Getting Started

 

Starting the Journey & Building Connections

 
Phone Consultation

1. Initial Phone Consultation

The first step toward working together is a phone consultation, during which we will get to know one another. During the initial phone consultation, Alisa will explore the presenting issues with you. She will listen to your concerns and ask several questions to determine whether she is the right person to provide clinical services to help support your child and family. During this phone consultation, Alisa will explain the clinical assessment and treatment process. In addition, she will discuss fees for services. If it is mutually agreeable to work together, an initial parent consultation will be scheduled.

 
Clinical Assessment

2. Clinical Assessment

Partnering with parents is an integral part of the clinical assessment and treatment process. The clinical assessment process includes approximately 4-6 sessions. It begins with an Intake (1st session), which is an initial consultation meeting with parents / legal guardians only and lasts for 60 minutes. Subsequent clinical assessment sessions will be planned in collaboration with you. Sessions are 45 minutes and may include a family session with all members, parent-child sessions, and individual child sessions. With parental / guardian’s permission, the clinical assessment process may also include phone consultations with school staff or other treating professionals as well as school observations if indicated.

 

What Are Clinical Assessments?

Child development involves the complex interaction between nature (biology) and nurture (environment). Every child is unique and special. Children are born into this world with their own individual temperaments and biological predispositions. As children grow and develop, the interplay between children’s biological predispositions and socialization experiences (e.g., family unit, school, and social environments) is an integral part of continued development. In order to best understand your child’s strengths and challenges, the clinical process begins with a comprehensive clinical assessment. The goal of the clinical assessment framework is to begin to build a therapeutic relationship with you and your child and to help gain an in-depth understanding of your concerns for your child within the context of your child’s life and developmental history. In addition, the assessment process focuses on gaining a deep understanding of your child’s strengths, challenges, and overall developmental progress.

 
Parent Feedback

3. Parent Feedback Conference

Once the assessment process is completed, there will be a parent feedback conference (60 minutes). At that time, Alisa will meet alone with the parents / guardians to share child and family strengths, information about the nature of the presenting concerns, clinical and diagnostic impressions (when relevant), and recommendations for next steps. Identifiable treatment goals will be explored in collaboration with parents / legal guardians if further treatment is recommended.  

 

We’re All In This Together

An essential and integral part of the clinical assessment process is getting to know you and your child and beginning to build a therapeutic alliance with all of you. Parents and primary caregivers know their children the best. Alisa strives to build a collaborative partnership with you in order to help optimize your child’s continued developmental growth and progress.

To discuss your concerns, learn more, request a free 15-minute phone consultation, or schedule an appointment, please get in touch.

 "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” 

PLATO