Therapy involves helping children and adolescents to increase awareness and understanding of their thoughts and feelings and then to support them to develop helpful ways of coping with their challenges. Dr. Stevens works collaboratively with each child and family to set goals and develop a treatment plan that is best suited to their unique situation. Dr. Stevens’ practice primarily draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as well as other empirically supported therapy modalities.
Therapy sessions are typically individual (one-on-one), but parent/guardian(s) may join for initial updates at the beginning of each session and also at the end to learn how they can support weekly therapy goals. This extent of parental involvement will depend on many factors included the age of the child, therapy goals, and child/family preferences.
The number of therapy sessions needed can vary depending on the nature of the concerns and progress made. An initial session will typically include a more detailed interview regarding background and setting treatment goals. After this inital meeting, usually it is most helpful to schedule weekly one-hour sessions. As progress is made, sessions can be less frequent, until the child and family’s goals are met.
Dr. Elizabeth Stevens, Psychologist 