We require divorced parents to both consent for services if you share legal custody. (Most custody or consent orders have some language about notifying the other parent of medical or mental health services, but it’s important to review your specific agreement). If your ex isn’t able or willing to sign the consent forms, but doesn’t object to services, you can discuss with us other options. If your situation is complicated, just ask for assistance when you call to schedule.

That is partly why we make a registration form with background questions and a parent-child interview a mandatory part of our groups. We believe spending a little time getting to know the parent and child before the group starts, ensures success for the child and the group. If for some reason, your child is struggling with the expectations of the group, or their behavior is chronically disruptive to the group, we will work with you on a plan (e.g., moving the child to individual sessions for awhile, having a specific incentive or behavior plan for the child, etc.)

DBT is a two-pronged approach to help change your adolescent’s behaviors. Research has shown that both skills training and individual therapy are equally important components to treatment. In addition, as the DBT group is primarily educational in nature, we require that all group members participate in individual therapy at the same time at the provider of your choosing. We request that you complete an authorization form on file in order to allow the group leader to check in with your tween/teen’s individual therapist about progress and to consult about any issues that may arise during the course of group.

Wynns Family Psychology is a Child and Adolescent Family Practice. Because our clinicians focus on working with children, teens, and families, collectively they bring a wide range of "specialty" therapeutic experiences, training, and certifications that support this work with you and your family. However, our overall approach is solution-focused. We often receive feedback from clients that prior therapists “just listened” and never actively guided them toward any kind of change. In contrast, we view therapy as a productive, goal-oriented conversation—providing feedback, asking reflective questions, and making practical suggestions to use on a daily basis. We want you to leave each visit feeling as if you’ve learned something new. Our focus is to develop permanent strategies to help your kids, personal life, marriage, and other relationships.

When discussing concerns about your children or relationships with family members and friends, they often bring biased perspectives to the situation. Even though they care and may have your best interest at heart, because of the complex dynamics and histories inherent with these relationships, it’s next to impossible for them to be objective. Clients often find it more helpful to openly express feelings and discuss problems with an objective therapist who is free of complicated family histories and judgments. This objectivity, along with the extensive training and expertise of our psychologists, are critically important when problem-solving issues. Wynns Family Psychology is here to help you get results—not to critique your parenting, criticize your children, or dispense bad “layman” advice about relationships. We attentively listen, offer encouragement and hope, and collaboratively guide you and your family towards its goals.

Because we specialize in and work with kids and teens on a daily basis, we know how to successfully connect with them. Our typical approach for teens is laid-back and positive. Even the most strong-willed teenagers respond to this strategy and find it more helpful to open up to our personable and objective psychologists (instead of their parents, friends, and teachers). We foster a safe and comfortable environment in which teens are eager to talk about their friends, families, and themselves! And once this door is opened, we can successfully move on to resolving their problems and issues. We often tell parents, “If you can get him in our office, we’ll do the rest!”

Yes! WFP providers offer virtual or telehealth sessions for clients who are located in North Carolina at the time of session. In addition, some of our providers are able to provide services outside of North Carolina, so please ask us for more information if this applies to you! If you would like a telehealth session, please let our admin team know when you call to schedule your appointment. We will then send you a link via email that will directly connect you to your provider at the time of your scheduled appointment. As long as you have a strong wi-fi connection and private location, you will be all set. However, we do recognize that telehealth may not be an appropriate fit for all clients. In such circumstances, some providers are able and willing to offer in-person appointments. For those clients looking to have in-person appointments, please speak with your provider or let us know.

Most insurance companies reimburse for a percentage of our services. However, we are technically “out-of-network.” What this means is you pay for services upfront, and then we help guide you through submitting the necessary claims forms to get directly reimbursed by your insurance company. (Note that insurance providers are typically required to reimburse clients within 30 days of receiving a claim so this typically keeps the process running smoothly.) On average, most clients are reimbursed somewhere between 50% – 80% for services, but our Insurance Benefits “Cheat Sheet'' (along with a call to your insurance company) will help you determine your plan’s specific benefits. Also, we accept Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Cards and Health Savings Account (HSA) Cards in our office. Most FSA and HSA accounts cover therapy, testing, groups, and custody services.

