Davida is an Adjunct Professor in the UCD School of Psychology. She is a Principal Psychologist, Clinical Director and co-founder of The Children’s Clinic. Davida is also an author of a number of books published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers which aim to support autistic children and teenagers to reach their potential and live happy and fulfilled lives.  

Her next book “The Neurodiversity Affirmative Child Autism Assessment Handbook” is out late 2024.

Davida also founded The Adult Autism Practice at www.adultautism.ie and www.adultautism.co.uk providing respectful, neurodiversity affirmative, strengths based adult autism assessments (identification), where she is Clinical Director.

Davida attained her undergraduate psychology degree from Trinity College Dublin and graduated from her Masters in Educational Psychology from University College Dublin with a first class honours.

Davida  has  been working with children (and more recently adults) with additional needs for over twenty five years, including placements in Crumlin Children’s Hospital and a range of special schools. Prior to setting up The Children's Clinic, she worked as a Senior Psychologist in HSE Disability Services in Carlow/Kilkenny and prior to this in HSE Beechpark Services, Dublin (providing specialist services to autistic children and their families). 

Davida is also a lecturer and trainer, providing consultation in the area of disability (and in particular autism) to a number of different groups and agencies including Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, the National Council of Special Education and the National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS) in addition to presenting training workshops at Psychological Society of Ireland conferences. She has presented recently at the As I AM and Cork Autism conferences. 

In 2023, Davida was invited to present to the Irish government’s Joint Committee on Autism. See here to read a copy of her opening statement.

Davida has contributed to local and national media including Prime Time (discussing the importance of the regulation of psychologists) The Irish Times, The Sunday Independent, Newstalk, the Irish Independent, KCLR Radio and the Organisation for Autism Research as well as professional publications in The Irish Psychologist and the British Psychological Society journal.

Davida is a Chartered Educational & Child Psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI).  

She is a passionate advocate for the rights and meaningful inclusion of Autistic people in Ireland. She is late identified ADHD.

Davida’s fifth book, The Little Book of Autism FAQs: Talking to Your Child About Their Autism Diagnosis and Other Conversations (published by Jessica Kingsley) supports Autistic children understand their Autistic identity.   

Davida is not currently seeing clients within The Children’s Clinic, but is very happy to link parents with one of our other team members, who she works very closely with.

Click the links to follow Davida on Twitter and Facebook.

See www.davidahartman.ie for more information.

Publications: 

• The Adult Autism Assessment Handbook: A Neurodiversity Affirmative Approach (2023) Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

• Beating Anxiety: What Young People on the Autism Spectrum Need to Know (2017) Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

• The Growing Up Book for Boys: What Boys on the Autism Spectrum Need to Know! (2015) Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

• The Growing Up Guide for Girls: What Boys on the Autism Spectrum Need to Know! (2015) Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

• Sexuality and Relationship Education for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Professional’s Guide to Understanding, Preventing Issues, Supporting Sexuality and Responding to Inappropriate Behaviours (2013) Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

• Supporting Children with Autism Through Adolescence and Beyond (July, 2014) The Irish Psychologist.

Here is an interview that Davida did with Autism Journeys in 2021, talking about her work, The Children’s Clinic and supporting autistic children and adults.