Individual Therapy
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).
Each of the aforementioned treatments often require the child/adolescent to practice skills learned in session, outside of the office, in order to make timely and efficient progress. As such, and when appropriate, our practice will collaborate with parents to facilitate the bridging of the skills learned.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a widely used and researched approach to therapy which is based on the theory that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. It is believed that through this connection, in combination with environmental factors, psychological distress is maintained. In turn, CBT focuses on identifying and modifying unhelpful thought patterns, our response to emotions, and our behaviors in order to improve one’s emotional well-being.
Exposure Therapy/Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) is a form of CBT which is used to primarily treat anxiety-related disorders (i.e. social anxiety, separation anxiety, specific phobia etc.) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), respectively. Both treatments help individuals confront their fears in a controlled and gradual manner while learning to tolerate the distress along the way. In ERP, individuals specifically learn to refrain from engaging in any rituals or compulsive behaviors that may reduce their distress when exposed to the target stimuli.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment that believes each individual has a unique level of emotional sensitivity that, when combined with certain environmental factors, can lead to heightened emotional reactions and a slow return to baseline. DBT was historically designed for individuals who have difficulty managing intense emotions, and has been found to be useful for many other areas of psychological distress, with dialectical thinking being at the core of the treatment. These intense emotions sometimes lead to challenges with emotional awareness, sustaining attention, impulsivity, distress tolerance, quick shifts in emotions, ongoing negative mood, and interpersonal relationships. At this time, Mount Pleasant Psychological Services for Children incorporates DBT skills into individual sessions as a part of the individual’s treatment plan. Our practice does not offer a comprehensive DBT program, which
would be inclusive of individual therapy, group therapy, and phone coaching.
Organizational Skills Training (OST) is a treatment that is often used with individuals who are diagnosed with ADHD and/or executive functioning deficits. OST is designed to improve one’s time management,task organization/prioritization, planning, goal setting, and task completion.