The role of the evaluator in a child custody dispute is different from that of a therapist in a traditional, clinical setting. It is important to keep these roles separate. Trying to be both the therapist and forensic evaluator for the same children or family is inappropriate and will complicate both the therapy and the evaluation. Therapists are advocates or agents for children and ideally are partners with parents or guardians in the therapeutic alliance. However, the aim of the forensic evaluation is not to relieve suffering or to treat, but to provide objective information and informed opinions to help the court (or parents with their attorneys) make a custody decision. To put it more simply, in therapy, you feel “warm and fuzzy” because the therapist is there to help you and your children feel better. In a custody evaluation, the evaluator has to ask a lot of tough questions and refrain from giving advice during the evaluation. When you receive the report from a custody evaluation, you should see the evaluator was very neutral in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of both parents, and provided thorough recommendations to help your family determine an appropriate visitation and custody parenting plan.

The DBT group is a structured group in which group members are taught the various DBT skills. Group leaders will model and teach the skills in each session. Group members will also have the opportunity to practice the skills and receive feedback. While the group leader will help group members understand how skills are relevant and can be effective in their own life, the structure and nature of the skills training group does not allow for individual “processing” or “talk therapy.” Rather, group members can use their individual therapy time to process the material on a deeper level. The DBT skills training group does not provide crisis management.

We keep groups small so your tween/teen can feel comfortable and receive personalized feedback “in the moment” from the group leader. At the conclusion of each module, a brief written summary will be provided to you. The customized feedback will review your adolescent’s strengths and areas that could use further improvement. Provided you have a signed authorization form on file, we will also make this summary available to your tween / teen’s individual therapist. Should you desire additional time, you will need to schedule a separate appointment with the group leader for further feedback (Additional fees apply).

If space is available, we allow new members to join in at the start of a new module. There are four different modules, each one lasting four weeks. Some clients opt to repeat the modules in order to feel more comfortable with the material.

Yes! The teen DBT group is often offered virtually via a HIPAA compliant system for clients who are located in North Carolina at the time of session. About one week prior to the group, we will then send you a link via email that will directly connect you to your provider at the time of your scheduled appointment. We ask that all group members have a strong wi-fi connection and private location for sessions. We do recognize that telehealth may not be an appropriate fit for all clients. For those clients looking to have in-person group appointments, please speak with your group leader or let us know.

Because our DBT group encourages your tween/teen to confront their stress and/or behavior, the idea of attending may provoke anxiety. A socially awkward, anxious, or defiant adolescent may insist on NOT coming (or returning). But it’s important to push past this common, initial reaction and commit to bringing your teen to all of the sessions so they can conquer these fears and maximize their overall success. We strongly recommend making attendance “mandatory,” while explaining to your teen that this group can help improve their quality of life, especially if they come into it with an open mind.

Although it’s not always easy to see skills generalize immediately outside of the group setting, as your adolescent gets more and more practice, you should start noticing improvement in behavior, self-control, and interpersonal relations in general. And even though different tweens/teens will make progress at different rates, by the end of our groups, we typically get overwhelmingly positive feedback about the results.

No. Your adolescent’s DBT group is designed to be both educational and fun. All meetings will begin with a mindfulness exercise. Sessions will include a teaching component, including hands on, experiential exercises, handouts, videos, music, and assignments to complete between classes. Sessions will end with another brief mindfulness or relaxation exercise to model calming skills your adolescent can use at home. Your tween/teen will be given homework assignments and self-monitoring worksheets that will be reviewed the following week. These are designed to help him/her in applying the skills to “real world” situations.

Research shows that DBT skills generalize best with lots of practice and positive reinforcement. Therefore, we strongly encourage you and your tween/teen to complete the homework assignments. Homework is also a helpful way for you, your adolescent, and your group’s leader to track progress. Please note, that group members will be held responsible for completing assignments in group, should they not complete them at home.

Parents / clients receive a receipt for all sessions at the end of each module. Most insurance plans reimburse a percentage of the fees for DBT groups under the group therapy code 90853 (we add on the (95) code for virtual groups). We can provide an insurance “cheat sheet” that guides you through how to determine your specific benefits. Also, we accept Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Cards and Health Savings Account (HSA) Cards in our office. (Most FSA’s and HSA’s cover therapy, testing, groups, and custody services.)

Yes, we accept Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Cards and Health Savings Account (HSA) Cards in our office. (Most FSA’s and HSA’s cover therapy, testing, groups, and custody services.)

Because our groups are popular and we limit the number of group members (to maintain a manageable and effective class size), there is often a waiting list of interested members. In order to make space available to clients who want to get the most out of our services and are committed to attending each session, payments and deposits for groups are non-refundable, no exceptions.

