Why TCP?
At TCP, you will get highly specialized expertise. All of our providers are have focused their education and training on developmental psychology and techniques and skills specific to children and adolescents. They have extensive experience in a number of evidence-based therapeutic approaches in order to provide the best treatment for your child, and they regularly attend continuing education courses to stay up-to-date on the most current research for effective interventions. Additionally, our psychologists will work closely with parents at the beginning of treatment as well as throughout treatment to ensure there is agreement on the treatment plan and goals, and to ensure that your child and your family are experiencing improvement.
What ages do you work with?
Our psychologists see children of all ages. At younger ages, we tend to spend more time working with the parents in consultations, but our psychologists also have the training and resources to do play therapy with children as they become more interactive and playful. We typically enjoy working with clients throughout every developmental stage, including young adulthood.
How do I know if my child needs therapy?
We view difficult behaviors as a child’s communication. Some degree of problematic behavior throughout childhood and adolescence is normal. Children are learning how to navigate their own way in the world, coming up against new obstacles and challenges every day. What you want to pay attention to is the frequency, duration, severity, and age appropriateness of the behaviors. If your child has reached a point where any behavioral or emotional issues are interfering with their ability to connect with others, perform normal daily activities, or learn academic material at school, these are red flags and a sign that intervention may be necessary. In these cases, the sooner you seek help, the better. We are happy to talk with you if you have questions about whether or not therapy may be indicated for your child.
How long does it take to get the results from an evaluation?
Typical turnaround time is around 4 weeks from the completion of testing; however, this can be slightly longer or shorter depending on our caseloads. A draft report will be provided to you for discussion during the Parent Feedback Session. A final completed report will be provided to you within approximately one week following feedback.
What kinds of recommendations can we expect from an evaluation?
This depends on your child’s diagnostic summary that you will receive once testing is completed. Following the completion of the evaluation, you will have a Parent Feedback session where your psychologist will review the comprehensive report that includes all of the data obtained from interviews and testing, diagnoses (if there are any), and recommendations. Typically, these recommendations are geared toward things that parents can do at home to help with their child’s challenges. If the child is also struggling in school, there will also be recommendations for teachers that can be implemented at school, and possibly a recommendation for an IEP or 504 plan for your child, if indicated. However, the decision about whether or not the school receives the report is completely up to you. And again, depending on the results of the testing, there may also be recommendations for other services, such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, or a consultation with a physician for medication (if indicated).
What if we need help implementing the recommendations?
The report that you receive after the Parent Feedback session is generally enough information for you to move forward with implementing the recommendations at home or at school. In some cases, however, parents may feel that there are situations with their child that are particularly challenging and they want some additional guidance in implementing the recommendations. If this is the case for you, our psychologists can be available for parent consultations after feedback. Parent consultations can be scheduled as needed and are billed at the current hourly rate.
Alternatively, you may feel that working with your child’s school has been challenging and you may like assistance in communicating to the school your child’s particular needs and any requested accommodations. In this case, with your consent, our psychologists can be available to consult with your child’s teacher(s) and/or a review board for an educational plan such as an IEP or 504.