Blog

Wallyhood received the following announcement from Dr. Patty Bardina, founder of PEACH: the Psychological and Educational Alliance for Children:

The Psychological and Educational Alliance for Children, or PEACH, officially launched its clinic in December 2025, in a corner of Wallingford’s own Good Shepherd building. Choosing this historic home for wayward girls as a center of support for children and adolescents seemed fitting. Offering a wide range of psychological services designed to help children, adolescents, and young adults receive the support they need to successfully navigate school, the group uses tailored evaluations to identify each child’s unique strengths and challenges and develops a holistic plan of intervention. PEACH’s Clinical Director, Dr. Patty Bardina says, “There are so many Seattle families that are placed on months-long waiting lists for the services they need to alleviate their children’s struggles. We want to do what we can to support them quickly. In the future, we hope to expand to other areas to support more families who can’t access these resources.”

PEACH offers:

• Psychological and Psychoeducational Evaluations: Comprehensive diagnostic test batteries to identify learning disabilities, specific processing issues, or psychological challenges.

• ADHD Evaluations: Detailed assessments of attention, impulsivity, and executive functioning.

• IQ testing: Entry for school admissions or as a screener to identify a child’s processing style.

• Social Skills Groups: Facilitated peer groups where children can practice communication, empathy, and relationship-building with other children.

• Therapy Groups: Peer group therapy for concerns such as anxiety and depression.

How PEACH started:

Patty and Training Director of PEACH, Joan Sato, M.Ed, have been friends since attending the Master’s program in School Counseling at the University of Washington a lifetime ago. In 2023, they were discussing the lack of services available for Seattle families. Patty had worked as a clinical psychologist in private practice, and Joan worked at Seattle Children’s Neuropsychological Consultation Service for over 20 years. Together they knew that many families were on waiting lists for months (sometimes years!) to have their children seen for services that were recommended to them by pediatricians and teachers. To fill this need, Patty and Joan decided that they would open a psychology practice. They brought in Joan’s former coworker from Children’s, Alison Paolozzi, to help as well. Over several months, the three women planned their journey to open PEACH.

When they saw that the Good Shepherd Building had an open space on the top floor, they jumped at the chance to tour it. They loved the inviting, family-friendly environment and decided to renovate the suite. Interestingly, the space was formerly held by Greenpeace, so there is even a ship’s window in the suite. They hired two school psychologists who shared the same concern for families. After months of preparation and hard work, they opened their doors.

The strengths-based philosophy of PEACH was inspired by Patty and Joan’s former mentors, Drs. Pat Morrissey and Carolyn Compton of the Morrissey-Compton Educational Center in Palo Alto, California, and Dr. David Breiger of Seattle Children’s Hospital. For too long, psychologists and educators focused on problems and diagnoses rather than the complex intertwining pattern of both the strengths and weaknesses of each child. Drs. Morrissey, Compton, and Breiger perceived the need for a more comprehensive approach, which the staff at PEACH are eager to continue. They will also continue the tradition of their mentors’ warm, collaborative, team-based approach.

The team includes:

• Patty Bardina, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist: Originally from the Bay Area, she conducted neuropsychological evaluations at Morrissey-Compton Educational Center for ten years and then opened a private practice where she specialized in ADHD, anxiety, and social skills before moving back to Seattle.

• Canella Ontiveros, M.Ed and Karsen Breese, M.Ed., School Psychologists: They are experts in how a child’s profile impacts their learning and academic success.

• Alison Paolozzi, CSP, Psychometrist/Director of Assessments and Training, and Joan Sato, M.Ed., Psychometrist/Training Director: They worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital and have a combined 40 years of testing experience. They are specialists dedicated to the precise administration and scoring of psychological and neuropsychological tests.

PEACH is currently open for business by appointment, Monday–Saturday at 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Suite 520. ‪They can be reached by phone at (206) 627-0197‬ or by email.