While some parents are concerned this may be a problem for their child, we find that the most important predictor of a successful group is not a balanced ratio of boys to girls, but a balance of personalities, energy levels, identified problems, and attention skills. We find a child can be successful in our social skills group, even if the participants have different disorders or difficulties, are older/younger, or higher/lower functioning. One aspect that makes our groups successful is that children and teens with strengths in a particular area can model their skills and provide a positive example for kids who might be struggling with similar skills. (And it’s always a thrill for us when group participants become friends and socialize outside of the group.)

Our groups typically range in size from four-eight members, but occasionally will go up to ten members. In order to keep ratios small, we have interns assist the group leader as needed. We find that there are benefits to each group size. For example, our smaller groups allow for more 1:1 interaction with the group leader and allow the group leader to really customize the group experience, and more in depth group conversations. With our larger group size, our group members still receive individualized attention with break out groups, while also enjoying the experience of unique larger group activities.

We get overwhelming positive feedback about our group. Most parents notice that their children are behaving and socializing better at home and at school. Although it’s not always easy to see the skills generalize immediately outside of the group setting, over time, as children get more and more practice, parents and teachers notice improvement in behavior, self-control, social skills etc.

The social skills group your child participates in will be both fun and educational. Core strategies for teaching these skills will be (1) modeling, (2) practicing, and (3) feedback. Games, crafts, videos, music, and role-play are some of the typical activities each week. Each session will cover a different social skill, but children will be encouraged to continue utilizing skills from previous weeks. Children will be rewarded for their success in learning and practicing new skills both during the group and at home.

In order to join a group, a 45 minute parent-child consultation must be held with the group leader. The parent-child consult allows us to obtain more detailed background information and goals for each child. To register, you must pay for the first session of group in advance to reserve your spot. A 10% discount is available to who pay in full for all weekly sessions. All fees are non-refundable. Please call 919-467-7777 or email info@WynnsFamilyPsychology.com to get up-to-date pricing for your specific group.

Most group leaders will provide a brief written summary following the end of group. The feedback will review your child’s individual strengths and areas to further practice. If you would like additional information, then you can schedule an individual appointment with the group leader (additional fees apply). We also encourage you to ask your specific group leader during the consultation about other methods of communication during the group experience.

Research shows that social skills tend to generalize best with lots of practice and positive reinforcement. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to complete the homework suggestions as recommended by your group leader. The homework can also be a helpful way for you, your child, and the group leader to track progress.

Please note the deposit for the group is nonrefundable. We often have full groups with a wait list. Therefore, the deposits (and any other advanced payments) are nonrefundable in order to ensure the group members have officially confirmed their participation. The consultation fee is also non-refundable.

We are not able to give refunds for specific sessions missed if you’ve paid in advance. The discount you received for paying in advance would typically come close to covering the “cost” of one missed session.

If your child is socially awkward, anxious, or defiant, they may insist on NOT coming (or coming back) to the group. Our groups encourage your child to confront his or her social fears, which can be anxiety provoking. Please commit to bringing your child to all sessions so that they can get the most out of them and maximize success. A critical component in conquering fears is to face them “head on.” We encourage parents to make attendance at the group “mandatory” but explain that you believe this will really help improve their lives if they will come to it with an open mind.

During the consultation, the group leader can speak with you about group specifics. In general, our groups utilize behavior management strategies such as redirection, planned ignoring and/or positive reinforcement methods. Some groups incorporate a behavior system in which group members are able to earn points/ stars for positive behaviors (e.g., participating in group, following directions, demonstrating use of skills, respecting others, etc.) to trade in for a prize at the end of group. Such systems may also incorporate the loss of points/ stars for misbehavior. As we want the group to be a positive experience for all members, significantly disruptive behavior may be addressed through the use of a time-out to allow the child an opportunity to calm down without impacting the experience of others. Should this become a pattern, the group leader will speak with you to problem solve for additional solutions/ strategies. If you ever have a question or concern about the group, please reach out directly to the group leader.

In order to allow group members the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings freely, our groups are kids only! Parents will receive feedback halfway through the group and following the last session. If your child has difficulty separating, please let the group leader know during the consultation so they can help you problem-solve ahead of time.

As you might imagine, the first night can be somewhat anxiety provoking for new group members. Because of nerves, excitement, and checking in children/teens for the first time, it may feel a little chaotic on night one. During group, leaders recognize some members may be feeling nervous or excited, and typically plan activities to help group members feel more comfortable and get to know one another. Group rules are reviewed and then the specific skills of the day are taught. Since change can sometimes be difficult for some individuals, especially as we are getting to know others, we strongly encourage you to return the following week as tweaks are often made to help improve the group experience based upon the specific group dynamics.

