Imagine trying to navigate the complexities of growing up in our current world, especially when challenges associated with neurodiversity (e.g., ADHD and executive functioning weakness, autism spectrum disorder, or learning differences) is part of the mix. You and your child may need an expert guide who is equipped with the knowledge, tools, and experience to help make sense of it all. Meet Dr. James (Gunner) Goodlad, PhD, your specialist in child and adolescent assessment and therapy, and your guide on this journey.
Gunner specializes in testing for children aged 6 to 18 years with assessments that help clarify cognitive abilities as well as academic achievement and learning differences. Gunner is also trained to provide comprehensive evaluations for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using “gold standard” measures like the ADOS-2. Yet, Gunner’s role as your guide doesn’t end there. He works to provide thoughtful recommendations for parents and schools based on your child’s unique assessment results.
Although he mostly completes assessments, Gunner also enjoys helping middle- and high schoolers make improvements to their behavioral and emotional self-regulation, social skills, and social problem-solving. Gunner takes a patient and thoughtful approach to understand his clients’ needs, fostering their self-efficacy, and equipping them with the tools they need to navigate their world confidently.
Gunner completed his B.S. in Psychology (and History!) at Belmont University in Nashville. He completed his M.A, and Ph.D. in clinical psychology at The University of Southern Mississippi. Gunner finished his predoctoral internship at the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s UAB-BVAMC program, and he completed his postdoctoral fellowship at UAB’s Civitan-Sparks Clinics with a focus on developmental assessment.
Gunner is a huge nerd. He likes Star Wars stuff, reads comics, and is usually playing one or two big video games a year to earn platinum trophies. Gunner also likes collecting vintage video games and vinyl records. As the saying goes, “special interests are his special interest!”
With Dr. Goodlad as your guide, you can help your child or teen confidently navigate the challenges of growing up. Your child is the hero of their own story, and he’s here to help them understand themselves well and conquer obstacles in practical ways.
Likes:
Music: American Football, Minus the Bear, Explosions in the Sky, MF DOOM, Owen, Free Throw.
Podcasts: Comedy Bang! Bang!, Get Played, The Distraction, Normal Gossip.
Video Games: Super Smash Bros. (N64), Fallout 3 & New Vegas (PS3), Earthbound (SNES), The Last of Us Pt. 1 (PS4), Tony Hawk’s Underground (PS2), Super Mario 3 (NES).
Movies: Mallrats, The Empire Strikes Back, Requiem for a Dream, Hot Fuzz, The Big Lebowski, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
