We work with a variety of age groups from toddlers through teens. Individual, family and group therapy appointments are available. Our psychologists typically provide cognitive behavioral therapy. We provide the following services:
Emotional & Behavioral Issues
Illness & Medical Management
School & Academic Issues
Developmental Issues
Family Matters
We are not able to treat children or teens with substance abuse problems, children who have sexually perpetrated against others or children who have been sexually abused by an immediate family member. These cases will need treatment through a specialty treatment program or provider.
We are also unable to take court ordered/related cases or conduct custody evaluations, which need to be completed by a psychologist with specialized training in this area. We are happy to assist you with referrals if needed.
Psychological testing and assessment are the foundation for making sound, objective decisions about what’s best for your child. Pediatric Psychological Associates provides extensive assessment services, including ADHD, learning disability, autism spectrum, aptitude, personality, and behavior testing to develop plans tailored to the needs and capabilities of each individual.
Initially, we will meet with the parent(s) and child to gather a thorough background history and better understand your concerns. A separate appointment will then be scheduled to complete the testing. This appointment can range anywhere from four to eight hours depending on which tests are administered. After the assessment has been completed, the tests will be scored and interpreted by the psychologist. A follow up appointment will be scheduled within 2 weeks to review the test results with the parent(s). Parents will receive a report which includes test results, treatment recommendations, handouts and other relevant resources. The specific tests and assessment tools used will depend on the nature of your child’s referral question.
The following is an example of a standard assessment for the evaluation of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and a learning disability:
The following is an example of a standard assessment for the evaluation of Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorders:
The following are several commonly administered tests to assess behavior, mood, and personality:
Our practice offers several social skills groups for children from preschool age through adolescence. These groups are designed to teach effective social skills to children and teens who struggle due to attention problems, impulsivity, anxiety, or issues related to having an autism spectrum disorder. Even though some children do not have an official diagnosis, they may struggle socially and could benefit from this type of experience.
Each group session focuses on a specific social area, such as starting a conversation, joining in or dealing with bullies. Group sessions incorporate both structured learning about the week’s topic, as well as “free time”, in which group participants are assisted in practicing their social skills in an environment that is designed to be similar to free time at school, an indoor play date, or just spending time with friends. During this time, the group leader(s) will assist group members in navigating social situations and will provide 1:1 feedback. We have many children who return to our groups, as their parents are pleased with their ongoing progress and the children enjoy socializing with peers in an environment in which they feel safe and supported.
Groups typically meet for one hour for 6-8 weeks at a regularly scheduled time. For more information, please contact our office at (502) 429-5431.
Our Therapeutic Approach
First and foremost, we believe that building a strong, trusting relationship with both the child and family is key to therapeutic success. For us, this involves spending time getting to know a child and helping them feel comfortable, safe, and secure. A positive relationship facilitates the child or teen being open in discussing issues or concerns.
Our overall treatment approach can be considered “cognitive behavioral.” Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of therapy that emphasizes the importance of thinking in how we feel and behave. How a person views and thinks about a situation can impact the emotions they feel and the way they react to experiences. For example, if someone is experiencing a negative emotion, such as sadness, it is important to understand and identify the negative thoughts that are contributing to the feelings and behaviors they are having. By changing the way you think about and interpret a situation, more positive emotions and behaviors are likely to develop.
A key feature of CBT is the use of empirically supported treatments (EST’s). EST’s are techniques or methods that have been shown to be effective through research. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most highly researched therapeutic approach. Use of validated treatments increase a child’s chance of improving.
Another hallmark feature of CBT is goal setting. All too often, individuals enter therapy without goals, which may prolong treatment and leave one with a sense that they have not accomplished what they wanted. It is important to establish therapeutic goals to have a clear idea of where therapy is going and how you know if you’ve gotten there. CBT psychologists often use tests and rating scales to monitor goals and progress. For example, if a child is experiencing depression, a questionnaire can be given to obtain an initial depression score. The questionnaire can be given several times during therapy to determine if positive changes are occurring. Our psychologists work with the child and family to develop goals and solutions to reach the established goals. To reach one’s goals, solutions may involve developing new and more positive ways of thinking about and viewing a situation, building self-esteem, enhancing one’s coping skills, learning problem solving strategies or practicing relaxation techniques.
