Vara Saripalli, Psy.D.

If you’ve ever found yourself whispering, “Why can I run a meeting, manage a team, and still forget the laundry in the washer for three business days?”
congratulations: you’re human. Also, you’re exactly the kind of real-life, high-functioning chaos that psychologists are trained to understandwithout
judging you, diagnosing your sock pile, or confiscating your calendar.

Dr. Vara Saripalli, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist based in Chicago who provides therapy and psychological testing, with a clear focus on helping
busy professionals gain more control over their lives and careers. She’s also publicly listed as a medical advisor/reviewer for major health publishers,
which means she helps keep mental health information accurate, practical, and (ideally) less “internet-y.”

Who Is Vara Saripalli, Psy.D.?

Dr. Vara Saripalli is a Chicago-based licensed psychologist who offers therapy services, and she’s described as focusing on helping busy professionals
regain a sense of controlthink: boundaries, burnout recovery, anxiety management, and “my brain has 37 tabs open” energy. She completed a Psy.D. at the
Illinois School of Professional Psychology and is affiliated with organizations such as the Illinois Psychological Association and Postpartum Support
International, reflecting both professional community involvement and interest in perinatal mental health support.

Public contributor bios also highlight a dual lane in her work: therapy for adult professionals and structured assessment services (including learning
differences/ADHD and executive functioning concerns), plus insomnia treatment using cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). In other words,
she works at the intersection of “How do I feel?” and “How does my brain actually work day-to-day?”which is where a lot of modern life happens.

What “Psy.D.” Means (and Why You Should Care)

Psy.D. stands for Doctor of Psychology. In the U.S., Psy.D. training is commonly designed with a strong emphasis on clinical serviceassessment,
diagnosis, and therapywhile Ph.D. training often includes heavier research emphasis (though there’s overlap, and both paths can produce excellent
clinicians). University guidance on these degrees often frames Psy.D. programs as more centered on direct clinical service provision and “practitioner”
training compared with many Ph.D. tracks.

What this means for a potential client is simple: a Psy.D. psychologist is typically trained to do deep clinical workconduct evaluations, interpret
testing, provide psychotherapy, and build treatment plans that fit real people with real schedules (and real group chats that never sleep).

Her Clinical Focus: Professionals, Executive Functioning, Learning Differences, and Sleep

Executive functioning challenges: not lazinessmore like “traffic control” for life

Executive function is a set of mental skills used to manage everyday tasks like planning, problem-solving, and adapting to new situations. Commonly
discussed core components include working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition control. When executive functioning is strained, people can feel
“stuck” even when they’re smart, motivated, and trying hardbecause effort alone doesn’t always fix a system problem.

In practical terms, executive functioning challenges can show up as:

• Starting tasks late (even tasks you care about)
• Underestimating time (“This will take 10 minutes,” says the same person who just opened Excel)
• Difficulty switching between tasks without losing momentum
• Forgetting steps in multi-step processes (hello, half-finished errands)
• Emotional overload when routines break or demands stack

In a group practice profile, Dr. Saripalli is quoted as helping individuals across the lifespan understand how learning differences, ADHD, and executive
functioning challenges affect daily lifeso they can gain clarity, confidence, and practical strategies for success at school, work, and home. That
“strategy” part matters: insight is helpful, but most people also want tools that work on a Tuesday.

Learning differences & ADHD: clarity through assessment (not vibes)

A major theme in Dr. Saripalli’s publicly available bios is assessmentespecially learning disabilities and ADHD-related concerns in children and adults.
This is important because many people don’t get clear answers until adulthood. They may have learned to compensate through perfectionism, overworking, or
choosing roles that hide weaknessesuntil life gets bigger (college, promotions, parenting, caregiving), and the coping strategies finally tap out.

Neuropsychological and psychological testing can evaluate a wide range of functions, including attention, learning, processing speed, memory,
problem-solving, language skills, and mood/behavior patterns. Major medical centers describe neuropsychological testing as a way to measure how well the
brain is functioning across multiple mental abilities, which can support diagnosis and guide next steps.

