Family-based Therapy
We believe that the majority of child and adolescent difficulties are best understood and treated within the context of the family system. Our approach is health and competence based rather than disease oriented. This service protocol is designed to evaluate and intervene in the context of the family system, even though a child or adolescent may manifest the most problematic functioning. An evaluation of the family system involves meeting with one or two therapists for a minimum of four sessions, with the goal of understanding and improving the functioning of the family unit.

Child Assessment
A child's behavior, as they pass through various developmental stages, can be very confusing to parents, teachers and others. This service protocol is designed to fully assess a child's strengths and weaknesses from a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, biopsychosocial perspective - thus providing clarification as to what factors are contributing to the child's distress and guidance with regard to interventions that will maximize his or her potential.

Auxiliary Interventions
A wide variety of other mental health related services are available to individuals, families and organizations on a contractual basis. These include individual and group therapy for children, adolescents and adults; psychiatric evaluation and medication management; parent coaching and behavior management consultation; family of origin work; career counseling; and employee assistance services.

Consultation
Our staff can provide child-based consultation to schools, courts, medical providers, and other child-related agencies. Workshops on a wide variety of child and family mental health issues are available. In addition, many of the principals of healthy and disruptive family functioning can be applied to organizations. We thus offer organizationally-based consultation to small businesses and any other group that wants to improve its functioning and that of its members.

Social Skills Training
PDA is pleased to offer a 6-week Social Skills Group especially designed for children in need of specific training and practice in the skills required to make and maintain friendships. The skills are taught in an active concrete play format mimicing real life experiences encountered in everyday life. Topics vary slightly depending upon the needs of the clients, yet generally include reading nonverbal body langauge, joining in an ongoing group, initiating and sustaining bidirectional conversation, winning and losing with grace, and identifying feelings/emotions.

Psychological Testing
Psychologists at PDA provide a range of assessment and testing services for children, adolescents, and adults. These include comprehensive evaluations of cognitive/intellectual and personality functioning, as well as educational and academic achievement. Evaluations aid in the diagnosis of ADHD, Learning and Developmental Disorders, Depression, Anxiety, and Personality Disorders. A battery of assessment techniques is developed to address a wide range of concerns and issues.

Adult Services
Clinicians at PDA provide a range of assessment and treatment services for adults including Individual, Family, and Marital Therapies, as well as Psychological Testing and Psychiatric Evaluation.