How is coaching different from therapy?

Coaching is mostly an educational service. Children are not provided with a diagnosis or given clinical therapeutic services. The goal in coaching might be to help improve the child’s behavior or to improve the parents’ relationship with the child. Through asking questions and listening to answers, parenting coaches can provide parents with strong insights into how to change their child’s behaviors. Coaches teach problem-solving skills so parents can effectively deal with new issues in the future.

Parent coaches provide tools, ideas, and support to facilitate positive change. While they can help with behavior problems, they can’t address deeper issues, such as treatment for mental health issues. In this case, you may want to consider therapy instead. Book a free consultation to better understand if parent coaching might be the right fit for your family.

How long do coaching sessions typically last?

Parent coaching is intended to be a short-term intervention that is geared towards helping parents build and practice their parenting skills. Each coaching session lasts for 50 minutes. Clients tend to- but don’t always- meet for four to eight sessions, though each client’s needs are different and unique depending on the circumstances. Laura believes that there is not one right way to be a good parent and her non-judgemental support is tailored to the unique needs and values of each family. Feel free to book a free consultation to learn more about the process.

What is a psycho-educational/diagnostic evaluation?

An evaluation may include a child’s cognitive, academic achevievement, social-emotional-behahaioral, and/or adaptive skills functioning when a child has a suspected disability. An evaluation may conducted to inform therapeutic treatment decisions, provide diagnostic classifications, or inform school supports (including IEP and 504 plan supports). Dr. Katz is able to conduct Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs). Please contact Dr. Katz for more information about these services.

How do I know if I need a psycho-educational/diagnostic evaluation for my child?

Evaluations are conducted when a child has a suspected disability, such as a developmental disability, learning disability, and/or social-emotional disorder. Children tend to be referred for evaluations by their pediatricians and/or school support teams when children display developmental delays (i.e., don’t meet developmental milestones) and/or don’t respond to interventions as one would expect for a typically developing child. Psychoeducational evaluations may be used to qualify for and inform individualized special education supports at a child’s school. Please contact Dr. Katz for more information about these services.

What is school consultation and how can you help me navigate school systems?

School consultation allows for collaboration between caregivers, teachers, and providers who are involved in the child’s life in order to support student success in the classroom. Dr. Katz can help families make placement considerations (i.e., tiered levels of special education supports) and faciliate educational planning (i.e., share expertise and help guide decisions for the support team).