Psychology Team – Child Study Center

Margaret Dempsey, Tracy L. Harrington, Krista Kulesza and Neslihan Gul Chandler Working with children who have neuro-developmental and behavioral issues can be a daunting task but the Psychology Team at the Child Study Center goes about its challenging demands with patience, dedication and professionalism. Through extensive testing and evaluation, the team helps place children in the proper education track so they can achieve their full potential. “Starting as a young child, I always wanted to be involved in working to help others through compassion, care and helping them understand their challenges,” says Margaret Dempsey, director of psychology. Other members of the team include Tracy L. Harrington, Krista Kulesza and Neslihan Gul Chandler. Dempsey received her bachelor’s degree in biology, as well as her master’s and doctoral degrees in school psychology, at the University of Texas at Austin. She completed her internship in a pediatric psychology medical clinic and hospital at Michigan State University. Upon graduation, she became an assistant professor in the psychology department at Tulane University. After Hurricane Katrina, Dempsey relocated to the Metroplex to be closer to her family. Her interests include the assessment of children with learning difficulties, anxiety disorders, ADHD and autistic spectrum disorders. Harrington’s interests include the assessment of children and adolescents, including ADHD, developmental delays and autism. She completed her undergraduate study at Oklahoma State University and her master and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at the University of Tulsa. She completed her pre- and post- doctoral fellowships at the University of Alabama. “My interest in psychology and child development started in a high school psychology class when we completed reasoning tasks with young children,” Harrington says. “It sparked my interest in how people learn and acquire new skills overtime, which grew into an aspiration of working with children with neuro-developmental and behavioral issues.” Kulesza studied psychology at UT Austin and received both a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling psychology and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Her post-doctoral fellowship was completed at the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. Her interests include pediatric assessment, with a special interest in ADHD and autism. Chandler earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and Spanish at UT Austin and received her master’s degree in psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Field Graduate University, with a specialty in pediatric psychology. She completed an internship at the Children’s Treatment Center and University of New Mexico in pediatric psychology. Her two-year post-doctoral fellowship is being completed at the Child Study Center under Dempsey’s supervision. Chandler’s interests include infant and child assessment, play therapy, parenting skills training and autism.     Who is your biggest inspiration? “My biggest inspiration is Joyce Mauk, the CEO and medical director of the Child Study Center,” Dempsey says. “She has a wonderful and unique blend and balance of dedication, intelligence and friendliness, while pursuing long-range vision and goals for making our center the best it can be.” – Betty Dillard