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 The
psychotherapy that I do with children, adolescents and their parents is
informed by cognitive-behavioral theory and the focus is on solving problems
and building skills. The goals of psychotherapy for young people generally
relate to the development of an understanding of the self so that the child
or teen can act in their own best interest. For parents, the focus is to
develop an understanding of both self and the child so that the parent can
more effectively coach a child to regulate his/her own behavior and respond
effectively to the environment, both at home and at school. In my
experience, working with parent-child pairs can be very effective; although
the length of treatment varies and depends on the needs of the clients, 1
hour/week for 5-6 months is average.It is important to recognize that a child who is being considered for a referral for psychotherapy should first be seen by their pediatrician or family practitioner for a discussion of the behavioral concerns and a complete medical evaluation, so that any complicating medical problem can be diagnosed and treated before the initiation of therapy. A teacher's observations about a child's behavior in school is an invaluable part of a pre-referral investigation by the parents. A team approach, involving the child, the family, the school, the physician and the psychologist is more effective than uncoordinated treatment efforts. A child or adolescent whose behavior poses a dangerous threat to himself, others or to property requires an evaluation in the emergency room, so that the threat can be evaluated by a pediatric psychiatrist and appropriate containment for the threat can be implemented. The following are a few of the concerns can be addressed effectively in psychotherapy:
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