Dr. Elise Pilchak

Throughout her training, Dr. Pilchak developed a strong passion for child assessment and has worked with individuals across a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and clinical presentations. Her experience includes clinical and research roles at the Stanford University School of Medicine Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Kaiser Permanente Autism Assessment Clinic, the Stanford Autism Research Program, and the Pine Rest Psychological Consultation Center. She has extensive experience in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of neurodevelopmental, mood, anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum, oppositional defiant, and trauma-related disorders using a comprehensive array of assessments and evidence-based interventions.

Dr. Pilchak is also trained in Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), through which she supports children with autism in developing stronger communication, social interaction, and behavioral regulation. She led the clinical research project, “A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Motivation-Based Social Skills Group Treatment with Parent Training,”, which demonstrated significant gains in peer initiations among children with autism, underscoring the importance of integrating parent education into social skills interventions.

She is passionate about working with children and families affected by autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning differences. Dr. Pilchak specializes in parent training and believes that empowering caregivers to actively participate in their child’s treatment leads to improved long-term outcomes. She takes a client-centered, strengths-based approach and utilizes a range of evidence-based treatments tailored to the unique needs of each family. Dr. Pilchak is committed to providing a supportive and compassionate environment where families feel understood, informed, and empowered throughout their therapeutic journey.

Dr. Pilchak currently leads a specialized Teen Social Skills Group for neurodivergent adolescents at Bright Pine Behavioral Health.