Dr. Elizabeth Toplyn, Ph.D.

 Dr. Toplyn approaches working with clients in terms of both psychological assessment and  the therapeutic process with a strong commitment to empathy, improved self awareness and improved self esteem. 

Empathy:  Conveying to the client that  their concerns are heard and that they are valid and worthy of investigating further without dismissal or judgment.

Self-Awareness: Assisting the client to develop a more thorough understanding of themselves, their cognitive strengths and weakness and how these things may interact.

Resilience:  Focusing on the clients strengths and the strength they have shown in managing to this point and in seeking psychological assessment.

Positive Mindset:  Developing realistic, feasible and accessible recommendations that the client can use to improve and assisting them in seeing that even small changes can have a big impact

Improved Self-Esteem: Helping the client to understand the diagnostic testing results not as a flaw within themself but an issue that can be addressed  and remedied.

Dr. Toplyn earned her PhD in clinical psychology  in 1997 from The New School for Social  Research in New York City.  She has extensive clinical experience in both inpatient and outpatient mental health settings and in psychological assessment in both New York and Michigan.   She has worked for a developmental evaluation unit doing primarily testing and continued to do diagnostic testing  in outpatient settings throughout her career.  Her outpatient therapy work has included both children and adults  with autism, ADHD,  those in or with a history of foster care, and those with a history of trauma.  She has also done forensic psychology work for several years.  She has a special interest in the assessment of autism. Dr. Toplyn served for 4 years as the clinical director of a mental health outpatient  clinic. 

In her free time, she enjoys reading, making pottery, knitting and  spending time with her husband, young adult daughter and standard poodle, Ollie.