4455 Brookfield Corporate Dr.
Suite 101 • Chantilly, VA
20151-1652
Contact MindWorks today!
Phone: 703.378.7998
Fax: 703.378.6109
or click HERE
Dr. Varia co-founded MindWorks in 2004 and serves as the Director of Testing and Diagnostics. After becoming a mother, Dr. Varia saw a need to create a professional clinic in a warm, family friendly setting that understood the needs of parents and children.
Dr. Varia graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with highest honors and distinction with a bachelor’s degree in psychology (BA), and a Masters in Education (M.Ed) and doctorate in clinical psychology (PhD) from the University of Virginia. Dr. Varia’s predoctoral internship was at the prestigious Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Hospital, associated with Stanford University where she completed rotations in neuropsychological, family therapy, and in-patient and out-patient therapy. Dr. Varia completed a post doctoral fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center where she was appointed to the Department of Psychiatry faculty. Following her training, Dr. Varia was the head psychologist at Brown Karhan Rehabilitation Center in Austin Texas, an inpatient residential facility, and served as staff trainer.
Dr. Varia worked as the Psychological Assessment Coordinator at the Alexandria Mental Health Center for four years, supervising interns, and serving as the main assessor for the youth and family, geriatric, and adult services units. She started private practice in 2002.
Dr. Varia’s expertise lies with comprehensive assessment that teases out subtle and complex diagnostic questions. She works hard at understanding and explaining in plain language the interaction between behavioral, educational, and emotional findings to best inform both home and school recommendations. Dr. Varia enjoys conducting learning disability (psychoeducational) testing and has a special interest in early detection of reading disorders, particularly the different subtypes of dyslexia. Dr. Varia also enjoys testing for and explaining Aspergers Syndrome to families, so that they understand that there are many different ways this disorder can affect an individual and family emotionally, cognitively, and socially.
Dr. Varia is also a forensic certified psychologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She has served as an expert witness in city, county, and federal courts, including the US Court of Appeals. Her publications include articles on perceptions of abuse and attachment and she has been published in The Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect and The Journal of Clinical Child Psychology. She has been involved in research projects at Duke University, University of North Carolina, University of Virginia, and Stanford University. She has a special interest in family dynamics and mentored with Dr. Dick Abidin, the author of the widely used Parenting Stress Index, for four years. Dr. Varia is married and the mother of two young daughters. She now knows parenting stress firsthand!