Parents will get a receipt (also known as a superbill) for all sessions at the end of the group.

The group leader will provide you with individualized written feedback at the halfway point and at the end of group. One reason we keep the groups small is so your child can receive frequent one on one “in the moment” feedback from the group leader(s). Please know that if there is a concern regarding your child’s behavior and/or fit within the group, the group leader will consult with you and attempt to problem solve for solutions.

We often get “repeat” members who want to continue to fine tune social skills and learn more advanced applications of the skills. Therefore, we change the curriculum and activities each time to keep it “fresh” and engaging for repeat attendees.

Cell phones and electronic devices are not allowed in the group. If you have a teen who is dropped off and has to have their phone, ask them to keep it in their pocket or purse during the course of the group.

WFP does not currently offer psychiatry services for children, teens, and adults.

We suggest you explain that she is going to talk and play with someone who helps kids with their problems. Some parents explain we are “feelings doctors” who help kids who are sad, mad, or worried feel better. Most children enjoy play therapy so you can reassure your child by explaining we have a fun office with a variety of toys, games, art materials, and workbooks. We also have a treasure chest with prizes your child can choose at the end of each session. Because we strive to make therapy engaging as well as effective, children are often eager to come back!

The simple answer is “yes,” but it depends on how you define success. Therapy can help solve significant issues, greatly reduce (and even eliminate) symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve relationships, social skills, and school / work performance. But it’s important to temper these goals with realistic expectations. Therapy isn’t a magic wand that cures all your woes. And it’s most effective when you and your family are open and dedicated to the process. We find clients experience the most progress when they commit to attending regularly and completing “assignments” between sessions. Your therapist’s skill and experience are also critical, as are external factors such as time and resources. Our goal is to provide your family with an ideal environment and the best services possible—creating a positive experience and a greater opportunity to achieve your goals.

Therapy services traditionally occur on a weekly basis although more complex issues may warrant more than that. Most clients begin making some progress after the first 3-4 sessions, and after a while, it’s common for these clients to only need to come in once or twice a month. However, the duration of therapy depends on the intensity of the issues being addressed and the motivation of the child or adult to feel better. Other factors also play a role, including stressors, support from friends and family, intelligence, and personal insight. Some disorders only require short-term treatment such as simple phobias, certain anxiety disorders, and various adjustment difficulties. More severe issues can take years to resolve such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, bipolar disorder, and certain personality disorders. Noticeable progress during the treatment process varies. Sometimes treatment progresses stepwise, with small gains being made at a steady pace. Other times the process can cycle between weeks or months of really good times and stretches of “not-so-good” times. Either way, both processes are normal. Many clients also use therapy as a place to enhance meaning in life, gain insight about themselves and their relationships, and work towards goals. For clients using therapy as a means towards self-actualization, they may want to schedule regular ongoing therapy sessions for months or years, depending on their specific objectives.

While therapy can last anywhere from a few months to years, a custody evaluation has a distinct beginning and end, and can range from a few weeks (for a brief consultation) to six months (for a more comprehensive evaluation).

Please call our office at 919-467-7777 or email info@WynnsFamilyPsychology.com to get more information on up-to-date pricing.

No. One of the benefits of our services is that they are customizable to meet the needs of your family. Our custody services range from informal, (geared towards fairly collaborative and cooperative parents) to formal and extensive. We find many families don’t need a formal custody evaluation requiring months of time and thousands of dollars. Many couples want to “cut to the chase” and get feedback about the relevant issues affecting the child, recommendations for a parenting plan or visitation schedule, or answers to specific questions (“What is appropriate for my child to call the new stepmother?”) We like to sort through the mess that often accompanies a divorce and focus on the most salient issues for the children. However, when families need an extensive evaluation, we are able to provide a thorough report with recommendations in a very timely manner. In fact, many parents tell us other evaluators quote them months and months of time, whereas we can get results in weeks.

We frequently go to court to testify as an expert witness for therapy and custody cases. We are comfortable testifying in court and providing a “voice” for the child(ren) and educating the court about what is in the best interest of the child. We can testify to very specific questions (e.g., what school system appears to be a better fit for the child, how much time is appropriate for a child to visit a parent out of state, how do the children appear to be functioning in the current arrangement) or more broad developmental issues relevant to custody or visitation questions. *Note: There are obvious concerns to maintaining confidentiality if a therapist goes to court to testify. It is important to clarify before court which issues we will be able to testify to, and determine ways to maintain the therapeutic alliance.

