Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
8235 YMCA Plaza Drive Suite 402, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Email: lynnschechter@gmail.com
Tel. 225-769-2533
EDUCATION
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2001 DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
1999 MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY, Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
1997 MASTER OF EDUCATION, Columbia University, Teachers College (School Psychology)
1992 MASTER OF ARTS, Columbia University, Teachers College (Developmental Psychology)
1991 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, Cornell University (Human Development and Family Studies)
DISSERTATION
“An Investigation of the Cognitive Processes Underlying the Metacognitive Monitoring of Text,”
Dissertation Sponsor: Stephen T. Peverly, Ph.D., Director of School Psychology Program at Teachers
College, Columbia University
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS, LICENSES, AND CERTIFICATIONS
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Registrant #52225, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology; 9/29/08
LA State Psychology License granted 9/12/03; License #940
NY State License granted 9/20/02; License #015295-1
NY State Teachers License (Provisional) as School Psychologist, (effective 9/02);
prior, held Certificate of Qualification valid since 9/97
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
LYNN R. SCHECHTER, PH.D., LLC
Licensed Child Psychologist
Private Practice
8/09-present
Providing psychological services for children and families in the Baton Rouge and
surrounding areas.
CAPITAL AREA HUMAN SERVICES DISTRICT/INFANT, CHILD, AND FAMILY CENTER
Baton Rouge, LA
5/07-8/09
Job Title: Director of Clinical Services
Job Description: Managed a multi-disciplinary team of highly trained professionals (pediatrician,
occupational therapists, social workers, infant-mental health specialists) responsible for evaluating highrisk, alcohol and substance-exposed young children suspected of developmental disabilities including
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Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae
but not limited to pervasive developmental disorders, age birth to 6, most referred from department of
social services and office of child protection; this is the first center of its kind in the state of Louisiana.
Coordinate care of clients with outside community agencies that form the collaborative who are
supporting this Center (including local hospitals, medical providers, state-providers of early childhood
services,
and
department
of
social
services).
Conduct
neurodevelopmental/cognitive/behavioral/psychoeducational evaluations on clients as needed as part
of the multidisciplinary team. Prepare integrative reports on clients for the use in assistance with foster
placement or adoption cases and for the use in court decisions as needed. Manage budgeting and
hiring/firing of staff. Assist in grant-writing and research for this program. Conduct program
evaluation and research related to this program. Member of Senior Management Team for Capital Area
Human Services District. Participate in State-wide working group for development of Department of
Social Services 5-year plan to be submitted to federal government. Chairperson for Committee on
Substance Exposed Newborns reporting to Louisiana Department of Social Services on development of
protocol for child protection workers training and response to children born with prenatal alcohol and
drug exposure.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHILDREN’S HEALTH FUND AND
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH;
“THE BATON ROUGE CHILDREN’S HEALTH PROJECT”
Baton Rouge, LA
11/06 –5/07
Job Title: Licensed Pychologist – part-time
Job Description: Provided psychological services to members of the Baton Rouge community by
mobile health service unit. Many of the patients, age birth-24, were directly affected by Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita, and services are provided on-site at the various FEMA trailer parks, churches, and
schools. Some foci of the work include trauma assessment and interventions, school consultation,
evaluations for childhood disorders, parent support and training.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER MID-CITY CLINIC
MULTIDISCIPLINARY DEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENT TEAM
Baton Rouge, LA
12/05-5/07
Job Title: Licensed Psychologist – part-time
Job Description: Head psychologist on a multidisciplinary team evaluating youngsters from deprived
backgrounds age 0-5. Common problems/diagnoses of these children include pervasive developmental
disorders (classic autism, Asperger’s Disorder, high-functioning autism), developmental delays,
aggressive behavior problems, mental retardation, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, exposure to child
abuse/neglect, and other childhood disorders. Provided parent education regarding autism spectrum
disorders and help to coordinate obtaining treatment and community resources.
LYNN R. SCHECHTER, PH.D., LLC
Baton Rouge, LA
7/03-Present (part-time)
Job Title: Licensed School Psychologist – private practice
Job Description:
Evaluate/treat pre-school and school-aged children and adolescents;
psychoeducational evaluations and therapy; other foci include constructing and implementing behavior
management plans for children at home and at school, and conducting school consultations with
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Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae
multidisciplinary school teams and school classroom observations. Common problems of patients
include ADHD, ODD, Pervasive Developmental Disorders including Asperger’s Disorder/HighFunctioning Autism/Classic Autism (with mental retardation), Learning Disabilities, Tourette’s
Syndrome, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Parent-Child Relationship Problems, and
Adjustment Disorders as some examples. Conducted social skills groups using modular program for
children (based upon TEACCH program) with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s Disorder.
