Manhattan Psychology Group

Dr. Sudha Ramaswamy is a Licensed and Doctoral-Level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (License #000118-1 and Certificate # 1-05-2404) and Fulbright Scholar with extensive experience working with children who have developmental disabilities. She has worked in numerous settings, primarily focusing her specialty around children with autism. This includes supervision within non-public and private schools as well as consultation in the home-based setting throughout New Jersey and New York. Her consulting services include developing academic and social programs for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. She also offers parent coaching and staff supervision and provides behavioral management plans for children with challenging behaviors. Dr. Ramaswamy has several years of clinical experience in the applied setting beginning at the Fred S. Keller School in Yonkers, New York. Following her time there, she worked at the Hawthorne Country Day School Manhattan Annex in a clinical capacity and later functioned as the Education Coordinator and Program Coordinator of the program for 2 years. She is currently an Associate Professor of Special Education at Mercy College where she has been teaching since 2006. She teaches graduate level courses in Early Childhood and Childhood Special Education as well as coordinates the coursework sequence that leads to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board credential. Dr. Ramaswamy brings her educational background in Neuroscience and Behavior to her applied behavior analytic practices, working with children with PDD and other developmental disabilities. Dr. Ramaswamy graduated with a Masters and Ph.D. in Special Education, with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis, from Columbia University. Before this, she earned her B.A. degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from Barnard College, Columbia University. Dr. Ramaswamy has presented on a wide range of topics, notably, parent and family education — strengthening parent and child interactions in the home setting as well as managing problem behaviors in public. Further, her research interests include early social development of children with autism and global dissemination of special education curriculum. To that end, she has been published in the Global Education Review and has also served as its theme editor. She is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis as well as the Council for Exceptional Children. Dr. Ramaswamy can provide ABA evaluations and treatment in English and French.

Dr. Amy Davies Lackey received her Ph.D. in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis from Columbia University Teachers College. She was the recipient of the Nelle Taylor Award in Special Education and is a BCBA and LBA whose expertise is in the education of individuals with autism as well as their families. Her diverse teaching experiences include regular education, incarcerated juvenile violent offenders in special education, mainstream settings, parent education, and teaching individuals with autism using Applied Behavior Analysis for the past 25 years. Her research has been presented at numerous conferences in the field. She has focused primarily on teaching social skills and observational learning to children with autism and related disabilities, teacher training, as well as parent education. Dr. Davies Lackey is currently the Director of Education at Manhattan Children's Center, an adjunct professor of education for several universities.

Ms. Dorrie Barbanel is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker (084344) and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (001406). She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a focus on Early Childhood Development from Bryn Mawr College. Dorrie completed her Masters Degree at Columbia University School of Social Work specializing in Family, Youth and Children Services, and an advanced graduate degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis at Hunter College School of Education. She is formally trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Dorrie’s passion is working with special needs children (ASD and other diagnoses) and their families. Serving families for over a decade, she believes in using evidence-based practice to improve learning, build skills, and help children achieve their maximum potential. Dorrie has years of experience designing and implementing home and school-based ABA programs tailored to the individual needs of each child. Dorrie is experienced and skilled at expert witness report writing and testifying, as well as conducting FBAs, BIPs, and ABA Skills Assessments for children. A point of emphasis for Dorrie is teaching and supporting families to carry strategies across settings and caregivers. Dorrie is skilled at providing both DTT (discrete trial training for early learners) and NET (Natural Environment Teaching for more advanced young learners). She has specific experience addressing a wide array of early childhood behavioral and developmental challenges, such as global developmental delays, toilet training, picky eaters, biting, sleep challenges, aggressive behaviors, following routines, daily living skills, communication difficulties, underdeveloped social skills, underdeveloped play skills, and more. Dorrie draws on her background in Social Work and Child Development. She specializes in working with young children and their families, and is formally trained in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). In addition to being formally trained in PCIT, Dorrie is skilled at providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children with anxiety, anger or emotional challenges. She is practiced in using Coping Cat, SuperFlex, and other methodologies to help children navigate their emotions and develop effective coping skills. Dorrie is especially passionate about providing CBT to children with special needs. She believes that all children are capable of learning, and loves catering her approach to the individual needs of each child she meets. Dorrie completed a post-graduate fellowship at the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services, earning the title “Child Development Specialist” and “Peer Playgroup Psychotherapist.” Her practice integrates a Social Work approach by meeting children where they are, and then guiding them to excel through the use of behavioral principles, playfulness and a genuine appreciation of the uniqueness of each child. Dorrie also has years of experience providing telehealth and remote therapy to children and families.