Dr. Dimitra Robokos Psychological Services PLLC

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Dr. Dimitra Robokos Psychological Services PLLC

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At the private practice, Dr. Robokos provides psychotherapy and neuropsychological and educational evaluations for children, teens, and young adults.

Dr. Robokos works collaboratively with schools and interdisciplinary teams in the care of her patients. Dr. Dimitra Robokos attained her Ph.D. from Columbia University, namely the School Psychology program (Neurosciences and Education Track) at Teachers College. She also received her Master's Degree in Education from there (School Psychology) and a Master's Degree in Philosophy. Dr. Robokos is a NYS Licensed Psychologist, a NYS Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and a NYS Certified School Psychologist. As an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Dr. Robokos works with medical residents in the Department of Pediatrics teaching in the areas of child development, special education, and developmental disabilities. Dr. Robokos also taught as an Adjust Assistant Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, her alma mater, for several years, where she taught courses in the Department of Health and Behavior Studies (i.e., courses on the assessment/diagnosis and intervention of learning disabilities). In private practice, for nearly 15 years, Dr. Robokos continues to collaborate closely with schools in NYC, Westchester, and Long Island. She consults with school teams, works on various media projects, and practices as a clinical psychologist providing therapy for children, teens, and young adults, as well as in offering comprehensive, thoughtful, and practical neuropsychoeducational evaluations. Her earlier career spanned working in many school settings in and around NYC as a school psychologist, with children in foster care, at UNICEF, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, and at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital's Pediatric Cancer Unit among other places. She is passionate about working with children and families and has dedicated her life to serving others with a high level of commitment, regard, and care.

08/27/2026

Navigating the College Transition: What Students, Families, and Campus Communities Should Know by Madeline Gottlob, B.A.: Starting college is one of the biggest developmental shifts a young person will go through.

It brings new freedom and friendships, but also asks students to manage unfamiliar academic demands, a new physical environment, and a social network they have to build from scratch. Uniquely, these changes happen all at once.

Understanding what's normal during this transition, why it's so destabilizing, and where the warning signs of something more serious begin can help students, parents, faculty, and campus staff support first-year students more effectively.

How Common are Adjustment Struggles?
Difficulty adjusting to college is closer to the norm than the exception. Research on educational transitions and young adult mental health has found that shifts like these are frequently accompanied by loneliness and psychological strain. In fact, a study by English et al., (2017) which surveyed a population of 174 undergraduate students, found that 94% of students experience some homesickness during their first term. Homesickness during the first term of college was also linked to a range of adjustment difficulties, spanning social and academic domains. This highlights how common it is to struggle during the college transition and its scoping impacts on mental health. Read more: https://childtherapysupport.com/blog/navigating-the-college-transition-what-students-families-and-campus-communities-should-know

08/21/2026

Back-to-School Anxiety and Tips for Parents (by Madeline Gottlob, B.A.): The end of summer brings a familiar mix of emotions for students and parents alike.

There is excitement about new beginnings, but also a fair amount of dread. For many children, returning to school means adjusting to new routines, new environments, and new social dynamics all at once. At the same time, parents are gearing up for schedule changes and various logistical balancing acts. This kind of change is bound to stir up some anxiety. The good news is that with the right preparation and support, parents can help their kids move through this transition feeling capable and excited rather than overwhelmed and worried.

Why the Transition Feels So Hard
Starting a new school year asks a lot of kids. They have to adapt to new expectations, build new habits, and often navigate shifting social roles, all within a short period of time. That kind of large-scale change is naturally disorienting. Uncertainty, like not knowing what a new teacher will be like, whether they'll make friends, or how the day will unfold, tends to be one of the biggest drivers of anxiety.

Certain situations can intensify these feelings as well. Big transitions like starting kindergarten, moving into middle or high school, or heading off to college, carry more uncertainty than a typical year. The same goes for changes in a child's social world, like a best friend switching schools or moving away.

It doesn't help that parents often feel the stress of these scenarios too. When children are met with change and ambiguity, some parents try to manage every variable in an attempt to protect their child from discomfort. This can backfire, and ultimately amplifies the very anxiety they're trying to prevent. It reinforces the fear of change and need for control. Read more: https://childtherapysupport.com/blog/back-to-school-anxiety-and-tips-for-parents

08/03/2026

Perfectionism in Children and Adolescents (by Madeline Gottlob, B.A.): Many parents want their children to work hard, set high standards, and take pride in their accomplishments. But there's an important difference between healthy high achievement and perfectionism.