Conducted monthly parent support group for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders.
DOLBY CLINICAL RESEARCH, LLC
Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
10/05 – 5/07
Job Title: Subinvestigator/Rater
Job Description: Served as subinvestigator and/or rater on various clinical psychopharmaceutical
research studies including studies for medications to treat childhood bipolar disorder, childhood
schizophrenia, and ADHD.
ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY/ CHILDREN'S
EVALUATION AND REHABILITATION CENTER (CERC), &
JACOBI MEDICAL CENTER
Both located in The Bronx, New York, academic and clinical affiliates
December, 1997-December, 2002 (Full time since July, 2000; 12/97-7/00 2 days weekly)
Job Titles: School Psychologist (Albert Einstein)/Neurodevelopmentalist (Jacobi)
Job Description: At CERC, a university affiliated program, conducted developmental,
psychoeducational, and psychological assessments for two different units: one for school-age
children with learning disabilities, pervasive developmental disorders, and other childhood disorders,
and another unit for children with HIV/AIDS; participated with multidisciplinary team in
determining diagnoses and recommendations for children and referrals to special education;
individual therapy with children and adolescents; suicide and crisis intervention; creator and leader
of Bereavement group for children; co-creator and leader of behavior management group for boys
with learning disabilities and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and concurrent parenting
skills group; socials skills groups for youngsters with Autistic Spectrum Disorders such as highfunctioning autism and Asperger’s Disorder using modular program (based on TEACCH methods);
parent conferences; case management.
At Jacobi Medical Center, served as neurodevelopmentalist for pediatric AIDS unit, conducting
neurodevelopmental, psychological, and educational assessments. Saw children ranging from infants
to adolescents to early adulthood, all infected or affected with HIV/AIDS. Collected research data
to serve clinic needs and the needs of NIH-funded research protocols on the efficacy of different
HIV drugs; Presenter and organizer of HIV education program for young people at Gay Men’s
Health Crisis in New York City (GMHC) in 2000 on behalf of clinical team; Program developer,
coordinator, grant-writer, and director of tutoring and mentoring program for children with
HIV/AIDS which recruited adolescents from local high schools in the Bronx and from local
colleges (i.e., Fordham University, Bronx Community College) to serve as tutors/mentors for the
children served by the clinic; successfully obtained grant funding from for this program from The
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and from WPIX, a local television channel in New
York.
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Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae
THE REECE SCHOOL (nonpublic school for children with autism spectrum disorders, learning, and
emotional disorders aged 4-13); New York, New York
October, 1997 - June, 2000 (3 days weekly)
Job Title: School Psychologist
Job Description: Provided counseling services individually and in-class daily to students diagnosed
with high-functioning autism, Asperger’s Disorder, Learning Disabilities, anxiety, cancer, and mood
disorders, Tourette’s, and selective mutism; participated with interdisciplinary team in students’
individual psychoeducational program development; ongoing teacher and staff consultation to target
problematic or aggressive student behaviors; suicide and crisis interventions; family counseling; case
management; District triennial planning meetings for students; wrote IEPs; provided in-service for
staff on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Tourette's Syndrome, and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Rockville Centre, New York
May - June 1996, May - June 1995, and May - June, 1994
Job Title: School Psychology Examiner
Job Description: Administered, scored and interpreted cognitive screening instruments for
preschoolers during annual Kindergarten screenings.
PREP FOR PREP
New York, New York
December, 1994 - May, 1996
Job Title: Psychological Examiner
Job Description: Administered, scored, and interpreted intelligence test results;
wrote psychological reports on candidates for admission to the Prep for Prep gifted urban
students’ program; supervised by NY state licensed psychologist.
