PCIT Experts: Meet the Team
All of our PCIT Experts are certified and recognized by PCIT International to practice Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Many hold trainer certification, meaning they are qualified not just to deliver PCIT but to train other therapists in this model
PCIT Experts is a specialty clinic within Thriving Child Center dedicated exclusively to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. We do not offer PCIT as one of many services. It is the only thing we do, and we have built a team that reflects that focus.
Dr. Leah Clionsky is a nationally recognized expert in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a researcher, and one of a small number of Level II Regional PCIT Trainers in the United States. PCIT Experts was founded by Dr. Clionsky, who trained directly under Dr. Sheila Eyberg, the psychologist who developed PCIT, as a graduate student in her research lab at the University of Florida. Dr. Clionsky went on to lead the first randomized controlled trial of PCIT for children with autism and is a certified Level II Regional PCIT Trainer in Texas, one of a small number of trainers in the state authorized by PCIT International to train other therapists in this model.
The clinicians who make up the PCIT Experts team were selected for the depth of their training and experience with this specific treatment. The team includes multiple PCIT International certified trainers, licensed psychologists with active research backgrounds, and bilingual clinicians serving Spanish-speaking families. Many of our team members have trained other therapists in PCIT at the agency and regional level. This is not a typical private practice. It is a center of excellence for PCIT.
All of our clinicians are certified or actively pursuing certification through PCIT International, and all work under ongoing consultation to ensure treatment fidelity. When you work with PCIT Experts, you are not getting a therapist who attended a workshop. You are getting access to some of the most experienced PCIT clinicians practicing anywhere in the United States today.
We provide virtual PCIT to families across PSYPACT states. Our clinicians are based across multiple states, allowing us to serve families in the states where each clinician is licensed to practice. When you schedule a matching call, we will connect you with the right clinician for your location and your family's needs.
Our PCIT Senior Experts
Our Senior Experts represent one of the most highly credentialed PCIT teams you will find anywhere in the country. Clinicians in this group hold certified trainer status through PCIT International, meaning they are authorized not just to deliver PCIT but to train and certify other therapists in this model. Dr. Leah Clionsky holds Level II Regional Trainer certification in Texas, one of the most advanced PCIT training designations in the field, and trained directly under Dr. Sheila Eyberg, the psychologist who developed PCIT.
Several are also active researchers and faculty at academic medical centers including Baylor College of Medicine, Penn State Health, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the University of Tennessee. They have not just studied PCIT; they have produced the research.
Every clinician in this group has personally guided dozens of families through PCIT, many through complex presentations involving autism, ADHD, and trauma. When you work with a Senior Expert, you are getting someone who has dedicated their career to this specific treatment and has the credentials and experience to prove it.
Our PCIT Experts
Our PCIT Experts are fully certified PCIT therapists through PCIT International. What that certification actually means is worth explaining, because it is not a brief or simple processPCIT certification requires more than a year of hands-on clinical work, direct supervision of multiple cases, and demonstrated mastery of the treatment model before a clinician is approved to practice independently. At PCIT Experts, our certification process includes a co-therapy model where clinicians work alongside experienced Senior Experts before carrying their own caseload. By the time a clinician reaches this tier, they have already delivered PCIT to real families under direct expert oversight and met rigorous standards at every stage.
Our Forensic Expert
Dr. Melissa Mignogna leads our forensic psychology services, a specialty that sets PCIT Experts apart from virtually every other PCIT clinic in the country. Forensic psychology and PCIT rarely exist under the same roof, and for families navigating child custody disputes, court-ordered parenting evaluations, or child protective services involvement, that combination matters enormously. Dr. Mignogna brings specialized expertise in forensic psychological evaluation alongside deep familiarity with the PCIT model, allowing her to serve families whose needs sit at the intersection of the legal system and evidence-based parenting intervention. This is a level of integrated expertise you will not find at a typical PCIT clinic.
PCIT Providers (Certification Track)
Our PCIT Providers in Certification Track are clinicians who are actively working toward full PCIT certification through PCIT International under the direct supervision of Becca Wallace, our Training Director and one of the most advanced PCIT trainers in Texas. Becca oversees every aspect of their clinical work, including a co-therapy model where she is actively involved in their cases alongside them, as well as regular meetings to review progress and ensure treatment fidelity at every stage.
