Services I Provide: Individual Therapy, Family Therapy, Psychological/Neuropsychological Assessment

How I Work: Hello! I'm Dr. Ameena, a licensed clinical psychologist based in the DMV area. With a passion for helping individuals of all ages navigate life's challenges, I specialize in treating a wide range of concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. My expertise extends to working with individuals facing acute and chronic medical conditions, including those undergoing cancer treatment, transplant recipients, and those managing chronic pain. Additionally, I provide support to caregivers/spouses/partners, recognizing the unique challenges they may encounter. I work with both individuals as well as couples.

Having worked in diverse settings including hospitals, community mental health agencies, and private practice, my approach is firmly rooted in evidence-based practices and collaboration. I believe in a threefold approach—drawing from research, respecting client preferences and cultural considerations, and incorporating my clinical expertise.Throughout our journey together, we'll engage in reflection, closely monitor progress, and make adjustments as needed. Your feedback is valued and actively encouraged, as fostering trust, empathy, and a strong therapeutic relationship is at the core of my practice. Beyond our sessions, I'm not just a psychologist but also an advocate for your well-being. I'm committed to making sure you feel heard and supported.

How I Work in Assessment: Conducting evidence-based psychological assessments is not just an additional service I offer, but a true passion of mine. I thrive in a collaborative assessment process, working closely with clients from the initial intake interview, to the testing experience, to providing insightful feedback and next steps. My goal is to ensure each assessment is thorough and tailored to individual needs. I work with clients of all age ranges and can address a wide variety of referral questions, from learning difficulties, to accommodations needed in a school setting, to emotional and behavioral concerns.

Curious to know if we're a good fit? I offer a complimentary 15-minute consultation – a chance for you to ask questions and get a sense of whether we can embark on this journey together. I can be reached directly at ameena@nchpsych.com.

About Me: In addition to my work here at NCHP, I currently hold a faculty appointment at Children’s National Hospital/George Washington University working in a primary care setting. I earned my doctorate degree at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, and completed subsequent training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Consortium (with rotations at St. Jude Research Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital). I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD, specializing in providing interventions and assessments to individuals impacted by chronic and acute medical conditions, as well as their families. Importantly, I am passionate about providing culturally sensitive care and integrating systems when I can (e.g., medical providers, family members). My research has focused on self-compassion interventions for caregivers who have a child with a developmental disability or medical condition, and I hope to expand this research over time. I am credentialed with National Register of Health Service Psychologists!

Education & Training

Post-Doctoral Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Medical Institute

Doctor of Psychology: Xavier University

Master of Arts (Psychology): Xavier University

Bachelor of Arts (Psychology): Whittier College

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

Ahmed, A., Crabtree, V. M., Sirrine, E., Elliot, A., Antoniotti, N., Horn, S., Turner, E., & Parris, K. R. (2023). Development and implementation of a telemental health program for caregivers in a children’s hospital setting. Telemedecine and e-Health. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2023.0004

Ahmed, A., & Raj, S. (2022). Self-compassion intervention for parents of children with developmental disabilities: a feasibility study. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-022-00305-2

Schworer, E. K., Ahmed, A., Hogenkamp, L., Miller, S., & Esbensen, A. J. (2022). Associations among co-occurring medical conditions and cognition, language, and behavior in Down syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2022.1042368