Dr. Michal Boyars is a licensed psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist. Prior to joining The Stixrud Group, she served as the primary psychologist for two of Howard County’s Regional Early Childhood programs. In that role she provided comprehensive assessments, child counseling, crisis response, and teacher consultation. She also chaired many IEP and 504 meetings, and she helped write students’ learning plans, including goals, strategies for remediation, relevant supports, and accommodations. Her research on children’s social, emotional, and academic development received awards from the American Psychological Association, the Maryland Psychological Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists, and her doctoral dissertation was supported by a SPARC Doctoral Candidate Award. She maintains her connection to the practice of psychology in the school setting by offering pro bono behavior consultation with teachers.

Dr. Boyars values her relationship with each family, and she learns from every child she encounters. Her journey in this profession is driven by her role as a parent and her own childhood experience with neuropsychological testing. She therefore sees these evaluations as a chance to understand a child better and improve their well-being. After the assessment, Dr. Boyars offers specific and prompt guidance on the “next steps” based on the child’s unique experience.

Services & Expertise

• Educational guidance in the IEP, 504, and learning plan process for students from preschool through college.
• Comprehensive assessments which measure attention, executive function, social-emotional health, and learning strengths and challenges. These evaluations assess for conditions including ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, and mood disorders. 
• Post-assessment discussions of actionable guidance tailored to each family.
• Pro Bono teacher consultations which focus on increasing positive behaviors, not just decreasing negative ones.
• Additional expertise in:
  • Trauma
  • Family-school partnerships
  • Social-emotional development
  • “Externalizing behaviors” like defiance, impulsivity, aggression, lying, etc.

Education & Training

• Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, & Counseling Education, University of Maryland (2020, APA Accredited Degree).  Doctoral Externship in behavior interventions through Johns Hopkins University and the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
• A.G.S. in School Psychology, University of Maryland (2019, NASP Accredited Degree)
• Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Psychological Services, Northwestern University (2012)