Understanding this difference can help parents support their children's growth and boost confidence without adding unnecessary pressure.

Healthy Striving vs. Perfectionism
Healthy striving looks like a child who works hard, cares about doing well, and takes pride in their effort. When things don't go perfectly, they're able to bounce back. A setback might sting, but it doesn't completely disrupt their sense of self.

Perfectionism is different. It develops when a child's sense of self-worth becomes tied to their performance. For these children, anything less than perfect can feel like a personal failure rather than simply an isolated imperfect outcome. Read more: https://childtherapysupport.com/blog/perfectionism-in-children-and-adolescents

07/16/2026

Understanding Pediatric OCD (by Madeline Gottlob, B.A.):
If your child washes their hands over and over, needs their shoes lined up “just right,” or can't stop asking you the same question, it's natural to wonder where the line is between an age-appropriate habit and something that needs professional attention.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in children is more common than many parents realize, and recognizing it early can make a meaningful difference in symptom reduction and long-term well-being.

What Is Pediatric OCD?
Definition
OCD involves two connected components:

Obsessions — Unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that occur repeatedly and cause distress.
Compulsions — Rituals or behaviors a child feels driven to perform in response to those obsessions.
A child with OCD usually recognizes that the thought or ritual comes from their own mind, finds it upsetting rather than enjoyable, and struggles to resist it, even when they understand that it may not make logical sense.

For clinicians to consider these symptoms as OCD rather than typical childhood habits, they must be genuinely distressing, interfere with daily functioning, and occur on most days for at least two weeks. Read more: https://childtherapysupport.com/blog/understanding-pediatric-ocd

07/02/2026

The Mental Health Benefits of Summer for Children and Teens: By Madeline Gottlob, B.A. | As the school year winds down and summer begins, many families notice a shift not just in schedule, but in mood. There is real science behind why so many children, teens, and adults feel lighter and happier during the summer months. From increased sunlight to more time for play and connection, summer offers a unique combination of factors that can support psychological well-being.

Sunlight, Serotonin, and Mood
One of the most well documented connections between summer and mental health involves sunlight exposure. When the body is exposed to more daylight, it produces higher levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a central role in regulating mood, sleep, and appetite. Research shows that serotonin turnover is significantly higher during the summer months, and sunlight exposure alone can increase serotonin production by as much as 50 percent (Brown, n.d.). This means that the body synthesizes, utilizes, and recycles serotonin at a faster rate when exposed to bright sunlight. This is also why individuals tend to feel down or low on overcast or dark days when serotonin turnover is reduced.

This boost in serotonin is part of why sunlight has been linked to improvements in mood, calm, and focus, and why sunlight can be especially beneficial for individuals experiencing depression. In fact, light therapy is a recognized treatment for seasonal depression.

Vitamin D, which the body synthesizes through sun exposure, also plays a role in supporting brain health. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to a higher risk of depression and seasonal affective disorder. This means that during the summer, abundant sunshine helps to reverse the impacts of low vitamin D and boost well-being (Brown, n.d.). Read more: https://therapyassociates.nyc/blog/the-mental-health-benefits-of-summer-for-children-and-teens

06/17/2026

Understanding Group Socialization Theory: How Peer Groups Shape Childhood and Adolescent Development: Most parenting advice operates on the assumption that the way you raise your child determines who they become. But what if that assumption is wrong?

In the 1990s, psychologist Judith Rich Harris turned the field of developmental psychology on its head with a controversial idea. After years of research into why siblings raised in the same household so often turn out completely different, Harris proposed that the answer wasn't found at home at all. It was found on the playground, in the classroom, and among friends.

Her Group Socialization Theory, introduced in her 1998 book The Nurture Assumption, argued that peer groups, not parents, are the primary force shaping a child's personality. The debate it sparked continues to influence how we think about child development today.

What Is Group Socialization Theory?
Group Socialization Theory proposes that peer groups, not parents, serve as the most influential environmental factor in a child's social development.

