Child Custody and Forensic Services at APPS

01/03/2025

FEATURED CLINICIAN

Dr. Amy Gordon is a highly credentialed and experienced neuropsychologist who provides comprehensive diagnostic assessments for children, adolescents and adults at APPS. Attorneys frequently rely on neuropsychological testing in supporting their clients' for family law, civil or criminal matters.

To learn more about Dr. Gordon, please click on the link here. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Gordon, we invite you to contact us at: (703) 723-2999 or [email protected].

EDUCATION: Clark University, B.A., Drexel University, Ph.D. INTERNSHIP/FELLOWSHIP: Tulane University School of Medicine CREDENTIALS: Doctorate of Clinical Psychology and Specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology, Cogmed Coach TREATMENT POPULATIONS: Children, Adolescents and Adults SERVICES PROVIDED...

13/02/2025

Valentine's Day isn’t just about hearts, roses and chocolates—it's a day rich with intriguing psychological dynamics. Here are a few fascinating facts:

The Halo Effect: Receiving a gift or romantic gesture can boost our perception of the giver, making them seem more attractive and desirable. This psychological phenomenon is known as the "halo effect."

Oxytocin Boost: Acts of affection, like holding hands or hugging, release oxytocin, often called the "love hormone." This chemical helps strengthen bonds and feelings of trust between partners.

Love and Brain Chemistry: Falling in love activates the same brain regions as intense drug addiction. It’s no wonder new love can make us feel euphoric and obsessed.

Color Psychology: The color red is associated with passion and romance. Seeing red can increase heart rate and arousal, which might explain why it's such a popular color for Valentine's Day.

Attachment Styles: Our romantic behaviors are often influenced by our attachment styles, which are shaped by early childhood experiences. Securely attached individuals tend to have healthier relationships, while those with anxious or avoidant attachment styles might struggle more.

Social Pressure: Societal and cultural expectations can put pressure on individuals to find a romantic partner or to make grand gestures on Valentine's Day, leading to feelings of stress or inadequacy.

Cognitive Dissonance: If someone doesn't particularly enjoy Valentine's Day but still participates, they might experience cognitive dissonance—a mental discomfort from holding conflicting attitudes or behaviors.

Happy Valentine's Day!

11/02/2025

HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM GROUPS FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS

Social skills groups are incredibly important for teens and young adults with high-functioning autism because they provide a structured environment where they can learn and practice essential social skills such as:

Improved Social Communication: Teens and young adults with high-functioning autism often struggle with interpreting nonverbal cues, engaging in reciprocal conversations, and understanding figurative language. Social skills groups help them practice these skills in a supportive setting.
Building Friendships: These groups offer teens and young adults on the spectrum opportunities to interact with peers who have similar challenges, making it easier to form friendships based on shared experiences.
Boosting Self-Esteem: Successfully navigating social situations can significantly boost self-confidence and self-esteem, helping teens and young adults on the spectrum feel more comfortable and accepted in various social settings.
Reducing Social Anxiety: Regular practice in a safe environment can help reduce anxiety related to social interactions, making it easier for teens and young adults ton the spectrum to handle real-world social situations.
Enhancing Independence: Developing strong social skills is crucial for independence and success in adulthood, whether in personal relationships, education, or the workplace.

Overall, social skills groups provide a valuable space for teens and young adults with High Functioning Autism to learn, practice, and improve their social abilities, leading to better social integration and overall well-being.

Divorce can be very hard on children, and it can be especially difficult for those with autism. If you think your son or daughter would benefit from group work, we invite you to contact us at: (703) 723-2999 or [email protected].

Social Skills Group Therapy APPS offers Social Skills Groups for a variety of age groups. For more information about the start date of the next series of groups please contact our office manager at (703) 723-2999 or by email to [email protected]. We at APPS look forward to helping your child

10/02/2025

FEATURED CLINICIAN

As a psychiatrist, Dr. Hind Benjelloun's philosophy is to ensure that her patients and their families receive the most comprehensive, empathetic, and up-to-date treatment. Dr. Benjelloun abides by new treatment modalities that are evidenced based and have been medically proven to help those with mental struggles or illness.

