ABOUT LINDEN TREE

Rooted in purpose,

grown from love.

The story behind our name, the people who carry our mission, and the families we exist to serve — every branch of who we are begins here.

A large green tree with dense foliage standing on a grassy hill under a partly cloudy blue sky, with a bench at the base of the tree.

Our Story

WHY LINDEN TREE

A name rooted in centuries of meaning.

The linden tree doesn't just grow — it shelters. It doesn't just stand — it gathers. It is the tree under which people feel safe enough to be honest, to ask for help, and to begin again.

Every meaningful practice begins with a story. The name Linden Tree was chosen not for its beauty alone, but for everything it has represented across centuries and cultures: healing, protection, family, and the quiet, enduring strength that holds a community together.

The linden tree — known in Europe as the tilia, and sometimes called the "village tree" — has for thousands of years been planted at the heart of communities. In Germanic and Slavic traditions, linden trees were gathering places: the spot beneath which families came together, disputes were settled with compassion, and healing happened.

In folklore, the linden was the tree of love, of mothers, of those who listened. Its blossoms have been used in herbal medicine for centuries to calm anxiety, ease restlessness, and soothe the nervous system — one of nature's original remedies for the very challenges children and families face today.

Families who choose this practice are often carrying something heavy: a child who is struggling in ways no one has been able to explain, a parent who has been told to "wait and see" for the third year in a row, a student whose gifts have gone unrecognized because no one has looked closely enough.

Linden Tree Child and Family Services exists to be the place where they are finally, truly seen — where love, connection, and purpose form the foundation for every child to grow and thrive.

WHY WE EXIST

THE STORY IN OUR LOGO

The Linden Tree logo is not simply a tree. Look carefully and you will find a complete narrative within it — one that reflects exactly what we believe about children, families, and the work of healing.

The Canopy

A full, generous crown of leaves — representing the comprehensive, whole-child support we provide. Nothing left out; every branch of a child's experience considered.

The Figures

At the base of the canopy, two figures emerge — an adult and a child, intertwined with the tree. Children and families are not problems to be solved. They are living systems, growing and adapting.

The Root System

Spreading wide beneath the soil, the roots represent the foundation — accurate assessments, evidence-based interventions, deep parent knowledge. Root work must come first.

The Circle

The entire image is held within a single, clean circle — whole and complete. Every child, every family, every challenge deserves the same quality of attention and care.

WHO WE ARE

DANIELLE B. PERKINS, ED.S.

FOUNDER & LICENSED SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

"Proverbs 16:9 says we plan our course, but the Lord directs our steps. I have lived that verse. The path that led to Linden Tree was not the one I drew for myself — but looking back, I can see every step was being held and guided toward this. This practice is my answer to that leading."
I did not arrive at school psychology by accident. I arrived there by calling — and have spent more than two decades answering it with uncommon depth, dedication, and impact. My work spans public school districts, independent school leadership, and private clinical practice — a rare combination that gives me a perspective no single-track practitioner can match.
After more than a decade as a school psychologist for the School Board of Sarasota County, I joined Saint Stephen's Episcopal School in 2014 as Director of Student Support and Wellness — building and leading a comprehensive school-wide program from Pre-K through 12th grade. Running parallel to my institutional career, I have maintained a private practice as a Licensed School Psychologist since 2009. Linden Tree is not me starting something new — it is everything I have built, offered at full strength.
TARAH B. ALLEN, M.A., NCSP

LICENSED & NATIONALLY CERTIFIED SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

"Real progress happens when school, home, and community are working from the same plan. My job is to help families and educators get there together."
Tarah brings more than 20 years of experience supporting students, families, and school systems across New York, Illinois, and Florida. She has deep, current insight into how local schools identify and support students, and a career that spans direct school psychology practice, early childhood leadership, and district-level administration.
Her expertise centers on psychoeducational evaluations for learning disorders including dyslexia, executive functioning, anxiety, depression, and social skills. She has designed evidence-based interventions for students with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and emotional-behavioral needs, and has extensive experience conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments and developing Behavior Intervention Plans. As a former principal of an early childhood center in Naperville, Illinois, she led multidisciplinary diagnostic teams and championed inclusive learning for young children with disabilities.
Tarah is trained in a range of counseling and intervention frameworks — including Zones of Regulation, Social Thinking, CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, Positive Behavioral Supports, and HOPS for ADHD and executive functioning. Her assessment approach emphasizes practical, strengths-based recommendations that lead to meaningful change across school, home, and community.
HEATHER MILLICAN

READING AND LEARNING SPECIALIST & CERTIFIED LIFE COACH
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