Harris built her theory around several central propositions:

Parents have minimal long-term impact on shaping a child's personality.
Similarities between parents and children largely stem from shared genetics and cultural background rather than direct parental teaching.
The experiences children have outside the home, particularly within their peer groups, are where personality truly takes shape. Read More: https://therapyassociates.nyc/blog/understanding-group-socialization-theory-how-peer-groups-shape-childhood-and-adolescent-development

06/01/2026

Separation Anxiety: What It Is, When It's a Problem, and How to Treat It: Separation anxiety is the distress children feel when separated from a parent or caregiver.

It is a normal and common developmental phase, typically appearing between 9 and 18 months old. Most children grow out of it by preschool. However, a small percentage do not. About 3% of children carry this anxiety into elementary school, and around 8% of teens aged 13 and older still experience it.

Although many children will experience some level of separation anxiety throughout their lives, when the anxiety is excessive, persistent, and interferes with daily functioning, it may be diagnosed as Separation Anxiety Disorder. This can be identified as early as preschool but can also occur in adolescents and adults.

Symptoms
Separation Anxiety Disorder extends beyond occasionally challenging school departures and acute bouts of clinginess. The disorder is diagnosed when symptoms are incongruous with the person's developmental stage and disruptive to everyday life.

Common signs include:

Intense distress when separated from home or loved ones
Constant worry that something bad will happen to attachment figures while apart
Refusal to participate in age-appropriate activities like sleepovers, school trips, or extracurriculars
Clinging, following caregivers around the house, and inability to be alone
Refusing to sleep away from home or without a caregiver nearby
Recurring nightmares involving separation
Physical complaints such as stomachaches or headaches before separations
Panic attacks in some cases
Separation Anxiety Disorder frequently co-occurs with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression. Read more: https://childtherapysupport.com/blog/separation-anxiety-what-it-is-when-it-s-a-problem-and-how-to-treat-it

05/19/2026

Born This Way? Birth Order, Personality, and the Limits of the Theory: Are you the responsible oldest child, the peace-keeping middle child, or the free-spirited youngest?

Most of us have heard these labels, and many of us see ourselves in them. Since the early 20th century, psychologists have explored whether the order in which we are born into a family shapes who we become.

Alfred Adler, one of the founding figures of personality psychology, was among the first to formalize this idea, arguing that birth position creates distinct developmental trajectories. It's a compelling framework, but how much of it actually holds up?

This article walks through what birth order theory proposes, what the research really says, and why the full picture of human development is far more complex. Read more: https://therapyassociates.nyc/blog/born-this-way-birth-order-personality-and-the-limits-of-the-theory

04/28/2026

The Roots of Kindness: How Prosocial Behavior Develops in Children: By Madeline Gottlob, B.A.

Prosocial behaviors are defined as “voluntary acts intended to benefit others” (Hammond, 2026).

These range from small, everyday moments of sharing, caring, and helping, to larger charitable and philanthropic efforts. While large-scale prosocial behaviors are more common in adolescence and adulthood, the foundations of prosocial development are laid remarkably early in life.

The Toddler Years: Learning Through Care
Prosocial behavior has both biological and socio-cultural roots. From birth, babies begin learning which behaviors are helpful and beneficial to others by being adequately cared for themselves. For instance, when a mother feeds her baby a bottle, the baby will eventually begin holding the bottle on their own, arguably because they understand that doing so is helpful to their caregiver.

As dexterity improves, toddlers may begin to grab hard-to-reach objects for their parents or point to items that have fallen. At this stage, prosocial behavior is primarily sympathy-based. This means that they help based on compassion and concern for their caregivers, rather than self-serving motives. Read more: https://therapyassociates.nyc/blog/the-roots-of-kindness-how-prosocial-behavior-develops-in-children

04/21/2026

How Attachment Styles Impact Early Friendships: In the mid-20th century, psychologist John Bowlby developed attachment theory, a line of work that has garnered widespread acceptance across academic, social, behavioral, and occupational fields.

His research examined how early caregiver relationships influence behavior and development, finding that varying relational experiences between child and parent produce varying impacts on future psychosocial outcomes. These impacts manifest in the ways individuals interact with others and form relationships throughout their lives. While attachment styles are commonly understood to shape adult romantic relationships, their effects are visible even in early childhood friendships. Read more:
https://childtherapysupport.com/blog/how-attachment-styles-impact-early-friendships

Address

215 West 90th Street
New York, NY
10024

Telephone

+6462330250

Website

https://childtherapysupport.com/

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