Information for New Clients
One of the largest living systems in the world is a forest of 41,000 Aspen trees in Wasatch, Utah. Aspen trees grow from root stock instead of seeds and, therefore, the forest of 41,000 trees has roots that connect each other under the soil. In working with children and adolescents, a therapist must recognize that "connections" are important in therapy. That is why I work with each system that connects with the child—parents, siblings, school, etc. and the client.
This is what you can expect as a new client:
When working with a child or an adolescent identified as having a behavior problem, I typically work first with the parents/parent to teach them tools and skills and then I work with the identified client. In some cases, after working with the parents and the identified client, I also work with the siblings because when one child's behavior is causing a problem, the other children in the home must change their behavior to accommodate the child with the identified problem. The number of sessions is typically 5 to 12 sessions. If a diagnosis such as ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) has been made, the therapy sessions are typically longer.
When working with an adult client, the number of sessions vary according to the severity of the identified problem.
Required Forms
All new clients are requested to download and fill out the following forms before the first appointment.
» Intake Form (PDF)
» Authorization for Release of Information (PDF)
Note: if you don't have the free Adobe reader, you can download it here.