Working with a Provider in Certification Track is not a compromise. It is an opportunity to receive PCIT guided by Becca's expertise at a significantly reduced rate. The clinician in the room has Becca behind them at every step. For families who want access to that level of oversight and training while managing the cost of treatment, this tier was designed for you.
Office Staff
Tim Durbin is our Client Services Specialist and the first person most families speak with when they reach out to PCIT Experts. Tim knows every clinician on our team personally -- their specialties, their clinical strengths, the populations they work best with, and the states where they are licensed to practice. His job is to make sure you are matched with the right person from the start, whether that means finding the clinician with the right experience for your child's specific challenges, the right language match for your family, the right tier of training for your situation, or simply the right fit for where you are in the country. Getting PCIT right starts with getting the match right, and that is what Tim does.
How to Choose a PCIT Therapist: What Parents Should Know
Why is PCIT certification important?
Not every therapist who offers PCIT has completed formal certification. PCIT certification through PCIT International requires more than a year of supervised clinical work, demonstrated mastery of specific skills, and sign-off from a certified trainer before a clinician is approved to practice independently. A therapist who attended a workshop or completed a brief training may have some familiarity with the model but has not met the same standard. For a treatment that depends on precise coaching skills delivered in real time, the difference between a certified and an uncertified provider is not small. Certification exists because PCIT done well produces results and PCIT done poorly does not.
What kinds of training does a PCIT certified trainer actually get?
PCIT trainers go through a separate, advanced certification process beyond standard therapist certification. To become a certified Within-Agency Trainer through PCIT International, a clinician must already be a certified PCIT therapist, complete additional specialized training, and demonstrate the ability to train and supervise other clinicians in the model. Level II Regional Trainers represent an even higher tier. They are authorized to train and certify other trainers, not just therapists. There are only a small number of Regional Trainers in the entire country. When you work with a trainer-level clinician, you are working with someone whose mastery of the treatment has been evaluated not just by whether they can deliver it, but by whether they can teach it to others.
How much experience should a good PCIT therapist have?
PCIT certification requires supervised experience with multiple cases before a clinician can practice independently, but certification is a floor, not a ceiling. The most experienced PCIT clinicians have personally guided dozens or even hundreds of families through the full treatment model, including complex presentations involving autism, ADHD, trauma, and co-occurring conditions. Experience matters in PCIT because the real-time coaching element requires a level of fluency that only comes from extensive practice. A clinician who has completed twenty cases handles challenging moments in session differently than one who has completed two hundred. When evaluating a PCIT provider, it is reasonable to ask how many families they have personally treated and what kinds of presentations they have the most experience with.
How will I know if a PCIT therapist is good at PCIT?
There are several things worth looking for. First, verify that the therapist holds current certification through PCIT International. Second, ask about their case experience. How many families have they personally treated and graduated from the full model. Third, ask whether they receive ongoing consultation or supervision in PCIT, since even experienced clinicians benefit from continued peer review. Fourth, look at their training background. Did they train under experienced PCIT trainers, and have they continued their education in the model beyond initial certification. A therapist who is confident in their PCIT practice will be able to answer these questions specifically and without hesitation. Vague answers are worth paying attention to.
How do I find the best PCIT in the country?
Start by looking for clinicians who hold certification through PCIT International and have substantial case experience with presentations similar to your child's. If your child has autism, ADHD, or a history of trauma, look specifically for clinicians who have treated those populations with PCIT rather than assuming any certified therapist will have that experience. Trainer-level clinicians, particularly those who hold Within-Agency Trainer or Regional Trainer certification, represent a higher level of mastery and are worth seeking out when you have the option. Finally, do not overlook virtual PCIT. Because PCIT is delivered in your home environment rather than a clinic, telehealth delivery is not a compromise. For many families it produces better outcomes because the skills are learned and practiced in the actual setting where they need to work. Geography should not limit your access to the most qualified provider available.
Ready to take the next step? Schedule a Matching Call with our caring Intake Specialist today and let us learn more about how we can help your family.
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Written by Dr. Leah Clionsky, Ph.D.
Dr. Leah Clionsky is a licensed clinical psychologist, Level II Regional PCIT Trainer in Texas, and founder of PCIT Experts. She trained under Dr. Sheila Eyberg, the psychologist who developed PCIT, and led the first randomized controlled trial of PCIT for children with autism. She has guided hundreds of families through PCIT across research, clinical, and private practice settings.