Melissa Renee Dvorsky, PhD

Director, ADHD & Learning Differences Program

Psychologist

Melissa Dvorsky, PhD, MS, (she/her/hers) is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in attention, learning, behavior and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents and emerging adults and their families. She is Assistant Professor in the Division of Psychology and Behavioral Health and the Children's National Center for Translational Research. She is the director of the ADHD & Learning Differences Program. Dr. Dvorsky is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Dr. Dvorsky’s clinical work and research are focused on helping children, adolescents and emerging adults with ADHD and their families be resilient and successful. Her programs focus on improving access to, and effectiveness of mental health treatments for youth with attention, behavior, organizational, executive functioning and/or academic difficulties in schools and communities. Her current research programs leverage technology to optimize, personalize and disseminate treatment programs for youth and families with ADHD, learning and behavior challenges. 

Dr. Dvorsky received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Ohio University, and her MS and PhD in clinical psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the O’Grady Residency in Behavior Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center with the Center for ADHD. She also completed a NIH-funded T32 postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco with the Hyperactivity Attention & Learning Problems clinic and the Collaborative Life Skills program, where she specialized in school-based interventions for attention and behavior, implementation science and digital health for children and adolescents. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings including pediatric, school and outpatient clinical practices.

Dr. Dvorsky has extensive experience conducting evaluations and providing treatment services for children, adolescents and young adults with attention, behavior and learning challenges, as well as other social emotional concerns. When evaluating a child or adolescent, Dr. Dvorsky works to provide a comprehensive and individualized assessment of the child's or teen’s unique strengths and weaknesses. She also has significant experience consulting with schools and working closely with a variety of mental health and educational professionals.

With regard to therapy, Dr. Dvorsky utilizes evidence-based approaches for youth and adolescents including cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral intervention, motivational interviewing and family-based strategies. She specializes in working with adolescents who struggle with ADHD, executive functioning difficulty, disorganization, and/or other academic difficulty. Her work emphasizes collaborative setting treatment goals with the child/adolescent and family, and developing individualized approaches that build on strengths, promote resilience and support healthy environments for youth and families.

Publications

Google Scholar | ORCiD

• ADHD & Learning Differences Program
• Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine Center
• Psychology and Behavioral Health