Dr. David I. Rodriguez
David Rodriguez, Psy.D., brings specialized expertise in helping teenagers and young adults navigate some of life’s most challenging transitions. With extensive training across residential and general outpatient settings, he has used a nuanced, holistic approach to psychological assessment and therapeutic interventions. Dr. Rodriguez dedicated his early career to understanding and treating the complex mental health needs and struggles faced by young people spanning a variety of backgrounds. In meeting his clients where they are in their lives, he places importance on personal autonomy and accountability in achieving goals.
Background
Dr. Rodriguez completed his doctoral training at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Washington, D.C., where his dissertation explored treatment approaches and diagnostic measures for complex traumas. In doing so, he developed an acute awareness of the manifold challenges facing individuals presenting with histories of adverse experiences throughout development. His clinical and psychodiagnostic experience spans across multiple high-acuity treatment settings, working with many adolescents and young adults managing trauma, anxiety, depression, compulsive behaviors, challenging thought patterns, and other serious mental health conditions.
Approach
What sets Dr. Rodriguez apart is his experience working with young people who have struggled with difficult therapeutic experiences and who have not responded well to past treatment attempts. Through his work at the John L. Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (JLG-RICA), he developed expertise in tailoring evidence-based approaches – including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) – to meet individuals where they are in their journey. He understands that what works for one teenager may not work for another and is skilled at finding the right combination of approaches to help young people make real progress.
He is particularly attuned to the family dynamics that serve to support and complicate a young person’s mental health journey, working collaboratively with parents to strengthen familial relationships while respecting the growing independence of teenagers and young adults.
Whether your teen is struggling with anxiety interfering with school, depression that limits engagement with friends, behavioral challenges, or the aftermath of difficult experiences, Dr. Rodriguez delivers both clinical expertise and genuine commitment to help young people find their way forward.
It's not an easy time to be a kid. Perhaps it never is, but now it's especially true. Let us help you understand and support your child's needs.
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