SUPERVISED SCHOOL & CLINICAL EXPERIENCES
THE CHILDREN'S VILLAGE
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Job Title: Psychology Intern (APA-approved internship) September, 1996-August, 1997
Job Description: Within the setting of a residential treatment center for males aged 5-19, provided
weekly individual adjunct psychotherapy to assigned cases from residential treatment center and
from group homes; co-led two different short-term psychotherapy groups with licensed
psychologists (a group for children with substance abusing parents, and a bereavement group), and
one long-term group (for males making the transition from residential placement into community);
conducted comprehensive psychological assessments; clinical consultant at weekly interdisciplinary
treatment planning conferences; co-led intensive multifamily group for parents who had sons in
placement; suicide and crisis interventions; clinical consultant and data collector for research team
conducting a study evaluating factors related to clients' length of stay; provided in-service trainings
concerning psychological assessment, developmental delays, and autism.
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Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae
MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING CENTER,
SOUTH NASSAU COMMUNITIES HOSPITAL
Baldwin, New York
Job Title: Psychology Extern (16 hours per week) September, 1994 - July, 1995
Job Description: Individual outpatient psychotherapy with adults, adolescents, and children with a
history of sexual and/or physical abuse; outpatient group and family psychotherapy for children and
young adults with school-related problems.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE SCHOOL DISTRICT (High School and Middle School)
Rockville Centre, New York
Job Title: Intern School Psychologist (16 hours per week) September, 1993 - June, 1994
Job Description: Psychoeducational assessment of adolescents and children; Pupil/Personnel
meetings with administrative and teaching faculty; individual counseling with learning disabled
and emotionally handicapped students in special education; conducted triennial assessments and
presented cases at CSE annual reviews; crisis interventions; school-based consultation with teachers,
parents, and administrators.
CENTER FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
New York City, New York
Job Title: School Psychology Extern (5 hours per week) July, 1992 - May, 1993
Job Description: Psychoeducational assessment with children and adults with learning and
emotional issues; individual outpatient psychotherapy with adolescents.
GRACIE SQUARE HOSPITAL
New York City, New York
Job Title: Psychology Intern (35 hours weekly) January, 1990 – June, 1990
Job Description: Through the Cornell University Semester-in-New York Program, in which
students had the opportunity to have a supervised academic and practicum experience in their
undergraduate major field, participated in intensive internship under the supervision of the Chief
Psychologist of the hospital, a NY State Licensed Psychologist, on the Eating Disorder Unit of this
private psychiatric hospital in New York City. Opportunities and responsibilities included:
observation and participation in interdisciplinary team meetings and case conferences concerning
eating disorders and other mental health concerns; participation in clinical research study with
supervising psychologist and a consulting psychologist concerning the cognitive effects of starvation
and eating-disordered behaviors; observation and interviews with patients suffering from severe,
treatment resistant clinical depression and their receiving of Electro-Convulsive Therapy; under
supervision, assisted and observed in the screening of patients with mood disorders and eating
disorders.
EMPATHY, ASSISTANCE, AND REFERRAL SERVICE (EARS),
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Ithaca, New York
Job Title: EARS Counselor (1989-1991)
Job Description: After one year of intensive training based in Rogerian Humanistic
techniques, was certified as an EARS counselor. Provided counseling to Cornell students and Ithaca
community members on a walk-in and phone-hotline basis; Led seminar and discussion on eating
disorders with various groups of female students in sororities.
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Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae
FACULTY APPOINTMENT
11/06 Appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University in New Orleans, LA
 Previous clinical responsibilities included: Providing outpatient pediatric psychology child
psychology evaluations and treatment to patients affiliated with Baton Rouge Children’s Health
Project
 Previous teaching responsibilities included: Educating Louisiana State University Health Sciences
Center graduate students and students affiliated with the Baton Rouge Children’s Health Project
EXPERT WITNESS
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21ST Judicial Court, Honorable Judge William Bennett, 8/06
Family Court of East Baton Rouge Parish, Honorable Judge Higginbotham, 9/06
VOLUNTARY PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS & ACTIVITIES
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President, Baton Rouge Area Society of Psychologists, 2008-2009.
2008 - appointed State Chairperson for the Business of Practice Network of the American
Psychological Association Practice Organization
Member, Louisiana Psychological Association’s Committee on Colleague Assistance Program
Participation in State Leadership Conference, Washington, DC, American Psychological
Association Practice Organization, 3/1/09-3/4/09.
