Welcome

Parenting can be challenging, especially when children are struggling at home, in school, or socially. It can be difficult to know how to support them and meet them where they are at. Dr. Sonya Bhatia can help. Dr. Bhatia is an experienced child psychologist dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate care to support the mental health and well-being of children and families in Southwest Florida. Dr. Bhatia provides evidence-based child and adolescent therapy, psychological and educational evaluations, parent training, and school consultation. Dr. Bhatia believes in the power of personalized treatment plans and a multidisciplinary approach to address the unique needs of each child. Services are designed to empower children, adolescents, and their parents to overcome challenges and thrive in their daily lives.

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Dr. Sonya Bhatia

Licensed Psychologist

Approach to Care

At Naples Behavioral Pediatric Therapy, Dr. Sonya Bhatia is committed to providing exceptional care that addresses the specific needs of each child and family. Her approach integrates evidence-based practices and clinical expertise to deliver the high-quality evaluations, therapy, and parent support. She integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), behavioral parent training using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles, Interpersonal Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) skills to meet each individual's unique needs.

Dr. Bhatia values collaboration with families, physicians, educators, and other professionals involved in the child's life to ensure a holistic and effective treatment experience. Her goal is to foster resilience, social and emotional well-being, and positive development in children and families.

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About Dr. Sonya Bhatia

Welcome to my practice. As a former elementary school teacher turned child psychologist, my journey began with a passion for supporting children who faced challenges in academic, behavioral, and emotional areas. During my graduate and postdoctoral training, I trained in diverse settings, including schools, outpatient mental health centers, a juvenile detention center, and a residential treatment center. I worked in private practice in Lincoln, Nebraska prior to opening Naples Behavioral Pediatric Therapy. In my practice, I provide valuable information to both parents and children about development and teach skills to navigate various emotional and behavioral challenges. I offer comprehensive psychological and educational assessments, individual therapy for children and adolescents, and parent training. I value collaboration with parents, physicians, educators, and other professionals involved in a child's care, and I am happy to provide consultation to support consistency and continuity of care.

Curriculum Vitae

Licensure

Dr. Bhatia is licensed in Florida and Nebraska. She also has a PSYPACT license which allows her to practice telehealth in PSYPACT participating states. Click below to see if you live in a PSYPACT state.

Educational Background

Ph.D. in School Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, an APA accredited program
M.A. in School Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln
B.S. in Education from Loyola University Chicago

Training and Experience

Licensed Psychologist in Private Practice, Behavioral Pediatric and Family Therapy Program in Lincoln, Nebraska
Post-doctoral fellowship was completed at the Behavioral Pediatric and Family Therapy Program in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Pre-doctoral internship was completed through the Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology at the Boys Town Center for Behavioral Health, Residential Track
Doctoral training included training in schools, outpatient therapy centers, a Child Advocacy Center, a research hospital, and a juvenile detention center
Instructor of Record: Department of Educational Psychology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Academic Success Course
Elementary school teacher. Dr. Bhatia taught in Prince William County Public Schools, Virginia prior to pursuing her doctoral degree

Research

Principal Investigator, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Buffett Early Childhood Institute Funded Dissertation, “An Examination of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation’s Effects on Teacher-Student Interactions” University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Graduate Research Assistant
- Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: University of Nebraska- Lincoln Rural Futures Institute Funded Study, “Collaborative Capacity Building in Rural Nebraska Schools via Technology: Teachers and Parents as Partners”
- Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Institute of Education Sciences Funded Study, “A Randomized Trial of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in Rural Education Settings: Efficacy for Elementary Students with Disruptive Behaviors”
- Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Institute of Education Sciences Funded Study, “A Randomized Trial of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in Rural Education Settings: Efficacy for Elementary Students with Disruptive Behaviors”

Grant

Principal Investigator. “An examination of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation’s effects on teacher-student interactions.” Buffett Early Childhood Institute. Grant Total Award: $24,980 for one year.

Select Publications

Sheridan, S. M., Witte, A. L., Holmes, S., Wu, C., Bhatia, S. A., Angell, S. R. (2017). The efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation in the home setting: Outcomes and mechanisms in rural communities. Journal of School Psychology, 62, 81-101. doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2017.03.005
Sheridan, S. M., Moen, A., & Bhatia, S. (in press). Family-centered positive psychology: A framework for research-based practices. In C. R. Snyder, S. J. Lopez, & L. M. Edwards (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of positive psychology (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Coutts, M. J., Holmes, S. R., Moen, A., & Bhatia, S. (2014, January). Examining family-school partnerships: A conceptual framework and future directions. School Psychology: From Science to Practice Newsletter.

Select National and
Regional Presentations

Select Invited Addresses,
Workshops, and Presentations

Witte, A. L., Sheridan, S. M., White, D. S., Bhatia, S. A., & Strong-Bak, W. (2018, February). Teachers and parents as partners: Translating an intervention for practice. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Association of School Psychologists, Chicago, IL.
Bass, H. P., Sheridan, S. M., Dizona, P. J., Wheeler, L. A., Bhatia, S. A., & Witte, A. L. (2018, February). Conjoint behavioral consultation: What influences its effects on behavioral outcomes? Poster presented at the annual conference of the National Association of School Psychologists, Chicago, IL.
Angell, S. R., Bhatia, S. A., Brown, K. E., Sheridan, S. M., & Witte, A. L. (2018, April). The power of partnerships: CBC’s effect on rural teachers. Poster presented at the 2018 CYFS Summit on Research in Early Childhood.
Sheridan, S. M., Witte, A. L., Angell, S. R., Bhatia, S. A., White, A. S., & Bass, H. P. (2017, August). Conjoint behavioral consultation in rural communities: Do effects maintain? Poster presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.
Clarke, B., Wheeler, L., Sheridan, S., Sommerhalder, M., Bhatia, S., & Witte, A. (2017, April). Multimethod study adapting a family-school partnership consultation program (TAPP) for Latino students and parents. In P. Arora (Chair) & C. Valdez (Chair), Engaging Schools to Address Immigrant Youth Mental Health. Symposium to be conducted at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, Austin, TX.
Sheridan, S. M., Witte, A. L., Angell, S. R., Bhatia, S. A., Bass, H. P. (2017, February). The power of partnerships: CBC’s effects on rural teacher outcomes. Paper presented at the annual convention of the National Association of School Psychologists, San Antonio, TX.
Sheridan, S. M., Bhatia, S. A., Angell, S. R., White, A. S., & Witte, A. L. (2016, April). Teachers and Parents and Partners: Essential relationships in early childhood. Paper presented at the 2016 CYFS Summit on Research in Early Childhood Education, Lincoln, NE.

Bhatia, S.A. (2023, September). Mental health considerations for children and adolescents. Invited Presentation. Marquette University. COUN 6060: Psychopathology and Diagnosis. Milwaukee, WI.
Bhatia, S. A., Hoff, N., & White, A. (2018, April). School Psychology Clinical Experiences Graduate Student Panel. Invited Presentation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln EDPS 269: Psychopathology Disorders, Lincoln, NE.
Bhatia, S. A. (2018, March). Behavior management, engagement, and motivation strategies in an elementary school setting. Invited Presentation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln EDPS 362: Learning in the Classroom, Lincoln, NE.
Bhatia, S. A. (2018, February). The role of school psychologists in an elementary school setting. Invited Presentation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln EDPS 362: Learning in the Classroom, Lincoln, NE.
Bhatia, S. A. (2017, February). Strategies for managing behaviors and motivating elementary school students. Invited Presentation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln EDPS 362: Learning in the Classroom, Lincoln, NE.