Not all treatments fit every situation, person, or diagnosis, so it is important to complete a thorough evaluation before formulating treatment recommendations and a treatment plan. During that time, the therapist will be a consultant to you, and we will not yet be in a therapeutic relationship.   

Several hour-long appointments are used to complete an initial evaluation and intake process.    

The initial assessment phase is a time for you to get to know the therapist and to decide if you are a good fit for working together.  If, at the end of the intake process, you and your child would like to continue working with the therapist, then you or your child will become an established patient and we will begin treatment together.    In the event that you do not wish to proceed, the therapist will still be able to provide you with information from our time together that can inform your work with another provider and provide other treatment recommendations.

​

The intake sessions for children and teens include:

• An initial session with the child and a parent to do paperwork, gain background information, and build rapport.  

Between sessions, the therapist will contact school and other relevant doctors to gain information about child/teen’s functioning. Symptom report forms may be completed by the parents, child, and school.

• Both parents or guardians are asked to come in for a parent session to understand parent goals and learn developmental history of the child. If a minor has two parents, both must be present for at least one session;  Mental health concerns are serious and therefore it is appropriate that both parents be on board with treatment.  

• In two to three more sessions the Child/Teen and therapist continue to get to know each other and establish the child/teen’s goals for treatment.

• Finally, a session is spent with both parents and child (either together or separately, depending on the child). Therapist provides diagnostic assessment, feedback about parent and child goals in a treatment plan, and possible additional referrals and recommendations.