Dr. Benjelloun’s approach to treatment involves the development of an integrative, personalized plan, and she treats a broad range of psychiatric conditions for children, adolescents and adults.
To learn more about Dr. Benjelloun, please click on the link here. We invite you to contact us at: (703) 723-2999 or [email protected] to schedule a consultation.

EDUCATION: Eastern Virginia Medical SchoolRESIDENCY: Georgetown UniversityCREDENTIALS: MD, Board Certified in Adult PsychiatryTREATMENT POPULATIONS: Children, Adolescents and AdultsSERVICES PROVIDED: Medication Management and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Individuals...

03/02/2025

Using mental health experts correctly in legal cases is crucial for several reasons. In short, the right use of mental health experts for a case can lead to more informed decision-making, better client support, and ultimately, improved legal outcomes. It's all about combining legal expertise with psychological insights and data to achieve a fair and just legal process and outcome. We hope you benefit from Dr. Michael Oberschneider's article on this very important topic.

Mental Health Professionals and High Conflict Divorce: 7 Pitfalls for Attorneys to Avoid In the ideal divorce situation, family law attorneys are able to mitigate or circumvent problems for the involved parties without the need for adversarial negotiations and/or aggressive litigation. But when it c...

13/01/2025

Attorneys use neuropsychological evaluations in various legal contexts to gain insights into an individual's cognitive functioning and its potential impact on their behavior. Here are some common ways these evaluations are used for legal situations:

Personal Injury Cases: Neuropsychological testing can provide evidence of the extent and severity of brain injuries, helping to determine appropriate compensation.

Criminal Cases: These evaluations can assess a defendant's cognitive functioning to determine their competency to stand trial or understand the consequences of their actions.

Disability Determination: Neuropsychological assessments can provide evidence of cognitive impairments that impact an individual's ability to work and perform daily activities, which is crucial for cases involving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or workers' compensation.

Child Custody Cases: Evaluations can offer insights into a parent's mental health and cognitive abilities, influencing custody decisions.

Insanity Defense: Neuropsychological assessments can help determine whether a defendant's mental state at the time of the offense affects their culpability.

These evaluations are typically conducted by trained and credentialed neuropsychologists who can provide expert testimony in court proceedings.

To learn more about neuropsychological evaluations at APPS, we invite you to call us at: (703) 723-2999 or email us at: [email protected]

07/01/2025

Exercising more. Spending more time with family and friends. Sleeping better. Losing weight. Eating more healthily. Saving money. These are some of the top New Year's resolutions for 2025. How about being more humble and kind? Research has shown that those who prioritize humility and kindness in their lives do better in so many ways. We hope you enjoy Dr. Oberschneider's article on the topic. Happy New Year!

Let’s Make 2025 A Winning Year Through Humility and Kindness! Humility comes from the Latin word humilis, which literally means low. But as a virtue, humility is often misperceived as being something that is undesirable or unattainable. How is appearing small or insignificant or worthless in relat...

06/01/2025

Parental alienation during a high conflict separation and divorce can be an agonizing experience for the alienated parent. It can leave scars that affect not only the immediate relationship between a parent and child but also a child's long-term emotional well-being. We hope you benefit from Dr. Michael Oberschneider's article on this very important topic. If you are experiencing parental alienation, we are here to help. We invite you to call us at: (703) 723-2999 or email us at: [email protected] to schedule to schedule a consultation.

Understanding Parental Alienation: Challenges and Guidance for Parents Parental alienation is a deeply painful experience, both for the parent being alienated and for the child caught in the middle. At its core, parental alienation refers to behaviors by one parent that aim to damage or sever the bo...