Psychologists have specific ethical guidelines with respect to avoiding multiple relationships with a family. This means we generally avoid conducting a child custody evaluation in a case in which we served in a therapeutic role for the child or his or her immediate family. Therapeutic contact with the child or involved participants following a child custody evaluation is also undertaken with caution, and generally avoided (unless ordered by the court and agreed upon by both parents).

We are happy to talk to your attorney (with the proper release) to discuss our services in more detail. We also often work with attorneys as “neutral” experts to try and help parents collaborate on a parenting plan or make a joint decision with respect to the child.

Many times one parent has raised concerns about the other parent’s mental health. We can provide comprehensive psychological evaluations and provide an assessment of the parent’s mental health and parenting fitness.

Co-parenting therapy is when parents have a history of high conflict and disagreement over making decisions for the child(ren). There is also often a history of very poor or tense communication between parents. As the therapist, we take the approach to provide parents strategies to form a healthy “working relationship” which is always in the best interest of the kids. We can help weigh in on topics of debate, and provide helpful tools for collaboration and cooperation.

This therapy is helpful when there is a rift or broken bond in the parent-child relationship (often due to parental alienation, parental gate-keeping, abuse, or inconsistent visitation). We often have one parent who is out of state, and implement technology like Skype to bring the parties together for therapy sessions. The goal is to help reestablish a healthy bond between parent and child again, and possibly supervise phone calls, Skype or visitation between parent and child.

While we much prefer and recommend that both parents participate in services, especially custody-related, we are able to provide recommendations and feedback to one parent if one parent refuses to participate. We simply can’t provide a specific custody plan having only talked to one parent. However, we are still able to provide opinions and recommendations on the one parent’s parenting, the child’s adjustment, and general custody/visitation recommendations that are appropriate given the child’s age/special needs etc.

While all therapy services are confidential, custody consultations and custody evaluations have limits to confidentiality (if they are court ordered, or parents wish the report to be released to attorneys). Also please understand there is NO confidentiality between parents. In order to cross check facts, we need to be able to question your ex about issues you’ve raised and vice versa.

We are unique in that we are child psychologists and have specialization in child custody/divorce issues (many custody evaluators don’t see children in their regular practice!) We have a way of making kids relax and enjoy their time in our office. And we often receive feedback from parents that they are pleasantly surprised how neutral we are (we always say we are not on “team mom” or “team dad” – we are on team “kid(s)”!) We are passionate about our work and find nothing more rewarding than bringing peace and resolution to a stressful, difficult custody/divorce situation. We frequently attend continuing education conferences on custody and divorce so that are up to speed on the most cutting edge approaches to tackling relevant topics.

Parents often have concerns about their child’s academic, social, developmental, or emotional functioning. They know that “something just isn’t right” but can’t put their finger on it. Undergoing a thorough psychological or psychoeducational assessment can provide specific answers about what is (and what isn’t) going on with your child. Many parents see their children flounder in school and their personal lives for years — spending money on tutors and therapists, without ever determining the root cause of the problem. Having a formal and professional assessment not only yields diagnoses and rules out other disorders, it ultimately saves valuable time and money. Additionally, parents often share our reports with their schools to setup an IEP, 504, or Gifted Plan (DEP) with pediatricians and other professionals such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, and tutors.

Our expert evaluation services are administered by experienced, doctoral-level psychologists that know how to connect with kids in a fun and relaxed environment. We help families by accurately diagnosing children with a wide variety of complex and overlapping concerns. And our comprehensive assessments not only uncover the presence of underlying learning, attention, and psychological issues, but also provide in-depth details about each child’s unique strengths, weaknesses, and needs. We take great pride in the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of our assessments. As a result, our solution-focused reports and custom recommendations piece together a child’s complex puzzle and teach families how to deal with ongoing problems. By the end of your feedback session, your family will be equipped with the answers needed to properly address your concerns and successfully move forward.

Required testing kits and associated materials are expensive. In addition, the time it takes to administer tests, score these evaluations, and formulate thoughtful assessments, is lengthy. We are highly-qualified, doctoral-level psychologists with extensive training and take as much time as needed to accurately determine what issues are present with your child. Each uniquely written report not only provides the answers you need, but gives you customized recommendations for home and school, and details YOUR child’s strengths and weaknesses. During follow-up feedback sessions, we thoroughly discuss all of these details in-person and answer any additional questions you might have.

