Telehealth & Treatment Frequently Asked Questions
Is telehealth going to work for my child? I’m skeptical.
Sometimes parents can put into words their experience with telehealth better than I ever could – below is a telehealth testimonial from a previous parent/client of mine whose family received telehealth PCIT and behavior therapy for their 5-year-old (shared with permission):
"I’ll be honest, at first my husband and I were skeptical. All of our sessions with Dr. Danielle would be virtual. How could this possibly work for a child who was already struggling with being in front of a computer for hours a day? Boy, were we wrong. So very wrong.
As far as I’m concerned, every parent, educator, and caregiver should receive Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Life-changing. Absolutely life-changing.
Our “coaching” sessions were 100% virtual. Dr. Danielle would give us tasks, I would wear Bluetooth headphones and listen to cues. She would observe and we would debrief. Truly providing in-the-moment coaching on skills we were learning to use in order to manage our child's behavior.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it – sh*t was hard (and still is). My husband and I put a ton of work into our parenting routine, styles, etc. A ton of work. We have learned how to be the parents our child needs. The parents we want to be. How changing one simple word or phrase can make all the difference. Dr. Danielle is more than just a psychologist. She has been our coach, mentor, lifesaver. And has spent hours with our family – helping us, coaching us on how to interact with our child to decrease tantrums & outbursts and providing more guidance than I ever expected."
Many clients I’ve worked with have said how pleasantly surprised they were with how helpful and easy telehealth has been. Besides getting to save time on commute and the gas it would take to drive to an in-person office, telehealth offers the benefit of allowing “real life” practice of the strategies in session.
Telehealth sessions involving parenting strategies and behavior therapy often include live coaching from me to caregivers through “bug-in-ear” (i.e., headphones or Bluetooth ear buds). We actively practice the therapeutic strategies in YOUR very own house. For example, telehealth coaching may involve practice of:
staying calm and focused during homework time at your child’s very own desk area
following directions during clean up with your child’s own toys
sitting calmly with focused eating during mealtime at your very own dinner table
therapeutic strategies that improve child self-esteem, prosocial behaviors, and parent-child relationships in your own living room
Telehealth has allowed a second caregiver to video call into session to participate from another location (e.g., at work during lunch break) when they otherwise would not have been able to attend, or for parents to easily attend a parent-only session during a break at work before their child gets home from school. Telehealth has also allowed parents to include other caregivers they want to attend session or parts of session, such as grandparents or babysitters, so that all caregivers can learn the same effective strategies and be more consistent across settings.
Telehealth allows kids and teens to practice using their coping skills with the actual items and areas they would use in their own house while in session. Telehealth allows kids and teens to receive live coaching while practicing facing their fears through “bravery missions” (i.e., anxiety exposure therapy), such as confronting a feared insect in their own backyard or going all alone into the basement they usually avoid or practicing social anxiety-inducing phone calls or sitting in a small enclosed space. Telehealth allows kids and teens with ADHD (and parents of kids with ADHD) to have live coaching of organizing their room, desk, and backpack to set themselves up for success in their living area.
If you want to pursue treatment but are unsure about telehealth, that’s okay! If you have questions about telehealth, feel free to reach out via this inquiry form and we can discuss during a free 15-minute phone call: New Client Inquiry Form
Does therapy actually work?
I only use evidence-based treatments, which means that these types of therapies have undergone rigorous research studies to test that they are safe, effective, and feasible. See the Services section for the types of well-researched treatments I use. However, therapy involves active participation from children and their caregivers, with practice of strategies or “homework” at home. Families usually see more improvements faster the more they practice their strategies regularly at home, and continued practice is essential for long-lasting behavior change.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a type of behavior therapy that was developed over 40 years ago and has shown to be very effective at improving child behavior for children aged 2-7 years (and in some cases can be adapted to slightly older children). PCIT is often referred to as the “gold standard treatment” for disruptive behavior problems in young children, and has treatment adaptations for children with anxiety as well. There are literally hundreds of research studies demonstrating that PCIT works to reduce challenging behaviors and to strengthen parent-child relationships, leaving caregivers empowered with effective parenting strategies. I completed specialized training in PCIT and am PCIT Certified.
Interested in learning more about PCIT?
Click here for information about PCIT.
Click here for various research studies on PCIT.
Click here to see research on how PCIT compared to other treatments (spoiler alert: PCIT outperformed and showed more effectiveness at improving child behavior than the other treatments of stimulant medication, CBT, Incredible Years, Triple P Positive Parenting Program, and Child-Centered Play Therapy).
Telehealth therapy has also been shown to be just as effective as in-person treatment for a variety of presenting concerns. Below is a small sample of research on the effectiveness of telehealth:
Click here for research showing that a common type of treatment I provide (PCIT and behavior therapy) to children aged 2-7 years is as effective or more effective when delivered by telehealth compared to in-person services.
Click here for research on how telehealth services showed similar improvements as in-person services for behavior therapy with parent training, with authors noting that the telehealth behavioral parent training program “is effective in reducing problematic child behaviors and improving parenting practices and knowledge.”
Click here for research on how telehealth is effective for delivery of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
How long will treatment last?
Length of treatment varies for each child and family depending on a variety of factors, including severity of problems being addressed, consistent attendance to sessions, consistency of practice between sessions, and more. On average, I typically meet with families every week for 12 to 20 sessions, with some treatment being shorter and some treatment being longer depending on each child’s needs. Together we will assess treatment progress and goals throughout therapy – there is no one-size-fits-all timeline and we will make sure that we discuss this process openly and collaboratively.
We will typically meet weekly or biweekly for the majority of treatment. As we get closer to meeting treatment goals, we may space out the sessions less frequently as we near “graduation” from treatment. I take a solutions-focused approach to therapy where I provide you and your child with concrete skills to address your current concerns. The types of therapy I use are typically time-limited, meaning that you and your child will be able to acquire the new skills, graduate from/complete therapy once meeting treatment goals, and continue practicing these skills on your own successfully beyond treatment. Although my goal is for you and your child to feel confident in using your new skills and to apply them for future difficulties as they arise, we can also schedule “booster sessions” to check in or troubleshoot concerns even after treatment is completed.
Each therapy session is typically scheduled for one therapy hour and we will usually meet for 50 to 55 minutes of that hour, with the remaining minutes dedicated to emailing you handouts, personalized behavior charts, visual aids, or other documents, and the required progress note in medical record documentation.
My child’s problems are mild to moderate right now – how do I know if my child really needs therapy?
This is a question I get asked a lot! Whether you feel your child’s concerns are mild, moderate, or severe, there are always strategies that you and your child can learn to help decrease problem behaviors and improve overall functioning. Even if you feel your child’s concerns are mild at this time, but the strategies you’ve tried at home just don’t seem to be helping, therapy can still be beneficial; even if you feel your child’s behaviors might be “normal” for their age, but you still feel stressed as a parent and find those behaviors difficult to manage, therapy can still be beneficial. For mild concerns, therapy may end up being short-term – and that’s okay! The therapeutic skills we focus on can be helpful to all children, caregivers, and families, regardless of whether there are clinically significant or severe symptoms and behaviors. If you and/or your child are unhappy with the way things are right now and are looking for a change, but are unsure if you should start therapy, you can reach out and I offer a free 15-minute phone call to discuss services and see if therapy with me is the right fit for your family at this time. You can complete an inquiry form here: New Client Inquiry Form and I’ll contact you within 2-3 business days.