15/12/2024

Consultations, Evaluations, Court Testimony and Counseling

14/12/2024

Congratulations to Dr. Sumit Anand for having his submission accepted by the European Congress of Psychiatry! Dr. Anand will be presenting his paper and work at the 33rd European Congress of Psychiatry in Madrid, Spain this April 2025.

Dr. Anand is a dually board certified adult and forensic psychiatrist at APPS. He is currently accepting new clients. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Anand, we invite you to call us at: (703) 723-2999.

The EPA 2025 Congress will take place on 5-8 April 2025 in Madrid, Spain: “Towards Real-World Solutions in Mental Health“

28/11/2024

Dear Friends, We hope you enjoy and benefit from Dr. Oberschneider's article on family gatherings during the holidays.

Family Gatherings During The Holiday Season: The Pros, The Cons, Some Practical Tips And Some Things To Avoid The holiday season is often seen as a time to reconnect with family and to celebrate traditions. However, family gatherings can also bring challenges. For some, these moments are opportuniti...

11/11/2024

Veterans Day is a time to honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and it is also a time to reflect and remember with gratitude. America is a free and democratic nation today, and we as civilians are able to enjoy all that comes with freedom and democracy, in large part because of the courage, strength, and dedication of our service men and service women. Veterans Day, in my opinion, is also a time to remember our humanity; to be compassionate and to give to those who need our compassion and benevolence most – our wounded warriors.

At APPS, we have had the honor of working with and serving many wounded warriors over the years; at times those wounds are visible in the form of a combat-related physical condition or disability, and at other times, while the wounds are deep, they are invisible and formless and instead involve combat-induced mental health struggles.

Research has assessed the impact of deployments on military families, and the findings are both concerning and upsetting. Study after study on military families have shown that deployment is associated with higher rates of mental health struggles for children, divorce rates, substance use and su***de rates.

Homelessness is also a problem for our veterans with over 13 percent of veterans making up the adult homelessness population in the U.S. And the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that about 70% of homeless veterans suffer from substance abuse problems, and 45% of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. A lack of education, resources and supports, combat-related physical and mental health conditions and disabilities and substance abuse are the primary contributing factors for homelessness in veterans.

In our fast-paced and busy lives in Northern Virginia, it is often difficult for many of us to find the time to do the extra things we would like to do, but we can still find time to do the right thing. There are many ways to support our veterans where, giving a little, can go a long way. Donations are always welcomed at the Wounded Warrior Project, and there are many other agencies that welcome monetary donations. Volunteering your time to help a veteran is also a wonderful way to give back and Homes for Our Troops is a great organization. Donations are also accepted by the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans.

Veterans Day is also a great parenting opportunity. Attending a parade, visiting with a veteran, flying the American Flag or having your child write a letter or send pictures of praise and gratitude anonymously to veterans through your nearest military installation are a couple of practices and family traditions to consider.

At a time when there is so much political discord and disagreement in our country, the one thing we can surely all agree on is to honor those who have served.

Thank you for your service!

Dr. Michael Oberschneider
Founder and Director

23/10/2024

https://www.ashburnpsych.com/ask-dr-mike-children-truly-hate-their-stepmother/

Dr. Mike, I know you do a lot of divorce work as a custody evaluator, and we’re struggling as a family and could use some guidance. For quick review, we went through a very contentious and nasty separation and divorce, and we’ve been divorced now for 5 years. I have full physical and legal custo...

13/07/2024

"There are serious risks and consequences to putting too much information about your child out there on-line for all to see. Research in this area has shown that parents can share as many as 1000 pictures or more of their child online by age 5 years of age. On Facebook, for example, many parents, also unknowingly, post confidential information – i.e. they reveal their child’s name, their child’s school’s name, their child’s date of birth, etc. This sort of information can be later used to obtain even more information about your child by bad actors (e.g., someone obtaining a child’s social security number through the Dark Web for identify theft) or to digital kidnapping (i.e. someone obtaining photos of children or teens for personal use) or cyber-kidnapping (someone extorting someone vulnerable remotely and demanding ransom money from family members). Sadly, predators are increasingly using information gathered from social media sites along with AI and evolving technologies to sexually exploit children." We invite you to click on the link to read Dr. Oberschneider's article on this topic in its entirety. We are also available to provide mental health expert evaluations, reports and testimony for these sorts of matters, and we can be reached at: (703) 723-2999 or [email protected].

