Ava Sardoni, Psy.D., BCBA

About

Ava Sardoni, PsyD, BCBA, is a licensed clinical psychologist at Expand Psychology, practicing in Falls Church and Alexandria, Virginia. She provides therapeutic services to children, adolescents, and their families, emphasizing person-centered, collaborative care that utilizes a strengths-based approach. Through rapport-building, psychoeducation, and a focus on the family system, Dr. Sardoni supports clients in strengthening their confidence and confronting challenges. She collaborates with clients and their families throughout the therapeutic process to identify goals aligned with their values. Dr. Sardoni strives to create a safe, empathic, and affirming environment that empowers clients to connect with their authentic selves and recognize their resilience and strengths.

Specialization

Dr. Sardoni's practice focuses on addressing a range of challenges commonly experienced by neurotypical and neurodivergent children, adolescents, and families, including anxiety, depression, emotion regulation difficulties, attentional issues, and relational concerns. She has received specialized training in delivering neurodivergent-affirming and evidence-based services. Her work with neurodivergent clients (such as clients with autism, ADHD and learning differences) prioritizes partnering with her clients/caregivers, attending to sensory and social needs, and supporting a positive neurodivergent self-identity. Her therapeutic approach is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and informed by family systems and attachment theory. She also values play and movement-based therapeutic activities, incorporating child-led play skills when working with children to support emotion regulation and therapeutic exploration. 

Dr. Sardoni also provides parent coaching services — she is passionate about creating a safe and supportive environment for parents to learn how to best navigate challenging moments in parenting to reduce isolation and increase happiness and harmony within the family system. In parent coaching services, Dr. Sardoni incorporates the RUBI Parent Training Program, SPACE treatment, ACT, and mindfulness-based strategies. 

Education, Training, and Professional Experience

Dr. Sardoni earned her doctoral degree in Clinical and School Psychology from James Madison University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine/Kennedy Krieger Institute in the Pediatric Developmental Disabilities Clinic. Her postdoctoral residency was completed at the VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment, within their Psychological Services department. Her training encompasses community mental health clinics, outpatient clinics within hospital settings, and elementary schools, providing her with a strong foundation in understanding how mental health challenges impact children and families across diverse settings. 

During her graduate and post-graduate training, she obtained certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) after completing supervised practicum hours providing Compassionate Clinical Behavior Analysis (CBA) in outpatient behavioral psychology clinics, department-based interprofessional clinics, and specialized day schools. This experience has shaped her approach, rooted in both measurable skill-building, as well as genuine connection and attunement to her clients' needs.