A high-quality evaluation isn’t just “Do you have ADHD, yes/no?” It’s more like:

• Profile building: identifying strengths and weaknesses across cognitive and emotional domains
• Context: separating skill gaps from sleep deprivation, stress, anxiety, depression, or burnout
• Actionable recommendations: strategies for school/work, accommodations when appropriate, and targeted treatment planning

If you’re imagining a psychologist dramatically shouting “Aha!” over a single quiz, you can relax. Real assessments are structured, evidence-informed,
and designed to produce a useful mapnot a label.

Insomnia and CBT-I: retraining sleep, not just “trying harder”

Dr. Saripalli’s contributor bio also highlights treatment of insomnia using CBT-I, a structured approach that targets the thoughts and behaviors that
keep insomnia going. Clinical literature commonly describes CBT-I as a multi-component treatment delivered over a limited number of sessions (often six
to eight), with components such as stimulus control, sleep restriction strategies, cognitive techniques, and sleep hygiene elementsorganized into a
plan rather than a random list of “sleep tips.”

Professional sleep medicine guidance has recommended CBT-I as a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, reflecting its evidence base and durability
of benefit. In plain English: CBT-I is not “just relax.” It’s more like rebuilding the rules your brain follows at 2:13 a.m. when it decides your future
depends on rethinking a conversation from 2019.

Perinatal mental health and big life transitions

Dr. Saripalli’s affiliations include Postpartum Support International, and public profiles and advisory roles reference work relevant to perinatal mental
health. Whether someone is pregnant, postpartum, navigating fertility journeys, or adjusting to parenthood, these transitions can amplify anxiety,
insomnia, identity stress, and relationship strainespecially for high-performing professionals used to feeling competent 24/7.

A clinician with training and interest in perinatal mental health can help clients separate “normal adjustment stress” from symptoms that need targeted
support, while also building coping strategies that fit the reality of a life with limited sleep and unlimited responsibilities.

Her Role as a Medical Reviewer: Psychology for Real People (Not Just Textbooks)

Dr. Saripalli is publicly listed as a medical advisor for Healthline, and she appears on similar reviewer pages for related health outlets. These pages
describe medical review as a process used by publishers to validate clinical accuracy of health content, images, products, and servicesessentially
adding professional oversight to information that readers may rely on.

This matters because mental health content online can range from excellent to “drink celery water and forgive your childhood in one afternoon.”
Clinician review helps keep advice grounded, nuanced, and aligned with evidence-based care.

What It’s Like to Work With a Psychologist Like Dr. Saripalli

While every clinician has their own style, the public descriptions of Dr. Saripalli’s work suggest a practical, goal-oriented approach. If you’re a
busy professional, you’re likely not looking for therapy that feels like an endless “How did that make you feel?” loop without traction. You want:
understanding and momentum.

In therapy, that often looks like:

• Clarifying goals: anxiety reduction, burnout recovery, boundary-setting, confidence at work, relationship stress
• Identifying patterns: perfectionism, avoidance, people-pleasing, overfunctioning, sleep disruption
• Skill-building: cognitive and behavioral tools that translate into daily routines
• Accountability with compassion: progress tracking without shame

In assessment work, it typically includes a thorough intake, standardized measures, interpretation, and a feedback process that connects results to
real-life recommendations. The goal isn’t to “prove” somethingit’s to help you understand your brain and build a plan that fits it.

Telehealth and Licensure: What PSYPACT Has to Do With It

You may see psychologists reference PSYPACT in their professional affiliations. PSYPACT is an interstate compact designed to facilitate telepsychology
practice across participating U.S. states. State licensing boards and professional organizations describe it as a way for eligible psychologists to
provide telepsychology services across state lines when both the psychologist’s state and the client’s state participate and requirements are met.

Translation: it can expand accessespecially for specialized serviceswhile still operating under regulated standards. It doesn’t replace licensure, and
it doesn’t mean “I can practice anywhere.” It means there’s a formal pathway for cross-state telepsychology where the compact applies.