What is Sharenting And Is It Bad? “Sharenting,” which is a portmanteau of the words “parenting” and “sharing,” is a relatively new pop psychology term that involves the act of a parent excessively posting pictures, videos, updates and stories about their child or teen’s life. And while...

26/06/2024

Custody evaluators are expected to be neutral and impartial in their role and throughout their work. Unfortunately, that is not always the case; a biased or bad custody evaluation can lead to incorrect recommendations and harmful outcomes for involved children and parents for years to come. We hope you benefit from Dr. Oberschneider's article on this very important topic. If you as a parent believe that you've received a bad custody evaluation, or if you as an attorney believe your client received a bad custody evaluation, we invite you to contact us at: (703) 723-2999 to discuss your situation.

What To Do If You Received A Poorly Conducted Or Biased Custody Evaluation The custody evaluation process is a critical juncture in determining the living arrangements and parenting responsibilities for children following a separation and divorce. The fairness and accuracy of this evaluation is para...

20/06/2024

Dr. Sumit Anand is currently accepting new forensic psychiatry cases in the areas of criminal law and civil law. He is also accepting new treatment cases. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Anand, we invite attorneys and/or clients to contact us at: (703) 723-2999 or [email protected]. We also invite you to review Dr. Anand's professional biography here in full.

EDUCATION: (B.Sc. with Honors): History of Medicine: University College, University of London, UK, Glaxo-Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, B.Sc. Guy’s, King’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals (GKT), University of London, UK (formerly known as United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s...

24/05/2024

While Memorial Day, as a holiday, has become associated with the unofficial start of Summer, it’s most importantly a day of remembrance and reflection in honoring the members of the military who died during service for our Nation. We invite you to consider the many meaningful ways to pay tribute to our service men and women this weekend. You could donate in honor of a fallen hero in support of their family through American Gold Star Families (americasgoldstarfamilies.org). Living in the DC area, you could attend the National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capital, the Rolling to Remember motorcycle rally, the National Memorial Day Parade along Constitution Avenue or observe “Flags In” at Arlington National Cemetery. You could also visit National Mall Memorials, most notably, the National World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and/or the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. Most of the abovementioned events are televised for those interested who can’t make it out. Even if you plan to stay home to enjoy the day with friends or family, taking a moment to be mindful of Memorial Day’s true purpose -- honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country is a good thing to do. We at APPS wish you a beautiful Memorial Day weekend.

Consultations, Evaluations, Court Testimony and Counseling

22/04/2024

I was interviewed by Ms. Ruth Bashinsky, New York Senior News Reporter for Daily Mail, in support of her article on the very important topic of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse of minor aged students by female educators. Research has shown that about 10 percent of students experience educator sexual misconduct by the time they graduate high school. While the majority of that misconduct is verbal, sexual abuse is occurring at higher rates by both male and female teachers in relation to students. Most perpetrators are male, but again, there has been a rise in female perpetrators. The number of convictions for female educators has tripled over the past decade.

As parents, it's important to check in periodically with your child or teen about his or her relationships with peers and even with trusted adults. Most children and teens don't disclose sexual abuse to their parents or others due to feelings of shame, guilt and self-blame, so being present and available is imperative. I hope you benefit from Ms. Bashinsky's piece, and we invite you to contact us should you need our assistance.

Dr. Michael Oberchneider
Founder and Director

A shocking number of female teachers are being charged with sexually abusing under-age students - with new cases being reported almost every week.