The Center for Effective Therapy specializes in providing evidence-based treatment for children, teens, and young adults spanning from ages 2-22 with a range of mental health disorders, from anxiety, depression, and trauma to behavioral difficulties. Often, treatment involves parents and caregivers to support the family system and provide mental health assistance as a collaborative team.
When a child, teen, or young adult, and their family come in for an intake at CET, the process begins with a thorough evaluation of mental health symptoms, impairment in functioning, and needs. This evaluation is a key moment in the identification of a best-fit treatment approach, and it includes evidence-based questionnaires, a scientifically backed interview procedure, and thoughtful observation from a trained clinician. Following the evaluation, you will receive a report summarizing all information collected and conclusions made about appropriate diagnoses and treatment approaches. Your clinician will orient you to the report and give you a personalized overview of recommendations that you can choose to move forward with.
The clinicians at CET have been trained to provide evidence-based treatments appropriate for addressing a range of mental health disorders. As a result, you can feel reassured that the recommendations given are treatments that you can receive from an experienced clinician here at the Center. While each approach is personalized to meet your child and family’s needs, there are several approaches that will be considered based on what you need.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
A widely used form of therapy for both children and adults. At CET, CBT is used to treat anxiety and depression, and it focuses on changing thought patterns and behaviors, by recognizing that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all influence each other. CBT introduces concrete skills to an individual, so that they can become more aware of their own internal processes, and address patterns that are not useful for them. Individual CBT requires an ability to become aware of your own thoughts and feelings, which lends itself better to older children, teens, and adults.
The Modular Approach to Therapy for Children (MATCH)
A treatment method that uses cognitive behavioral therapy principles and is designed to address multiple different disorders and presenting problems, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and disruptive behavior disorders. As indicated in the name, MATCH uses a modular model, allowing the clinician to select information and interventions in the treatment that best fit the client’s target needs. This approach allows clinicians to address co-morbidities, which are co-existing mental health conditions, within the same treatment course. Since many children struggle with co-existing challenges, like anxiety and depression, or ADHD and behavior challenges, MATCH helps clinicians work with their client to identify the most pressing challenge in the moment, how to address it, and then how to remain focused and targeted so the child or teen can learn positive solutinons and skills to get back on track. Like CBT, MATCH aims to provide skills and strategies to change thought patterns and behaviors, but it is tailored specifically for children and teens.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
An evidence-based approach to addressing emotional and behavioral difficulties in children ages 2-7 years old. This treatment utilizes collaboration between the caregivers and clinicians to enhance and tailor parenting techniques to reduce symptoms in young children. While the traditional PCIT approach addresses behavior issues, evidence-based adaptations have been made to address anxiety and trauma symptoms as well.
Behavioral Parent Training (BPT)
An approach to treating behavioral issues and/or with non-compliance for kids 8 and up. Similar to PCIT, this approach involves collaboration with caregivers to support them in creating the structure and response system that kids need to manage their behaviors. This treatment approach is particularly helpful for children with ADHD, who often have not yet developed the ability to regulate and follow through on tasks, even when they know what is expected of them. The approach focuses on strengthening the caregiver-child relationship, and it is a great modality to use before individual therapy for the child or teen to help increase their motivation and buy-in.
Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE)
An approach that draws from evidence-based interventions but is aimed at supporting caregivers or non-clinical providers, like schools, after school care centers, and pediatrician's offices. CARE can be offered as a preventative approach for low level behavior concerns or while a family is waiting for treatment and can be offered in group settings. The approach focuses on building skills to positively connect with children and encourage desired behaviors. Included in this approach are strategies for giving effective commands, and re-direction from difficult behaviors.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
A treatment that addresses symptoms of anxiety by providing coping skills like relaxation techniques and cognitive strategies, prior to engaging in practices that encourage kids and teens to face their fears. In this treatment, kids learn through practice that they can manage their anxiety around feared situations, and experience reduction of symptoms as they achieve their goals.
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
An approach specifically designed to address significant emotional and behavioral problems related to traumatic life events, including loss, abuse, and neglect, among other experiences. This approach uses foundations of cognitive behavioral therapy to target symptoms of traumatic stress and is appropriate for children and adolescent ages 3 to 18.
Regardless of the evidence-based approach that is selected to address the challenges that your child is experiencing, you can trust that at CET, treatment is guided by scientific knowledge and adjusted along the way to tailor to your specific needs and goals.
Want to learn more?
- Book an appointment for treatment
- Contact us
- Watch our evidence-based treatments webinar
- Read What are Evidence–Based Treatments?