Meet Dr. Dhruti Dholakia

"The most powerful tool we bring to a child is our own self-awareness."

I am an infant and early childhood development specialist, an educator, and reflective consultant dedicated to advancing children's well-being by transforming the relationships, leadership, and systems that shape their everyday lives.

What I Believe

Children are shaped by relationships. Every interaction between a child and an adult has the potential to strengthen trust, foster belonging, and support healthy development. That is why my work focuses not only on children, but also on the educators, leaders, families, and systems that influence their everyday experiences. Through research, consultation, speaking, and professional learning, I help organizations cultivate the awareness, relationships, and leadership that allow children—and the adults who care for them—to thrive.

Organizations partner with me to:

Strengthen educator well-being
Develop reflective leaders
Build relationship-centered cultures
Translate child development research into practice
Support organizational change
Design meaningful professional learning environments

A Shared Vision for Every Child

Get a glimpse into the heart of my practice—the "why" behind my work, and the passion for partnership that fuels everything I do.

Experience & Training

Ph.D., Infant & Early Childhood Development, Fielding University
M.A., Infant & Early Childhood Development, Fielding University
M.Ed., School Counseling, North Carolina State University

B.S., Early Childhood Education, North Carolina Central University
B.A., Business Management, Bombay University
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC #10354)
Registered Play Therapist (RPT)
Yoga Teacher (YT 500)
Theraplay Levels 1 & 2
Certified Therapeutic Yoga Teacher

My work is guided by a simple conviction: when we strengthen the adults who shape children's lives, we create lasting change for generations to come.