Rachel Goluboff, PsyD
Dr. Rachel Goluboff is a postdoctoral fellow at Interactive Discovery. She completed her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at Adler University, with an emphasis in Child and Adolescent Psychology, and her clinical internship at the YCS Institute for Infant and Preschool Mental Health. She also holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education from Skidmore College. Throughout her training, Dr. Goluboff has worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families across community mental health, hospital, school-based, and private practice settings. Her clinical experience includes anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays, trauma, attachment and relationship difficulties, mood concerns, disruptive behaviors, and emotional and behavioral dysregulation.
Dr. Goluboff believes that children’s behavior is best understood within the context of their development, relationships, environment, and individual strengths and needs. Rather than viewing disruptive or dysregulated behavior simply as something to change, she approaches it with curiosity, considering what a child may be communicating and what may help them feel more successful and understood. Her work with young children often focuses on emotional regulation, communication, flexibility, attachment, and strengthening the relationships that support their development.
Her therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and developmentally attuned. Dr. Goluboff takes an integrative approach, drawing from person-centered, psychodynamic, attachment-based, cognitive-behavioral, and play-based perspectives while tailoring treatment to each client and family. She has specialized training and experience in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), DIR/Floortime, and trauma-informed interventions. She uses play-based, storytelling, art, and other developmentally appropriate interventions to support emotional expression, communication, exploration, and the development of new coping skills.
Partnering with parents and caregivers is central to Dr. Goluboff’s work. She helps caregivers understand the needs underlying their child’s behavior, strengthen connection and co-regulation, and develop practical, developmentally appropriate strategies that fit within everyday family life. Depending on the needs of the child and family, her work may include parent consultation, coaching, dyadic treatment, and family therapy. She also values collaboration with teachers, early intervention providers, psychiatrists, speech and occupational therapists, caseworkers, and other professionals. Her background in education informs her understanding of how developmental, emotional, behavioral, and learning needs may present differently across settings and helps guide collaborative supports across home, school, and treatment environments.
In addition to therapy, Dr. Goluboff has extensive experience conducting comprehensive psychological and developmental evaluations related to autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and executive functioning, learning difficulties, developmental concerns, and social-emotional and behavioral functioning. Her assessment approach integrates standardized testing with developmental history, clinical interviews, behavioral observations, and input from parents, teachers, and other providers. She views evaluation as an opportunity to develop a clear and compassionate understanding of a child’s strengths and difficulties and to translate findings into practical recommendations for home, school, and treatment.
Across both therapy and assessment, Dr. Goluboff is especially passionate about early identification and intervention and helping children and families understand not simply what a child may be struggling with, but why. She strives to create a space in which children and families feel understood, supported, and empowered to build upon their strengths and develop the tools needed for continued growth.