LICENSED EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST AROUND Sacramento, Roseville, & Lodi

Celebrating Brains In Every Stage of Growth

Guiding You Through the Challenges of ADHD, Autism, and Learning Differences
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Happy family hugging with their dog, representing confidence gained through Parent Coaching and Consultation.

Clarity Starts Here

Happy family hugging with their dog, representing confidence gained through Parent Coaching and Consultation.

Parenting a child with unique needs can feel overwhelming. You’ve tried various strategies, talked with teachers, maybe even sought outside support, but your child still struggles. Whether it’s focus, behavior, mental health, or schoolwork, you’re left with more questions than solutions.

You deserve clear answers, and your child deserves to be understood and supported.

Meet Dr. Amy Merenda, Ed.D.

Licensed Educational Psychologist #4256

With six years of experience as a public school psychologist and working full-time in private practice, I bring both school-based insight and private practice expertise to every evaluation and support service. My passion lies in helping children and families feel understood, supported, and empowered.

You can expect an approach that is both compassionate and practical, with a focus on neurodiversity-affirming practices and the principles of positive psychology.

Beyond my work with families, I serve as co-chair of the California Association of School Psychologists’ Ad-Hoc Assessment Committee, where I advocate for best practices across the state.

Outside of work, I enjoy listening to podcasts, diving into murder mystery novels, and spending time with my family.

Amy Merenda, Educational Psychologist Serving Elk Grove, Lodi & Sacramento

Why Blooming Brains?

Brains, like flowers, are constantly growing, adapting, and showing their beauty in every stage. I believe children don’t need to be “fixed.” They deserve to be celebrated for who they are today, while being supported as they grow.

Just as we admire nature for its authenticity and transformation, we can admire our brains in the same way. With the right support, every child has the opportunity to flourish, to thrive, and to bloom.

Support for Learning, Behavior, & Mental Health

Let us provide clarity and next steps for:
Our goal isn’t just to provide a label or diagnosis, but to give you actionable recommendations and a path forward so your child can thrive at home, in school, and beyond. Other learning, emotional, and intellectual challenges can also be diagnosed and supported.
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Counties

Sacramento
San Joaquin
Placer
Stanislaus

Cities & Communities

Acampo
Byron
Carmichael
Elk Grove
Escalon
Folsom
Galt
Jackson
Lathrop
Livermore
Lodi
Manteca
Orangevale
Penryn
Rocklin
Roseville
Salida
Stockton
as well as many surrounding areas

Licenses, Degrees & Professional Credentials

Licenses & Certifications

  • Licensed Educational Psychologist, LEP #4256
  • Certified Facilitative Leadership Coach (CFLC), Kelly Mobeck Coaching
  • Certified Specialist in Neurodiversity and Equitable Learning, CSU Chico

Leadership

  • California Association of School Psychologists (CASP)
Co-Chair, Assessment Ad Hoc Committee (2023 to present)
Region X Representative for the greater Sacramento area (2021 to 2023)

Licenses & Certifications

  • Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of the Pacific, 2018
  • Dissertation: Effects of Sustained Attention on the Social Skills of Assertion, Cooperation, Self Control, and Peer Competence Awarded 1st Place, Three Minute Thesis Competition
  • Educational Specialist (Ed.S.), Educational Psychology, University of the Pacific, 2018
  • M.A., Education (Educational Psychology), University of the Pacific, 2015
  • B.A., Psychology, University of the Pacific, 2014

Selected Presentations

  • Ongoing district and school trainings, including El Dorado Charter, Manteca Unified, Elk Grove Unified, Folsom Cordova Unified, Lodi Unified, Ventura County Office of Education, Harvest Ridge Cooperative Charter School, and Fusion Academy
  • Bridging of the Minds, 2026: Neurodiversity-affirming approaches to assessment, executive function, and IEP meetings
  • South Carolina Association of School Psychologists State Conference, 2026
  • Delta Area Association of School Psychologists, 2025
  • CASP Fall Convention, 2022: Executive functioning skills for students, school teams, and school psychologists
  • CASP Fall Convention, 2019: Using creativity to support children in emotional distress
Dr. Merenda is a sought-after speaker for state conventions, professional associations, and school districts across the country. To book her for your conference or training, email info@bloomingbrains.org.

