About Me

Kari Berquist, Ph.D., BCBA-D has worked with autistic children and their families since 2001, starting as an undergraduate student. She received her BS from the University of California at San Diego, her MA and PhD from Claremont Graduate University, and conducted her post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine. She has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (1-07-3416) since 2007, in 2011 became a licensed psychologist (PSY 24441) in the state of California, and from 2011-2016 she held a clinical faculty position at Stanford University School of Medicine. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Berquist is an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, a consultant to technology-based companies in the area, and on the editorial board for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Her resume includes numerous professional conference presentations, a broad array of research studies in the field of autism, and several lectures and workshops.
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Her main clinical interests include naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) for infants, toddlers, and young children ages 0-5 years with autism or with an increased likelihood of being autistic. She also focuses her clinical work on teaching parents of autistic children and developmental delays how to facilitate meaningful change in the home, school, and community settings across the life span. Her approach to therapy is a strengths-based approach that combines developmental theory and naturalistic teaching strategies based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. Dr. Berquist believes in collaboration with children and parents to develop meaningful goals from a neurodiversity-affirming lens. Whenever possible, Dr. Berquist uses children's passions and interests to learn and grow. She provides support to enhance social communication skills, self-advocacy, manage difficult and uncomfortable emotions, and expand nutrition in children. In addition, she supports parents development of skills  so they can partner and aid their neurodivergent child in their development.