Consultations for Parents Considering Therapy

Parents who are considering therapy for their child — or who have received a recommendation for therapy for their child — may be wondering, does my child need treatment? Is my child’s behavior normal or not? Does my child need medication? Do I need to change my parenting approach? A preliminary treatment consultation addresses these questions and aims to help parents understand whether their child needs therapy or whether they, as parents, need help understanding and responding to their child. The consultation allows parents to calibrate age-appropriate expectations for their child’s behavior. It may also include an exploration of appropriate therapeutic interventions (e.g. treatment with and without medication, outpatient and residential treatments), the identification of appropriate professionals to carry out treatment, and other questions about what therapy typically involves. This exploration precedes any decision about treatment or commitment to be in therapy. It is a separate service from treatment and will enable parents to evaluate any therapy and to make more informed decisions about treatment.