The first step is making the decision that your child may benefit from professional help. All too often parents feel like they should be able to figure out on their own what to do for their child or may feel like they are admitting defeat to seek outside help. Know that you are not alone. We see hundreds of families who have made this often difficult decision and have benefited from our services.

The next step is contacting our office, either by sending in the new patient request form located on our home page or calling at 502-429-5431. Once we have obtain some basic information about your child or teen, we will then have our Patient Coordinator contact you to help determine which of our doctors is the best match for you and how soon an intake appointment is available.

While you are welcome to request a specific therapist there are several factors that may affect their availability. This includes if they are taking new patients, available appointment times, and the child’s individual needs for therapy, among other factors. All of our psychologists are trained to treat a wide variety of conditions. Our Patient Coordinator will be able to help you determine which Psychologist is the best fit for your child based on the factors listed above.

Length of treatment highly varies on an individual basis. Regular therapy appointments last between 45-60 minutes. Once your primary concerns have been addressed some parents like for their child to have monthly or quarterly “check in’s” to monitor long term progress and to continue a therapeutic relationship should future concerns arise. Testing appointments typically take longer but ultimately will be decided by your child’s needs and your Psychologist’s recommendations.

Parent and child intake appointments are scheduled in the morning only. Time and days vary by Psychologist. After school and evening appointments are in great demand and typically are filled weeks in advance by current clients. Once you are an established client it will be much easier to obtain your preferred times. At this time we do not have weekend appointments.

Yes, it is very likely that your child will miss school for some appointments. Your Psychologist will provide you with a doctor’s note for your school if needed. Depending on your distance to and from our office your child should only have to miss 1-2 hours of school.

The initial appointment is the parent intake. Typically, we meet with the parents alone during the first session to ensure that you are able to openly discuss what brings you to the appointment. This is also a time for parents to evaluate their comfort level with the psychologist before the child or teen is seen.

The second appointment would be your child’s first appointment. The doctor will spend the majority of that time solely with the child depending on his or her comfort level. This time will be focused on building rapport with the child and helping them to feel more comfortable.

The goal of the child’s first appointment is to begin building rapport and helping the child or teen feel comfortable. Time will be spent discussing a child’s interests, hobbies, school, family, and friends. We will also discuss the therapy process with them. It is often helpful to explain to your child that they are going to see a doctor but not one that prescribes medicines, gives shot or physical exams. Some parents find it helpful to refer to their child’s psychologist as a “Talking Doctor” or “Feelings Doctor”.

Please call us at 502-429-5431 to cancel as soon as possible. This allows another child to be seen during your time. If an appointment is missed or cancelled with less than a 48 hour notice, and there is not an emergency or illness, you will be billed $45. Testing appointments require a 72 hour notice or there will be a charge of $45 for each hour scheduled. Note: School events, such as after-school activities, competitions, standardized testing, or a parent having to work, do not count as an emergency.

During the first several therapy appointments your child will be informally evaluated as part of the regular therapeutic process. This would involve gathering information from parents, the child, and sometimes teachers or other healthcare providers to better understand your child’s situation. This also includes behavioral observations made during appointments and may include behavior checklists and questionnaires. After several visits, your psychologist may complete or refer you for comprehensive testing if more in depth information is needed to better understand your child, make a formal diagnosis or to guide treatment. Comprehensive testing can be completed in our office during a specific testing appointment and must be approved by your insurance company.

Some parents request psychological testing up front if they would like to test for a specific condition such as ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or learning disorders. Some children with complicated presenting problems of those who have previously been unsuccessful in therapy may also benefit from formal psychological testing.

Yes, we accept most major insurance companies. Please refer to our insurance section of this site to see if your insurance is accepted. If we do not accept your insurance we can often submit using your out of network benefits. We are unable to take government sponsored insurance plans such as Medicaid or Medicare programs including K-CHIP. Individuals with such coverage should contact Seven Counties Services or the Bingham Clinic.

We do not bill secondary insurance. If you have secondary insurance and would like to file yourself we can provide you with procedure codes and dates of service as needed. Please check with your insurance company prior to find out what the process is for you to file.