Kind Words About Working With Blooming Brains

Our district recently had the pleasure of working with Dr. Merenda for multiple professional development sessions and it was truly exceptional. Dr. Merenda's expertise as a licensed educational psychologist was evident in every aspect of the training series. She delivered the content in a way that was clear, engaging, and directly relevant to our day-to-day work with students. The training struck the perfect balance between foundational understanding and actionable strategies, leaving our staff feeling informed, confident, and ready to better support diverse learners. The feedback from our team was overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting on how Dr. Merenda made a complex topic accessible and meaningful. Her professionalism, warmth, and deep expertise made this one of the most impactful PD sessions we've had in recent years. We highly recommend Dr. Merenda and would gladly welcome future opportunities to collaborate!

Erica Winn

Dr. Merenda at Blooming Brains is an excellent Educational Psychologist! I have collaborated with her on assessments, reports, and parent meetings as a Speech-Language Pathologist and have learned immensely from her. She is excellent with her clients and has a natural ability to connect with them. Her strengths-based reports are a breath of fresh air and I have seen parents and colleagues personally thank her for the thorough and thoughtful job she does. She is confident in her presentation of assessments and her unique recommendations for each client. Her space in Galt is also very cute, clean, and inviting. I highly recommend her!!

Hannah

I was referred to Dr Merenda as a 504 Plan Advocate. She helped me navigate the challenging waters of requesting and creating a 504 Plan for my son. I could not have accomplished this without her help. I later joined her book club and it has been an insightful and helpful experience, both the books and the connections made in the club. I strongly recommend Dr Merenda for any parent with a student who struggles in school.

Jennifer Constance Stout

Dr. Merenda presented to our staff on October 27, 2025. Her workshop was on Neurodiversity Affirming Practices for Educators. As always Amy's presentation was insightful, informative, and beneficial to our school psychologists, filled with practical ideas and recommendations. All this not surprising as she was once an outstanding school psychologist in the Elk Grove Unified School District!

Armando Fernandez

Dr Amy Merenda is incredibly prepared psychologist . She is so down to earth. Is so passionate about what she does. You can tell the minute you start interacting with her… thank you so much for all your help.

Adelina Martinez

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Merenda. Her approach was impressively thorough, efficient, and grounded in deep clinical skill. Beyond her clear expertise, she brings a level of empathy and thoughtfulness that truly sets her apart. I felt fully confident in her assessment and appreciated her clear communication throughout the process. Dr. Merenda has my highest recommendation, and I sincerely hope to have the chance to work with her again in the future.

Karima Holmes

Amy is kind, thoughtful, and super knowledgeable. I really enjoyed the conversation she led about "Good Inside." The questions she asked were thoughtful and led to interesting conversation from all participants. She created the cutest (and most helpful) documents to accompany the conversation as well.

Paola Clark

Dr. Merenda is the most wonderful clinician and human that I have met. She is truly one of the most in tune, comprehensive, and affirmative evaluators that I have been fortunate to be a referral partner with. I have watched her grow from working within the school setting to her own practice, and the love, growth, and immense heart that she is putting into meeting her families and making sure all of her clients are supported and cared for is top notch. I would recommend her without hesitation to any of my clients, friends, and family. Thank you Dr. Merenda for being such an amazing asset to our neurodiverse community!

Erika Frieze

I have had the pleasure of attending several professional development sessions led by Dr. Amy Merenda, and I always walk away inspired and informed. She has a true gift for taking the complex topic of neurodiversity and making it accessible, engaging, and practical. Her content is not only grounded in research but also full of strategies that can be implemented immediately. I appreciate how clearly she communicates and how she always leaves me with new insights to reflect on. I highly recommend her professional development sessions to any educator or parent looking to better support neurodiverse individuals!

Jenny Ponzuric

Dr. Merenda is an esteemed colleague and collaborator. Her insights are invaluable and she approach every situation with such a supportive and understanding demeanor. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Merenda/Blooming Brains Educational Psychology and her services to anyone looking high quality evaluations and support.

Diana Gilbert

Truly Exceptional! We are incredibly grateful for Amy Merenda for the advice and support we received while working with her. She went above and beyond in every possible way to help us better understand our son's magnificent brain and how we can help him succeed. She didn't just hand us a report- she took the time to create a personalized video explaining everything clearly and with such compassion. Her genuine care for our son was evident in every step of the process. She made sure we understood not just the challenges, but also our son's strengths and gave us practical, realistic strategies to help him at home and at school. Its rare to find someone who puts so much heart into their work and we couldn't admire or recommend her more, She has made an enormous difference for our family and we are so thankful for her dedication and expertise.

Camille C

Your Child’s Challenges Don’t Define Them

With the right support, their strengths can shine, and their struggles can feel less overwhelming. I’m here to walk alongside you, offering answers, compassion, and guidance every step of the way.
Every brain is unique, beautiful, and worthy of the chance to thrive.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Schedule a Free Consultation

Talk to Dr. Merenda