Our services are reimbursed by most insurance providers, but since we’re technically “out-of-network,” we don’t accept co-pays. However, most insurance plans have “out-of-network” mental health benefits that cover our testing, with many clients getting back 50 – 80% of what they pay.* Typically, insurance providers are required to reimburse clients within a month of receiving claims, so this keeps the reimbursement process running smoothly. After paying for services, we’re more than happy to help you get started with submitting claims so you can be reimbursed directly by your insurance company. In many cases, we keep the necessary claims forms in our office. (For other insurance carriers, we can direct you to their online claims forms.) And you’re always given a receipt with the codes needed to properly process your claim. Our goal at Wynns Family Psychology is to guide you through and streamline this process as much as needed. Also, we accept Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Cards and Health Savings Account (HSA) Cards in our office (Most FSA’s and HSA’s cover therapy, some types of testing, groups, and custody services). Please note, any deposits and payments toward testing are nonrefundable. Be sure to have all insurance questions answered before putting down a deposit and consider consulting with the psychologist in a parent intake interview about what an evaluation can do for you before putting down a deposit. *Note: Many insurance plans, whether in-network or out-of network, have restrictions on educational testing. Ask about our Insurance Benefits “Cheat Sheet” and call your insurance provider to discuss your plan’s specific benefits.

Because Wynns Family Psychology highly values assessments, we specifically block time on our schedules each week for testing cases. So, when you call to set up a testing appointment, we can typically see you within a week or two. After the evaluation, we generally schedule an in-person feedback session within 3 weeks to discuss the comprehensive report results. Please also note, for evaluations that require parent and teacher surveys, it is important to complete quickly (e.g., by the final day of face-to-face testing is ideal) and to check in with teachers to ensure they’ve completed their paperwork as well. This data is an important aspect of diagnostic decision making and reports can be very long and time consuming. Delays in paperwork can mean delays in results.

When it comes to Gifted Testing, many parents know their child is “bright” but don’t know specific strengths. The I.Q. and Achievement components that comprise our Gifted Testing provide a comprehensive assessment of your child’s cognitive and academic abilities. And once you have the report, you can use it to qualify your child for AIG services to make school more challenging and enriching!

It depends on your specific concerns. Experts recommend when dealing with disorders (like Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, AD/HD, Learning Disabilities, etc.), the sooner the intervention — the better. With certain disorders such as these, waiting to test (and hoping things will improve on their own) can result in your child’s problems getting worse. If you feel unsure about how to proceed, an in-person consultation is the best and most thorough way to assess your child’s situation. After this meeting, we’ll make recommendations about which tests would be most helpful (or whether one of our other services such as individual or group therapy might be more appropriate). And the price of most consults can be applied toward the cost of our testing packages. Or if you prefer, we’re always happy to provide a free 10-15 minute phone consultation to discuss your concerns and help you determine which path to take.

Call the office (919-467-7777) to schedule the parent consult. This is an in-depth parent-only interview to go over the history, the purpose for your testing, and to ensure the evaluation you choose is designed to answer those questions for you. This meeting provides you with more information about testing so you can make a decision about moving forward (whether you decide in the office or need to think about it/ discuss it first). Your evaluator can help you then with next steps (e.g., cost of testing package, whether parent or teacher surveys are needed) when you’re ready. The cost of this meeting is the provider’s hourly fee.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment designed for individuals who are experiencing difficulties with emotional regulation, impulsivity, stress, and/or adaptive coping. DBT skills training offers concrete coping skills that are best taught in a group situation. Research has shown that groups have the benefit from providing peers support from other individuals who have similar problems, which can be a powerful component of treatment.

Great question! DBT has been shown to be helpful for a variety of challenges. Although DBT can be helpful for someone who is struggling with self-harming behavior and/or suicidal ideation, tween/teens who struggle with anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, family conflict, and/ or poor peer relationships can also benefit from learning DBT skills.

DBT Skills Training is highly structured around finding more effective ways to cope with problems. If/when the topics of self/harm and acting out come up, the focus is quickly redirected to how situations could have been handled more effectively. Group leaders will not allow for detailed discussions surrounding the actual acts of self-harm. Generally, the adolescents quickly become skilled at providing positive suggestions for other members, which in turn, help to modify their behaviors.