Georgia Autism Center | Autism Specialist | Pediatric Psychology

Ria M. Travers, Ph.D. is a Georgia licensed psychologist dedicated to providing evidence-based care for children, adolescents, and their families. Dr. Travers specializes in clinical child psychology and the comprehensive assessment of neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders. She is experienced in evaluating individuals on the autism spectrum from early childhood through adulthood. She also has extensive experience providing assessment and therapy for a variety of emotional and behavioral disorders (including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), disruptive behavior disorders, anxiety and depression) in a range of treatment settings. Dr. Travers’ strong background in therapy and psychological research informs her assessment approach, as her goal throughout the evaluation process is to identify individualized, empirically-supported interventions to best support each client and their family. Additionally, Dr. Travers respects the role of cultural context in understanding mental health concerns and is dedicated to conducting developmentally- and culturally-informed psychological assessment.

Dr. Travers’ interest in working with pediatric populations was sparked during her undergraduate training at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and completed additional coursework in human development and special education. As an undergraduate, Dr. Travers served as a research assistant in multiple developmental and clinical child psychology research labs. Subsequently, she completed an honors thesis examining the association between ethnicity and behavioral symptoms. Following graduation, Dr. Travers was employed as a research assistant for a multi-site study within the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Her experience in this position motivated her to pursue graduate training in clinical psychology. 

Dr. Travers earned her Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Clinical Psychology (Clinical Child specialization) from West Virginia University. She was trained within a scientist-practitioner model to both provide clinical services and conduct psychological research. During her graduate training, Dr. Travers delivered assessment and therapy services to children and adults in university-based clinics, hospitals, and community mental health centers. She strongly aligns with behavioral and cognitive-behavioral treatment approaches and has been trained in several specific treatment modalities, including Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Functional Family Therapy (FFT). Dr. Travers also received specialized training in neuropsychological assessment for medical disorders, genetic conditions, and traumatic injuries at West Virginia University Hospital. Informed by her clinical experiences, Dr. Travers’ research interests focused on the study of children as victims and witnesses of trauma and maltreatment, as well as the dissemination of evidence-based interventions for children and families. Her master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation examined cognitive processes and the forensic implications of cognitive interventions.

Dr. Travers completed an American Psychological Association accredited internship at Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Within the Behavioral Psychology department, she provided therapeutic interventions to children and families using behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, and family systems techniques to address a range of internalizing and externalizing concerns. Dr. Travers sought further training specifically in psychological assessment through her postdoctoral fellowship at Georgia Pediatric Psychology. She evaluated children and adolescents with developmental delays, learning disabilities, medical/genetic conditions, trauma histories, emotional/behavioral disorders, and other psychiatric concerns. Dr. Travers developed a particular interest in autism assessment throughout her postdoctoral training and was eager to continue specialized practice in neurodevelopmental disorders at the Georgia Autism Center.

Dr. Travers received the Banneker/Key Scholarship at the University of Maryland and the Swiger Doctoral Fellowship from West Virginia University. She has presented at several psychology conferences and co-authored multiple psychology journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Travers is a professional member of the American Psychological Association, Georgia Psychological Association, and Division 53: Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.