Transforming Lives Center

Our History
The Hawaii Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund made the Transforming Lives Center possible. Thanks to this support, the center opened its doors in June 2022, marking a milestone in educational resources on Oahu.

At Transforming Lives Center, we provide tailored evaluations for children starting at age 5 from the community and across Oahu and neighboring islands. We welcome families seeking clarity and support for children across a broad spectrum of needs, including:

• Giftedness: Identifying advanced intellectual and creative abilities.
• Learning Differences: Providing support for children who face difficulties with academic (i.e. reading, writing, math), cognitive processing, attention, or executive functioning skills, such as organization, attention, and problem-solving.
• Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Challenges: Understanding and addressing concerns in interpersonal skills, emotional regulation, and daily functioning.

We specialize in evaluating and diagnosing:

• Dyslexia (reading learning disorder), Dysgraphia (writing learning disorder), Dyscalculia (math learning disorder)
• ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Anxiety, Depression, and other mood disorders
• Neurodevelopmental disorders

Our evaluations are customized based on the specific referral question. Here’s what a typical evaluation is involved:

• Initial Intake with Parent(s): A virtual meeting to gather the child’s developmental and psychosocial history, understand parent concerns, and identify the goals of the evaluation.
• In-Person Testing with Child: Assessment of the child’s cognitive abilities, academic skills, and socioemotional functioning through standardized tests and interactive tasks.
• Collateral Information: Gathering input from parents, teachers, and other caregivers to understand the child’s functioning across various settings.
• Record Review: A thorough review of any educational, medical, or other relevant records provided by the family.
• Classroom Observation (if indicated): When appropriate, a team member may visit the child’s classroom to observe their behaviors and interactions in a natural school environment.
• Data Analysis, Interpretation, and Report Writing: After completing all assessments, the examiners analyze the data, interpret the findings, and compile a comprehensive report.
• Feedback Session: A virtual meeting with parent(s) to discuss the test results, share key findings, and provide tailored recommendations. After the session, parents will receive an electronic copy of the report.

Elsa Lee, Ph.D., Clinical Director and Neuropsychologist

Dr. Lee is a licensed psychologist with more than 15 years of experience working in community mental health clinics, schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. Dr. Lee completed her bachelor's degree in Psychology at the University of Virginia. She then pursued her master's degree in mental health counseling at Columbia University and her doctorate at New York University, specializing in counseling psychology and clinical neuropsychology. Dr. Lee is passionate about working with children and families, providing psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments for individuals with learning disabilities, neurodevelopmental disorders, neurological problems, and psychiatric conditions. She is keen on providing short-term psychotherapy using evidence-based interventions. Aside from clinical work, she has designed and taught graduate-level psychology courses as an adjunct faculty member at New York University.

When not working, Dr. Lee enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, playing music, volunteering at church, and traveling.