How to Vet a Psychologist for Therapy or Testing (A Quick, Useful Checklist)

If you’re considering therapy or an evaluationwhether with Dr. Saripalli or any psychologisthere’s a practical way to confirm you’re in good hands:

1. Verify licensure: In Illinois, for example, you can verify a professional license through the state’s official license lookup system.
2. Ask about specialization: If you want ADHD evaluation, ask how they assess executive functioning and differential diagnoses.
3. Clarify what “testing” includes: timeline, feedback session, written report, and how recommendations are delivered.
4. Discuss therapy approach: CBT-oriented, skills-based, insight-oriented, integrativewhat fits your goals and personality?
5. Confirm logistics: in-person vs telehealth, scheduling flexibility, and what happens if you’re traveling.

Also: a good clinician will welcome reasonable questions. If someone acts like you’re asking for the secret recipe, that’s… not a great sign.

Conclusion

Dr. Vara Saripalli, Psy.D., is publicly profiled as a licensed psychologist in Chicago who provides therapy and psychological testing, with emphasis on
busy professionals, learning differences/ADHD and executive functioning, and insomnia treatment using CBT-I. She’s also listed as a medical advisor for
major health publishers, supporting accurate, evidence-based mental health education for a wide audience.

If your day-to-day life feels like a constant battle between ambition and bandwidthwhere your calendar looks heroic but your nervous system feels
under-slepther areas of focus reflect the exact kinds of challenges many people face: executive functioning strain, stress overload, sleep disruption,
and the need for practical tools that actually work.

Bonus: of Real-World Experience Related to This Work

The most common “experience” people report when they finally seek therapy or testing for executive functioning, ADHD, or insomnia is reliefbecause the
story shifts from “What’s wrong with me?” to “Oh. There’s a pattern here.” Below are composite examples (not real clients) that reflect the kinds of
situations clinicians often see, shared for education and privacy.

1) The high-achiever who can lead everyone except… themselves

Picture a mid-level manager who’s excellent in meetings, great under pressure, and secretly drowning in email. They can solve complex problems at work
but can’t start a two-sentence follow-up message without spiraling. In therapy, the “aha” moment is often realizing that motivation isn’t the missing
ingredientstructure is. Skills-based work might focus on externalizing memory (capturing tasks outside the brain), shrinking the “start” step to
something laughably small (“Open the document, that’s it”), and setting boundaries that prevent constant context-switching. The emotional piece matters
too: chronic overwhelm can masquerade as laziness, then turn into shame, then become avoidance. Naming the cycle is often the first real interruption.

2) The adult who wonders why school was so hard (and why work now feels the same)

Another common experience is the adult who always suspected somethingreading took longer, tests felt brutal, note-taking was chaosbut they were
“smart enough” to push through. Years later, they’re in a demanding job and the old struggle is back, now dressed up as burnout. A thorough evaluation
can help identify learning differences, attention patterns, and processing strengths. The impact can be immediate: accommodations become understandable
(and less scary), self-talk becomes kinder, and strategies get customized. Instead of copying someone else’s productivity system that works for their
brain (not yours), you build one that respects how you actually process information.

3) The insomniac who has mastered the art of “lying down aggressively”

People with insomnia often arrive with a long history of trying harder: earlier bedtime, more supplements, more frustration, more clock-watching. CBT-I
style work commonly reframes insomnia as a cycle maintained by behaviors and worrywhere the bed becomes a cue for wakefulness, not sleep. Clients often
describe a strange but empowering shift: instead of battling sleep, they learn to change the conditions that allow sleep to return. Progress can feel
counterintuitive at first (because brains love habits), but the experience many people report is finally having a plan that’s more than “be calm.”

4) The new parent or perinatal client who doesn’t recognize themselves

In perinatal transitions, people often describe feeling blindsided by anxiety, irritability, or a foggy sense of “I’m failing at everything.” Therapy
can be a place where normal stress is validated while also screening for symptoms that deserve targeted support. Many clients find it helps to build a
“minimum viable routine” (sleep, food, support, boundaries), practice skills for intrusive worries, and rebuild identity in a season where control is
limited and demands are high. The experience is less about becoming a perfect parent and more about becoming a supported human.

Across all these scenarios, one theme repeats: when care is practical and compassionate, people don’t just feel betterthey function better. And that’s
often the real goal: a life that isn’t only survivable, but livable.

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