Professional counseling and therapy services are provided to children and adolescents 12+.
What are the initial steps?
First, an informed consent is signed. From there, a best practice is to first meet jointly with a parent and the child. Both parents can attend, but it’s typically better if just one parent attends. The goal here is for both the parent and child to express how they see the situation. Another key point to this strategy is so both the parent and child are aware of what has been shared; this way secrets are avoided. For example, a parent might express concerns about problematic behaviors, and the child might not mention any of these behaviors. An adolescent might move forward with services believing the clinician does not know about the behaviors. This puts the psychologist in the position of having to “tell” the adolescent about what the parent said. Thus, meeting with the parent, adolescent and psychologist is suggested as then all parties are aware of what information has been shared.
Are there instances where a parent can meet individual with Dr. Van Haveren without the adolescent being present?
Yes. For example, there might be a family history of mental health issues. The adolescent might not be aware of these issue and it might not be an appropriate time to share that information. However, it’s important for the Dr. Van Haveren to know this type of information. In such cases, it’s a great idea to discuss this in private. Other examples could include a pending divorce, a parent job layoff, etc.
Parents can also be kept abreast of treatment progress. Periodically, I can meet with you to discuss progress, treatment goals, participation, etc. All session information is not automatically shared with parents; this helps to preserve trust between myself and your child, and it builds the therapeutic alliance. I typically tell an adolescent I would like to provide general information to parents. We then review what is okay to share, and what might be kept private. However, keep in mind if suicide is a concern this will be discussed with you along with other mandated reporter situations such as child abuse, abuse of a disabled person, etc.
What types of teen/pre-teen concerns does Dr. Van Haveren treat?
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Depression
Anxiety
School issues (lack of motivation, underachievement)
Parent/Child Conflict
Communication Issues