Starting Therapies: Where to Begin

by | Last updated Jan 25, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

I see all these recommendations for services on here, where do I start?

Parents often feel lost when they seek help for their children. They are caught up in a swirling sea of potential mental health professionals, types of therapies, and possible evaluations. 

How do you know where to go when you have a concern about your child? Should you talk to the school? Should you go to the Children’s Hospital? What are all of these private clinics? Do you need Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, or Psychotherapy? 

Clear Up the Confusion

One of the main purposes of the Cleape site authored by CLEAR Child Psychology is to clear up the confusion. 

If you go to this site https://cleape.com/professionals/ you will find articles about the specific providers listed below. These articles tell you who this person is, what they do, what their training is and how to find one. 

Seek an Evaluation

The best way to determine what supports will be best for your child is to first seek an evaluation. A licensed psychologist can evaluate your child’s strengths and weaknesses and should provide recommendations for the services you need and their priority order. Often, with a diagnosis, insurance may cover part of the cost for services. Having an evaluation and a profile for your child can provide a starting point for a therapist. 

Getting Started with Therapy

One of the first parts of therapy after you get a feel for the individual and decide he or she might be a good fit, is to establish goals for your child. Having an evaluation and a profile can guide that discussion and make establishing goals pretty straightforward. 

If there are many things you want to work on for your child, take some time to think about what is really critical for your day-to-day life. That is your starting point. 

Types of Starting Points

For many families we work with, that starting point might be “communicating,” as you’re wanting to help your child with their ability to express wants and needs. An ABA therapist and/or a Speech-Language Pathologist will likely be your first go-to here. 

For other families, the starting point might be “toilet training.” That can make a big difference in life! An ABA therapist or an Occupational Therapist will likely be best to work on that goal. 

If your child is anxious and rigid in their behavior, you may need psychotherapy. In your evaluation a good psychologist will develop this profile with you and prioritize treatment for your child. 

We’re Here to Help

Ready to get started? You can begin an assessment in CADE and take the first steps to creating a profile for your child. CLEAR can provide an evaluation from licensed psychologists if you need one, or you can use your CADE assessment to work with the providers you already have, gather their feedback, and build a profile for your child. In CADE, you will see areas to target in treatment. You can order your priorities, and you will see what kinds of treatments match up with the concerns you want your child to work on. Sign up here to get started today!

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