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HURRICANE KATRINA CRISIS COUNSELING
Volunteered with the American Red Cross, providing crisis counseling to evacuees in Baton Rouge
shelters
SEPTEMBER, 11TH, 2001 CRISIS COUNSELING
Provided group and individual crisis counseling to approximately 75 workers of the NY Housing
Authority who were directly impacted by the event, 9/25/01
Individual crisis counseling to staff, adult and child patients at Jacobi Medical Center
BOOK
Jenna’s Big FAT Secret: A Story about Food and Feelings, published by iUniverse (www.iUniverse.com)
June, 2007; will be republished by Magination Press, the children’s book division of the American
Psychological Association, in 2009, as My Big Fat Secret: Jenna Takes Control of Her Emotions
and Eating.
This is the first children’s book published to help overweight children to understand and to break the
cycle of emotional eating. It is the story of Jenna, a pre-teen girl who is overweight and who turns to
food for comfort whenever she is teased. Jenna eventually realizes the dangerous cycle in which she is
caught and discovers that she can change. The book also includes psychologically-oriented and
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Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae
compassionate advice for parents and professionals who want to help obese children lose weight
without criticism and judgment.
PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATION
Schechter, L. R. (2008). From 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina: Helping others and oneself cope following
disasters. Traumatology, 14 (4), 38-47.
NEWSPAPER INTERVIEW
“Sandy hits victims hard emotionally.” Interviewed for psychological perspective of effect of natural
disaster on mental health, by Laura Petrecca, national reporter, in USA Today, 11/17/12.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/17/hurricane-sandy-mental-health-oceansidepsychological/1705025/
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
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“Helping High-Risk Infants and Young Children Who Have Prenatal Alcohol and/or Substance
Exposure”, presenter at Preventing Child Abuse Louisiana 23rd annual “Kids are Worth It!”
conference, 3/5/09.
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“Ways Psychologists Have and Can Help Themselves and One Another after Natural and
Human-Made Disasters,” co-presenter of workshop at Louisiana Psychological Association’s
annual convention with Dr. Terri Davis of ACCA (American Psychological Association’s
committee on colleague support and assistance) and Dr. Steven Behnke, Director of American
Psychological Association’s Office of Ethics, Lafayette, Louisiana, 4/3/08.
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“Helping the Helper: Understanding the Challenges of Psychologists who Help Others Following
Disasters,” Author, paper presented at seminar at the 115th American Psychological Association, San
Francisco, California, 8/19/07.
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“The Neuropsychological Profiles of Bipolar Male Children” Poster Paper presented at the
Louisiana Psychological Association’s 59th Annual Convention, 5/07.
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“Using Neuropsychological Data to Assist in the Classroom Management of At-Risk Children,”
Poster paper presented at the 59th Annual Louisiana Psychological Association Convention, 5/07.
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“Discipline in the Context of Early Childhood Development” Lecture given to teachers and parents
at Rayner Learning Center, Beth Shalom Synagogue, 4/07
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“Detecting Non-Verbal Learning Disorders in Gifted Children,” Poster paper presented at the 2007
International Neuropsychology Society Conference in Portland, Oregon, 2/8/07-2/10/07.
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Lynn R. Schechter, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae
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“Using a Neuropsychological Approach to Diagnose Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental
Disorder,” Poster paper presented at the 2007 Professional Neuropsychology Weekend
Conference, 1/12/07-1/14/07
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“Developing Behavioral Plans for Aggressive Children in Louisiana” Presented as Faculty Member
for Lorman Educational Services, Seminar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 9/19/06
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“Using Neuropsychological Data to Assess At-Risk Children In Order to Implement Effective
Educational Interventions,” Poster Paper presentation at Conference on “Four Dimensions of
Childhood: Brain, Mind, Culture, and Time,” sponsored by the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute
and The Foundation for Psychocultural Research (The FPR), 2/11/05-2/13/05.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
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American Psychological Association (past)
American Psychological Association, Division 16 (School Psychology) (past)
Baton Rouge Area Society of Psychologists
Louisiana Psychological Association
HONORS
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Omicron Nu at Cornell University
Golden Key at Cornell University
Kappa Delta Pi at Columbia University
Inclusion in The 25th edition of Marquis’ Who’s Who of American Women, 2006
ALUMNI ACTIVITIES
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Cornell University Regional Ambassador for Alumni Association in the Southern Region of the
United States, 2006-present.
Columbia University Alumni Association Member 2001- present
Cornell University Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network, Interviewer, 1993-2001.
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