About the Doctor

Dr. Karina Poirier is a certified cognitive therapist and the founder of the Center for Social Cognition. Her current research includes the role of social interaction-based treatment for improving both theory of mind and executive function in children with autism and the use of cognitive education based instruction for remediating learning disabilities. She is the developer of the Social Intentional Method (SIM), a developmentally based approach to treating children with developmental disorders. Her clinical practice is devoted to providing outstanding one-to-one and group therapy that improves social outcomes for individuals with Autism, ADHD, Traumatic Brain Injury, and related cognitive impairments. Dr. Poirier’s expertise, compassion, dedication, and fervor for helping children to reach their highest potential are Dr. Poirier’s strengths in the clinical field. She holds high standards for her practice, high expectations of each child, and confidence in her ability to advance the social cognitive development of each child. The enthusiasm and gusto she brings to her practice motivates both children and their parents to strive for success; it can be assured that Dr. Poirier will exceed all expectations and go the extra mile to meet the unique needs of each child in her practice.

AFFILIATIONS
Northcentral University Alumni (NCU)
International Association for Cognitive Education and Psychology (IACE)
American Psychological Association (APA)
Association of Educational Therapists (AET)
Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA)

PHILOSOPHY
The Social Intentional Method (SIM) is based on the clinical research suggesting that autism involves disruptions in information processing and in executive functioning, and that theory of mind is not innate. Theory of mind is defined as one’s ability to understand and predict the intentions, thoughts, and emotions of others. At the risk of oversimplification, we believe that autism and related disorders are a result of executive dysfunction that leads to an underdeveloped theory of mind. SIM focuses on teaching interpersonal problem solving, social interaction, and affective knowledge. The Center for Social Cognition is unwaveringly devoted to providing superior therapeutic services for improving the prognosis of children with autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asperger’s Syndrome, and Traumatic Brain Injury.