Note: Print and complete the Home Study and behavior checklist forms. The parent version is for the child’s parent(s), guardian(s), or other adult figures responsible for the child’s parenting. Please take the teacher version to your child’s teacher and have the teacher or teachers complete it.

Individual, Marital and Family Therapy

Sometimes, an outside
perspective is all that is
needed to find a solution
to problems that may have seemed unsolvable. The goal of therapy is to discover new ways of looking at situations through interaction, so
that the individual or family
is better equipped to resolve
future problems themselves.

Sessions typically last 45-50 minutes and focus on specific areas of conflict within the larger context of relationships. At first, we’ll find out where the problems are and identify the best method for treating them. After that, our sessions will focus on the progress made between sessions, and the reasons for gains and losses. Treatment over an extended period can prove the most beneficial, but in other cases, only a few sessions are necessary.

Custody Evaluations

Unfortunately, there are times when even the best efforts of families are not enough to keep a family together. The painful emotions that accompany separation and divorce can make the question of child custody that much harder to answer. Even judges and attorneys may have the same dilemma, and in that case, they may order a custody evaluation.

All parties to the separation of the family would be expected to participate in the procedures, except extremely young children. Usually the process involves interviews (about family history, parenting techniques, etc.), personality evaluations, and sessions for evaluating the quality of interaction between each parent and child.

Finding the most suitable arrangement can be challenging, but it is of utmost importance to minimize any potential harm to the children involved.

Psychologists use tests to learn more about their patients and to guide their suggestions for treatment. We also use them to determine eligibility and special accomodations for Learning Disability and ADHD programs at all levels, including the college level. A complete battery of tests can help assess intelligence, motivation, attention span and concentration. Tests can even provide psychologists, and just as important– the patients themselves– a better understanding of each individual’s emotions and personality structure.

Parenting Techniques and ADHD Children

Learning to cope with ADHD behavior starts with the parents. Therapy sessions normally involve some time with the child, but far more time is spent helping the adults develop a keen understanding of ADHD behavior and the right parenting techniques for handling the unique problems ADHD can present.

It’s very important that parents learn how to help their ADHD child minimize his/her vulnerability to distraction and inattention.

Medication can certainly aid this process, but developing correct techniques for changing behavior is essential to solving the challenges that ADHD children face from day to day. Of course, parenting sessions can be useful where ADHD is not the primary concern, and we can help there as well.