Services

Psychiatric Evaluation

For a child or adolescent, the initial consultation typically takes place over three appointments: the first appointment with parents / caregivers, the second with the patient, and the third all together to discuss diagnosis and treatment.

 

 

For an adult, the initial consultation usually takes place over two appointments. The first appointment we discuss your history, symptoms, and goals; the second appointment we discuss diagnosis and treatment.

Parent Education

As the parent of a child with autism, you know your child best, and you’re often well-versed in autism, the struggles that go with it, and available treatments. My parent education class provides a forum for sharing your experience while drawing on the experience of others structured by topics that include:

  • Autism
  • Autism + anxiety, mood, and behavior symptoms (including ADHD)
  • Treatments (behavioral, therapies, medication)

Classes are usually required as part of your child’s treatment and meet Tuesdays 4-5pm for 6 weeks.

Psychotherapy

If indicated, psychotherapy is an effective intervention to address mood, anxiety, and / or behavior symptoms. My approach combines elements of play (with children), psychodynamic, psychoeducational, and cognitive behavioral therapies. The course of psychotherapy can be short, though some symptoms may require a longer-term commitment to see improvement and resolution.

 

 

At this time, I am not providing applied behavioral analysis (ABA) or other early intervention therapies.

Medication Management

If indicated, medication alone or in combination with psychotherapy is an effective intervention to address mood, anxiety, and / or behavior symptoms. I understand some patients and parents are wary of medication, so I provide a detailed explanation of the risks and benefits so you have the necessary information to make an educated decision. If we decide to treat with a medication, we’ll work together to determine the lowest effective dose of the safest medication to address symptoms while monitoring for side effects and determining how long treatment should last.

Social Skills Training

Acceptance is the starting point of my social skills training classes, and we build on strengths from there with an engaging and fun curriculum to structure education about navigating the social world. These classes are for children and adolescents interested in developing and honing their social skills and having fun in a relaxed atmosphere of others on the autism spectrum.

 

I will offer adult classes in the future based on interest.