial Skills
- Psychomotor Functioning
- Mood and Behavior
- Personality
My Qualifications:
I earned my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) with a specialization in Neuropsychology and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from the Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. I received my Masters in Clinical Psychology (MA) from the same university. I have completed certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT; from the Linehan Institute, USA) and biofeedback therapy (from the Board Certification International Alliance).
I have gained a wealth of diverse experiences across clinics and hospitals in the US (such as Penn Medicine and Belmont Behavioral Hospital) and the at The Psychiatry and Therapy Center and The Brain Matters Center in the UAE.
I am a member of the International Neuropsychological Society and maintain my competency through supervision and continued education in the field of neuropsychology and trauma-informed care.
License:
I am dually licensed as a psychologist by the Dubai Health Authority (UAE) and the Washington State Department of Health (USA).
Publication and Presentations
Mendonca, C., & Khalil, C. (2023). Integrating technology in the assessment and treatment of neuropsychological disorders [Conference Presentation]. International Psychology Conference Dubai, Dubai, UAE.
Mendonca, C., (2023). Effective Communication of Neuropsychological Data [Continuing Education Presentation]. International Neuropsychological Society’s Global Engagement Committee (UAE Chapter) Meeting, Dubai, UAE.
Mendonca, C., Shrivastava, A. & Pietschnig, J. (2020). The effect of adaptive capacity, culture and employment status on happiness among married expatriate women residing in Dubai. Current Psychology, 39, 1322–1330.
Mendonca, C. (2018). Understanding Psychotherapy Experiences of Eastern Expatriates in the United Arab Emirates [Doctoral Dissertation]. Widener University, USA.
Mendonca, C., Vashi, M., & Chowdhary, S. (2018). Portrayal of mental illness in Hindi films [Poster presentation]. APA’s 2018 Annual Convention, USA. 2018
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