Nizete-Ly Valles, Ph.D
Licensed Psychologist
Certified PCIT Therapist (PCIT International)
Certified PCIT Within-Agency Trainer
For children with more complex needs, PCIT requires a different level of expertise
When a family begins PCIT with a child who has autism, anxiety, or selective mutism woven into the picture, they need more than someone who knows the protocol. They need someone who understands how to apply it within a more complex clinical picture, when to adapt, when to hold steady, and what else the child and family may need along the way.
Dr. Nizete-Ly Valles has spent years working with exactly these kinds of cases.
Who is Dr. Nizete-Ly Valles?
Dr. Valles specializes in delivering Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for children with autism, anxiety, selective mutism, and other complex clinical presentations.
Dr. Nizete-Ly Valles is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified PCIT Within-Agency Trainer who specializes in delivering PCIT for children with autism, anxiety, selective mutism, and other complex presentations.
She has graduated more than 50 families through the full PCIT protocol and has extensive experience working with children whose needs extend beyond standard behavioral concerns.
Specialized PCIT for complex presentations
Dr. Valles has advanced training in PCIT adaptations for autism, anxiety, and selective mutism, making her one of a small number of clinicians with expertise across all three areas.
Her work focuses on helping families implement PCIT effectively even when a child’s behavior is influenced by multiple overlapping factors.
This may be a good fit if
Your child has autism, anxiety, or selective mutism in addition to behavior challenges
Previous approaches have not worked as expected
You have been told different things by different providers
You want PCIT delivered by someone experienced with more complex clinical presentations
Training and clinical background
Dr. Valles earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Iowa, where her research examined how parenting patterns shape child development. She completed her predoctoral internship at Children’s Institute, Inc., an APA-approved program in Los Angeles serving children and families affected by trauma, and her postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine.
She grew up in Houston and earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Houston.
Before joining Thriving Child Center, she served as Program Director of the Autism Clinic at Harris Health System, where she built the psychological evaluation program from the ground up and provided testing for children and adults across a large public health network.
She currently trains psychiatry residents and psychology fellows as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine and serves as Director of Psychological Testing Services at Thriving Child Center.
Clinical approach
“I work with children and adolescents who are struggling to understand themselves, their emotions, and their reactions to the world around them. Many of the families I work with feel worried about their child's mood, anxiety, behavior, or past experiences and are looking for thoughtful guidance that helps their child move forward.”
“My approach focuses on helping children and teens recognize their strengths and learn how to make choices that align with what truly matters to them.”
Advanced training and certifications
Certified PCIT Within-Agency Trainer, PCIT International
Certified PCIT for Selective Mutism Provider, Selective Mutism Training Institute
Certified Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Provider for OCD and Related Disorders, International OCD Foundation
Certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Provider
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) Provider
Trained in DBT Skills for Adolescents and Families
Trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ADOS-2 Trained for Autism Evaluations
PSYPACT Authorized for Interjurisdictional Telepsychology
Research and Publications
Dr. Valles has published peer reviewed research on childhood aggression, the effects of neglect on child development, trauma in vulnerable populations, and adolescent suicide. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Family Psychology, Journal of Pediatric Psychology, and Aggressive Behavior, among others.
Selected publications include:
Management of Suicidal Adolescents Presenting to the Emergency Department
Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Young Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence
The Role of Care Neglect and Supervisory Neglect in Childhood Obesity
Contingent Responses of Mothers and Peers to Indirect and Direct Aggression in Children
Mental Health Issues: Child Physical Abuse, Neglect, and Emotional Abuse (book chapter, Springer)
Services
Dr. Valles provides PCIT in both English and Spanish and holds PSYPACT authorization for telehealth across participating states.
Telehealth and Licensure
Dr. Valles holds PSYPACT Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology, allowing her to provide telehealth PCIT services to families in participating PSYPACT states.
NIZETE-LY VALLES IS A LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST WITH THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS (TX LICENSE #36932).
For information on how to verify a license.
For information on how to file a complaint.