Our Team

Lauren Elder, PhD, ABPP
Owner & Licensed Psychologist

Ascent Services are led by Dr. Elder who has over 20 years of experience providing consulting services in the U.S. as well as internationally. Clients include families, clinics, foundations, government agencies and corporations with behavioral products in development.

Dr. Elder is highly sought after to deliver trainings on a variety of early intervention and mental health topics. She has diverse experience including helping to develop a prototype for a digital autism intervention, guiding clinics in the development of their services offerings and helping families evaluate and choose from a variety of early intervention services. Dr. Elder integrates evidence-based approaches and neurodiversity affirming approaches to help all clients from families to corporations develop and implement a plan of action.

Dr. Elder completed her internship and postdoctoral work at UCLA. Her internship was focused on developmental disabilities, and she gained extensive experience treating autistic children and children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Her postdoctoral work involved developing an intervention for children as young as 12 months experiencing developmental delay. She attended graduate school at the University of Washington, where she was involved a number of research and clinical activities. She also received extensive training in psychological assessment and psychotherapy through her work with children, adults, and families. Her training encompassed autism, ADHD, trauma, developmental delay, depression, anxiety, divorce, and many other common reasons for seeking therapy.

Jordan “JP” Pollard, MSW, M.Ed.
Practicum Student

Jordan is a Ph.D. school psychology student at the University of Cincinnati and is currently a Provost Fellow. He completed his master’s in social work at the University of Pittsburgh and was awarded the Edith Baker Fellowship which specialized in integrated health care working to bridge the gap between physical health, mental health, and health behavior. Following his master’s, JP was awarded the Heinz Fellowship. This fellowship was social justice-oriented, specifically working with students in urban schools in collaboration with teachers, staff, and school leaders to support students in academic, social, and emotional growth. Most recently, he completed his master’s in education at the University of Cincinnati.

JP has many years of both research and clinical experience working with children and adolescents. Over the last several years, JP has worked with children, youth, and adults with a variety of diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. He has provided individual and group counseling based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational interviewing (MI). Recently, JP has spent most of his time in the areas of special education, reading, and challenging behaviors. Currently, he plans to gain and develop his skills in assessments of possible Learning Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders. As a practicum student, JP’s clinical work is being supervised by Dr. Lauren Elder, Licensed Clinical Psychologist.

Amy Glubzinski LISW-S, M.Ed.
Practicum Student

Amy is a current PhD school psychology student at The University of Cincinnati. She completed a Master’s in Education as she continues to work toward her PhD. She previously completed a master’s in social work from The University of Pittsburgh and is now a Licensed Independent Social Worker.

Amy has many years of experience working in the pediatric mental health field including early childhood mental health therapy, early childhood day treatment, and crisis counseling roles. Amy has experience working with kids with a variety of mental health diagnoses including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Amy specializes in play therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Amy is passionate about utilizing a strength based and solution focused approach in her practice. Amy was named a 2023 Health Care Hero under the provider category by the Cincinnati Business Courier for her work with a Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care program. Amy is a practicum student working under the supervision of Dr. Lauren Elder, as she continues to build her skills in assessments and in providing neurodivergent affirming care.

Shannon Carley M.A.
Practicum Student

Shannon is currently a Psy.D. student in Xavier University’s clinical psychology program, and has completed a Master’s degree in psychology from Xavier University.

Shannon’s main area of interest is children and adolescents, and she has experience in intervention and assessment in school-based and community mental health organizations. Shannon has experience working with children and adolescents with a variety of diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD. She is currently working on her dissertation related to anxiety and uncertainty in college students with autism. Shannon has worked for several years in Xavier University’s X-Path program, which provides academic and social support for neurodivergent students. Shannon is passionate about providing neurodiversity-affirming care and emphasizing client strengths. Shannon is a practicum student working under the supervision of Dr. Lauren Elder.