Transforming Lives Center

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Welcome to Transforming Lives Center, where we provide comprehensive evaluations for school-aged children. Nestled on the beautiful island of Oahu, Hawaii, we are proud to be the first private school-based resource center dedicated to supporting children from the community.
Our History
Transforming Lives Center was made possible through the Hawaii Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. Thanks to this support the center opened its doors in June 2022, marking a milestone in educational resources on Oahu.

Transforming Lives Center blessing in June 2022.

Our Vision
Located within the innovative environment of Assets School, Transforming Lives Center aligns with the school’s mission to serve students who are gifted, or those that learn differently, empowering them to become confident and capable learners. Our vision is to create a community where all children can thrive in environments that respect and nurture their unique abilities. Our goal is to support every child by providing thorough assessments and evaluations that help identify their strengths and challenges, so that they can receive targeted support and guidance to maximize their potential for success.

Who We Serve
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

Evaluation Process
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.

Cost

The fee for each comprehensive evaluation is $1,500, which reflects the extensive time, expertise, and resources involved in the process. The fee for IQ testing is $600. These fees are set to cover operational costs and maintain the quality of our services, and are not intended for profit.

Questions and Contact
If you have any questions about the work we do at Transforming Lives Center, or wish to schedule an appointment, please contact us at tlcreg@assets-school.org

Meet Our Clinical Team

Meet Our Clinical Team

Elsa Lee, Ph.D.
Clinical Director and Neuropsychologist

Dr. Lee is a licensed psychologist who has 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.