Mary Lazar, Psy.D.
Co-Founder
I hold a doctoral degree in clinical psychology with specializations in
neuropsychology and school psychology. After graduating from Widener University in 1990, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital under Dr. Jane Berstein, who I credit with fostering my child-centered approach. My first job was at Children’s Seashore House, now part of CHOP. Since 2000, I've worked at Widener, teaching and supervising students, and directing the Neuropsychology Clinic until its closure during the pandemic. In 2019, my practice partner and I established Developmental Neuropsychology Associates, where I now work full-time
Our Team
My Testing Approach
My evaluation approach is child-centered, focusing on understanding how a child thinks and solves problems, rather than just administering a set of tests. I observe their problem-solving steps, reactions to tasks, and
self-management during assessments. My method is rooted in development and family structure, involving collaboration with families and key individuals in the child's life. As someone who sees a child or adolescent for just a moment in time, I am humble about what kind of understanding we can gather in such a unique context. But by engaging with parents or caregivers and getting their story about their child, we build a collaborative relationship that sets the stage for the evaluation process. Creating a comfortable testing environment allows the child to be themselves, and do their best, which then gives me the best chance of forming good hypotheses about what might be going on with the child. Then together with the family, we discuss these hypotheses and begin to build a road map that addresses their child’s needs now, and helps families anticipate what to expect in the future.
About Me
Having had a challenging childhood, I aspired to become a psychologist who listens to and understands children's complex feelings. I am grateful to have achieved this dream and love my work. I am married and have two wonderful adult children. And that saying about parenting, that it never stops, well, completely true for
me! People would assume as a psychologist, I would have child-rearing all figured out. But like everyone else, I had to learn by doing, and by making my share of good and bad decisions. What I value in our kids right now is that they each want to spend time with us, and still come to us when they are facing difficult life situations. What an honor, and what a way for me to change the legacy of my past. When I’m not testing kids or writing reports, I really love taking a walk with my husband and our dog, gardening, spending time with friends, traveling and taking way too many photos, and watching TV (I am a true child of the 60s).
Our Team
Meghan Gold, Psy.D.
Co-Founder
I am a licensed psychologist, pediatric neuropsychologist, and PA certified school psychologist. I graduated from Widener University’s clinical psychology doctoral program, with concentrations in neuropsychology and school psychology. I completed my postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. I saw patients for neuropsychological evaluations with histories of epilepsy, cancer, and concussions. I also participated in multi-disciplinary autism, NICU, and Cardiac clinics. After completing my post-doc, I joined the team at Widener University’s Neuropsychology Assessment Center as the Assistant Director. There, I supervised doctoral students conducting neuropsychological evaluations. I spent two years in that role, until the clinic’s closure in June 2020, when I transitioned to full-time private practice.
My Testing Approach
I firmly believe that everyone is doing their best with what they have, including kids, parents, and teachers. I start from a place of curiosity. I have the formal training, but parents are the experts on their child, and the child is an expert on themselves. I work from a strengths-based approach and a neurodiversity affirming paradigm, placing a strong emphasis on collaboration with families, schools, and treatment providers. I start each evaluation with the goal of helping clients (and their families) better understand their brain and how they interact with the world around them. I listen and integrate information from different sources to provide a new framework, perspective, and alternative ways to think about behavior. I hope to provide a written report that is an understandable narrative of the client and a roadmap of recommendations that are feasible and clear. I respect each family's individual situation and try to make recommendations that reflect the needs and circumstances of the family in front of me.
About Me
I am a single mother of two boys, one who is neurodiverse. I understand firsthand the wonders and challenges of raising a child who sees and responds to the world differently. I have personal experience navigating how to parent and support a complex little human in a very demanding world that doesn't always understand or support their needs. It's a journey full of ups and downs, and finding the right support team has been a vitally important piece of the puzzle for my family. When not working or knee deep in my parenting journey, I find moments of peace by taking a walk outdoors, drinking that first sip of coffee in the morning, or spending time laughing with my community of friends and family.
Melissa Grow, M.S., M.A.
Psychology Intern
I began my career as a special education teacher, working with pre-K through 5th grade students. In addition to teaching, I was a member of my school’s resource team, providing professional development and support to educators to improve schoolwide instruction. While working, I pursued my growing interest in psychology and earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Loyola University Maryland. I then worked as a psychometrist, administering neuropsychological assessments. To further my training, I moved to Pennsylvania to pursue my doctorate in clinical psychology. Thus far, I have completed a practicum at Main Line Integrated Therapy, where I provided child therapy, psychological assessments, and parent coaching, as well as an internship in The School District of Philadelphia conducting psychoeducational evaluations. I am thrilled to continue my training at DNA, where I have the opportunity to deepen my skill in neuropsychological assessment and continue to serve clients and their families.
Our Team
My Testing Approach
I approach evaluations with compassion and openness, recognizing each client as a unique individual with their own life story. Being invited into that story is an honor and a privilege I do not take lightly. I view the client as the expert on their own experience, and my role is to connect testing data with their lived reality. My goal is to offer clarity, new insights, or alternative perspectives. I take a developmental, contextual, and neurodiversity-affirming approach, considering not only personal characteristics but also the external forces and systems that shape an individual’s experience.
About Me
I am a fourth-year student at Widener University’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology, pursuing certification in both neuropsychology and school psychology. My goal is to become a pediatric neuropsychologist, helping children and families better understand and support developmental differences. Outside of my studies, I enjoy spending time with my fiancé—whether exploring small towns, taking long walks in nature, trying new restaurants, or simply unwinding with a good TV show. I find appreciation in life’s little moments and strive to spread kindness and joy to those around me.