Services
Individual therapy
Individual therapy sessions are tailored to the child’s/adolescent’s learning style and comfort level, while remaining goal oriented to address one’s individual needs. Mount Pleasant Psychological Services for Children understands that every individual accesses the therapeutic relationship and process differently, some through games, some by talking, and others through structured activities. Regardless of style, our practice specializes in a number of time limited, evidence based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Organizational Skills Training (OST)..
Group Therapy
At Mount Pleasant Psychological Services for Children, social skills groups are offered periodically based on need. Social skills groups are composed of 3-5 children/adolescents of similar age and need while considering their interests, personalities, and strengths and weaknesses. Social skills groups are led using direct skills training which focuses on teaching targeted skills through structured instruction and practice. After a skill is taught, modeled, and role played, our social skills groups go on brief outings when feasible to generalize the skills learned in practical settings outside the office. Some of the skills taught include but are not limited to:
Starting, Maintaining
and Ending a conversation
Joining in a Conversation or Game
Staying on Topic
Shifting Topics
Noticing and Reacting to Non-Verbal Cues
Ways to Verbally and Nonverbally Communicate
When Humor is Appropriate
Tone of Voice
Parenting Support
Behavior Parent Training (BPT) is an approach specifically used with parents of children who struggle with challenging behaviors, some of whom have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Often times, the parent-child relationship is taxed due to the coercive cycle that occurs which can inadvertently reinforce both the child’s behaviors and the parents’ reactions. BPT teaches parents very specific skills that help to improve their relationship with their child while being able to proactively and reactively address their child’s challenging behaviors.
In addition to BPT, parenting support is offered in other ways throughout the treatment process depending on the age and need of your child/adolescent. When treating younger children, our practice often involves parents through regular parent sessions to ensure the parents understand the skills learned by the child and how they can support their child with skill use outside of the therapy office. For adolescents and older teens, parent involvement is determined at the outset of the therapeutic relationship between the parent, adolescent, and treating clinician. The goal is to help parents to feel more in control while maintaining their relationship with their child.
Evaluations
Mount Pleasant Psychological Services for Children offers comprehensive evaluations using standardized measures, questionnaires, and observations to assess one’s cognitive, academic, and social-emotional functioning. The evaluation process is conducted across multiple sessions, depending on the child’s age and referring concern. Pursuing the evaluation process can be a helpful tool in understanding the way your child learns with the ultimate goal of fostering their strengths while creating a plan to remediate any areas of need.Upon completion of the evaluation, a feedback session is scheduled to review the findings and recommendations which will guide any necessary support at school, home, or other areas of functioning. Together, through this process, our practice can guide and help you to be the best advocate for your child.
Assessment Areas We Specialize in
1
Reading
word reading, reading fluency, reading comprehension
2
Writing
spelling, essay writing, grammar/punctuation
3
Math
math facts, math fluency, math problem solving
4
Sustaining Attention
inhibiting Impulses
5
Executive Functioning
following directions, planning/organization, task Initiation, cognitive flexibility
6
Memory
visual & verbal
7
Emotion Regulation
anxiety, depression, oppositional behavior,
obsessions/compulsions
8
Social Awareness
reading social cues, joining in with friends, maintaining a conversation
Consultations
Our practice believes that consulting with your child’s school and/or other providers,when necessary and with parental permission, is the best way to offer the most comprehensive support. Whether your child’s difficulties are manifesting across settings or only in one setting, obtaining information from multiple observers can help to inform your child’s treatment. What happens in one setting may affect another, and it can look very different due to a number of environmental factors.
Contact us
If you would like to set up an initial phone consultation or to learn more about Mount Pleasant Psychological Services for Children please call, email, or complete this form. Please note that there is no guarantee that contact forms on websites are secure or confidential. Please be aware that communicating sensitive personal or health information through this page is not advised.
