About Dr. Maya

Aloha! My name is Dr. Maya Matheis and I am the Director of the Mango Tree Center. I’m a clinical psychologist dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and adults with autism and other forms of neurodivergence. My specialties include neurodiversity-affirming diagnostic evaluations, parent coaching, and mental health support. I am committed to serving culturally diverse families with humility, curiosity, and care.

My clinical approach is rooted in three core values: alliance, respect, and empathy.

Alliance: I believe in forming a strong, collaborative relationship with each client and their ʻohana. We work as partners toward shared goals.
Respect: I treat all people with dignity and affirm all identities. As someone who is mixed-race, disabled, and multicultural, I deeply value inclusive care that honors lived experience. I also strongly support the neurodiversity movement and believe that neurodivergent people are the experts on their own needs.
Empathy: I strive to provide a safe, nonjudgmental space for clients to explore their thoughts and feelings. I will listen and learn alongside you.

I have 15 years of experience working with neurodivergent individuals and their families. My work is deeply informed by my early experiences in direct support roles—including as a respite care provider, paraprofessional in special education classrooms, and social worker in community clinics—which taught me the importance of meeting each individual and family with empathy, flexibility, and respect for their lived experience.

I am passionate about making evidence-based practices more accessible outside of research settings. As a researcher, I actively integrate the latest findings into my clinical work. I currently serve as an affiliated researcher with the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, with research interests focused on autism interventions in community and low-resource settings, and mental health treatment for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities.

In regards to my training, I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology from Louisiana State University, with a focus on neuropsychological assessment and evidence-based interventions. Before that, I completed a Master of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, with a concentration in child mental health. Both my predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship were completed at the UC Davis MIND Institute, where I received advanced training in neurodevelopmental conditions and trauma interventions care. I am also an alum of the Northern California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program and the Autism Research Training Program (ARTP). Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of autistic individuals and their families and learning from leaders in the field of autism research.

Licensure

Hawai‘i, #PSY19790

California, #PSY32638

Clinical Training

2019-2021 Postdoctoral Scholar, UC Davis MIND Institute

2020 Certification in Project ImPACT

2019 Certification in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

2018-2019 APA-Accredited Predoctoral Psychology Internship, UC Davis CAARE Center & MIND Institute

2018-2019 Northern California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program

Education

2019 PhD, Clinical Psychology, Louisiana State University

2014 MSW, Child Mental Health, Washington University in St. Louis

2007 BA, Psychology, Bard College at Simon’s Rock

Selected Peer-Reviewed Articles

Franz, L., Goodwin, C. D., Rieder, A., Matheis, M., & Damiano, D. L. (2022). Early intervention for very young children with or at high likelihood for autism spectrum disorder: An overview of reviews. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 64(9), 1063–1076.

Boyd, B. A., Stahmer, A. C., Odom, S. L., Wallisch, A., & Matheis, M. (2022). It’s time to close the research to practice gap in autism: The need for implementation science. Autism : The International Journal of Research and Practice, 26(3), 569–574.

Cervantes, P. E., Matheis, M., Estabillo, J., Seag, D. E. M., Nelson, K. L., Peth-Pierce, R., Hoagwood, K. E., & Horwitz, S. M. (2021). Trends over a decade in NIH funding for autism spectrum disorder services research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(8), 2751–2763.

Matheis, M., Matson, J.L., Hong, E., & Cervantes, P.E. (2019). Gender differences and similarities: Autism symptomatology and developmental functioning in young children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(3), 1219-1231.

Issarraras, A., Matson, J.L., Matheis, M., & Burns, C.O. (2019). Differences in developmental concerns of young children with autism spectrum disorder across racial/ethnic groups. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 22(3), 174-179.

Matheis, M., Matson, J.L., & Burns, C.O. (2018). Premature birth, low birth weight, and positive screening for autism spectrum disorder in an early intervention sample. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 30(5), 689–705.

Jiang, X., Matson, J.L., Cervantes, P.E., Matheis, M., & Burns, C.O. (2017). Gastrointestinal issues in infants and children with autism and developmental delays. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 1–11.

Matson, J.L., Matheis, M., Burns, C.O., Esposito, G., Venuti, P., Pisula, E., … Goldin, R.L. (2017). Examining cross-cultural differences in autism spectrum disorder: A multinational comparison from Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland, and the United States. European Psychiatry, 42, 70–76.

Matheis, M., Matson, J.L., Burns, C.O., Jiang, X., Peters, W.J., Moore, M., … Estabillo, J. (2016). Factors related to parental age of first concern in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 20(4), 228–235.

Matheis, M., & Matson, J.L. (2015). Autism spectrum disorder screening refusal rates: Findings from a statewide early intervention program. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 27(6), 755-770.

Selected Book Chapters

Matheis, M. (2020) Assessment and diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in individuals with intellectual disability. In J.L. Matson (Eds). Handbook of dual diagnosis: Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment in persons with intellectual disabilities (pp. 267-283). Springer.

Matson, J. L., Matheis, M., Estabillo, J.A., Burns, C.O., Issarraras, A., Peters, W.J., & Jiang, X. (2019). Intellectual disability. In M. J. Prinstein, E. A. Youngstrom, E. J. Mash, & R. A. Barkley (Eds.). Treatment of disorders in childhood and adolescence, 4th edition (416-447). New York: Guilford Publications.

Matheis, M. & Estabillo, J.A. (2018). Assessment of fine and gross motor skills in children. In J. L. Matson (Eds). Handbook of childhood psychopathology and developmental disabilities: Assessment. New York: Springer

Matheis, M., Estabillo, J. A., & Matson, J. L. (2017). Managing challenging behavior in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. In M. Gelbar (Eds). Adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: A clinical handbook. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Matheis, M., & Turygin, N. C. (2016). Depression and autism. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Handbook of assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (pp. 285–300). Springer International Publishing.