Solutions and techniques can be tailored to the age of your child. For younger children, who may not be as able to fully understand situations and express their thoughts and feelings as readily as older children or teens, play therapy techniques can be used. Through play and art, children are often able to express themselves and learn new skills. We use numerous therapeutic games and activities that teach children how to identify and express thoughts and feelings and to learn new ways of thinking and behaving.
In many cases, we will give your child, and sometimes parents, goals or “homework” to work on in between appointments. It is important to work hard on goals both inside and outside of therapy. “Homework” may include making a list of negative thoughts you had during the week and how you could view the situation more positively, practicing relaxation skills, or appropriately expressing feelings to someone you have been having problems with. These are small steps towards reaching goals. It is very important for parents to assist children in completing “homework” assignments.
A key component of our approach is involving parent(s) in therapy. In many cases, parents describe not knowing what happens while their child is meeting with the therapist. We feel it is important to spend time with parents as much as possible, reviewing concerns, progress, goals and time for questions, in additional to meeting with the child or teen alone. We also spend time discussing parenting strategies and behavioral plans, if needed.
CBT is typically more brief and time limited than other therapies, such as traditional psychoanalysis, which can take years to complete. Depending on the nature and severity of the presenting problem, one may be involved in 8-16 appointments. We typically work with children once a week for 45-55 minutes until rapport is developed and progress starts to be seen. Appointments can then be decreased to every few weeks ending in periodic check-ups.
Even after a child has completed therapy, parents often like for their child to periodically check in with the psychologist to monitor how they are doing and to ensure that the child’s progress does not decline over time. Many children and teens actually chose to continue therapy on a more infrequent basis as they enjoy having a safe and supportive adult figure to discuss situations and issues as they inevitably arise.
If you have a private health insurance policy, it should provide some coverage for mental health services. Our office will assist you in receiving the benefits to which you are entitled. However, it is very important that you find out exactly what mental health benefits your insurance policy provides such as copay, deductibles and maximum number of visits allowed per year.
Currently, our office is in-network with Anthem/BCBS, Humana, Humana Life Synch, United/Optum, and Aetna.
We are not in network with any private insurance obtained through the healthcare exchange/kynect.
We also do not participate in any Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
We are unable to accept K-CHIP and Medicaid Programs. If your child has insurance through a government sponsored plan you may wish to contact the Bingham Clinic or Centerstone.
We will file out-of-network benefits for Cigna. For any other non-covered insurance companies, we do not file claims. But, you can submit claims directly to your insurance company to obtain reimbursement from your out-of-network benefits. Each insurance company has an "out-of-network" claim form for you to submit for out-of-network benefits. An example of the type of information typically requested on these forms is included below. We will provide the following information on your claim forms:
• Dates and times of service
• Type of service provided along with appropriate CPT and diagnostic codes
• The treating Doctor's signature confirming the treatment provided
• Other documentation of our services requested by your insurance company
It will be your responsibility to work with the insurance company to obtain appropriate reimbursement for out-of-network benefits.
Please note that you should contact your insurance company if you are seeking out-of-network benefits since they may require pre-authorization prior to your appointment. You should also check your out-of-network benefits which may not be significantly different than your in-network benefits, including co-pays, deductibles, maximum number of sessions allowed, etc.
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.
Our fees for out-of-network services and for self-pay are listed below. For self-pay, we provide our full range of services without all the paperwork and requirements of insurance companies.
Parent Intake Appointment: $225.00
Child Intake Appointment: $225.00
Therapy Appointment: $175.00
Psychological Testing: $175.00 per unit
Group Therapy: Not currently offered
School Observations/Visits & Meetings: $175.00 per hour
We require 48 business hours for cancellation of therapy appointments and 72 business hours for testing appointments. Non-emergency late cancellations and no shows for therapy will be charged $50.00. Testing appointments are charged at $75.00 per unit scheduled. By canceling appointments as far in advance as possible, we are able to see children who have been waiting to be seen.
Payments are due at the time of service. Credit Card authorizations are maintained to ensure payment.
