Assessment
The pre appointment phone call, is useful in gaining an outline of difficulties, checking on desired outcomes, and seeing whether I the right person to help.
Assessment is 90-minute initial face to face appointment. On most occasions, it is one meeting.
Meeting the young person and at least one parent / responsible adult is the norm, together and separately, but the combination and length of each component is up for negotiation.
Background information in the form of documentation, helps with the process, where relevant.
Additional assessment might include an extra session, or liaison with school or other professionals. It would be unusual for the assessment process to be longer than an initial and a follow up meeting.
The summary report after assessment, is a good opportunity to clarify facts and findings and is part of the assessment process.
Treatment, outline plan
After assessment, planning depends on needs.
For more delicate or complicated assessments, a feedback meeting may be useful.
Advice may be given on the day, but can be supported by a follow up meeting or two.
Psychological treatment can be provided if it is not being sourced elsewhere. CBT informed interventions can be provided, the details of which would be negotiated after the initial meeting. In line with a CBT approach, goals would be set and arrangements reviewed early, to check on progress. Typically, 6 meetings would be organised initially.
Family, or systemic interventions can also be provided, as well as parent support or guidance.
Any agreement about psychological treatment is typically captured in a care plan, and shared with the young person and family.
If medication is to be considered, then the initial assessment will look at the indication, the impact of problems and what else has been tried.
Medication care plans, will be outlined in the content of the initial, and any subsequent letters to the GP.
If a medication plan is agreed, there are likely to be 3-4 meetings over 4 months in total, if things go smoothly. This arrangement might need to be extended if things go less smoothly.
If there is a change of medication, then there would be a repeat of the same plan.
There may be a need for a medication maintenance plan such as 2 – 4 meetings per year.
More than 2 medication changes are unlikely.
For OCD treatment.
This would consist of psychological treatment, and / or medication.
Psychological treatment typically involves 12 sessions mostly online.
Maintenance treatment may be needed after that, usually 3-4 meetings over 6 – 9 months.
Medication management, if applicable, is bundled into the psychological treatment sessions, so is not charged separately, hence a considerable saving.