It is my tenet that we are spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional beings created to be in meaningful relationships. Accordingly, I embrace a holistic, integrated, strength-based, family-driven approach to promoting wellness. This translates into comprehensive diagnostic assessment identifying areas of challenge, but more importantly identifying areas of strength and inherent protective factors. These strengths and protective factors may include family/friend network, natural talents, humor, physical abilities, and faith. Understanding and building upon an individual's and family's innate strengths and values to promote peace, joy, and facilitate the acquisition of essential life and social skills is essential for best possible outcomes.

 

I strongly believe that effective education is critical in order to afford an individual the opportunity to make informed treatment decisions for themselves and/or their children. Therefore, patient education is an essential component to treatment planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Treatment recommendations may include strategies from evidenced based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis, as well as sensory based and lifestyle recommendations. Additionally, pharmacotherapy/medication can be helpful for some individuals. In some instances, when an individual's symptoms are impairing their ability to learn, establish, and maintain meaningful relationships and/or remain safe across their domains, medication can help the individual become "available" to learn essential life, social, and self-monitoring skills to optimize outcomes. Furthermore, medication can be helpful in ameliorating significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and mood/behavioral dysregulation. I believe that medication is safest and most effective when prescribed judiciously and integrated as a component of a holistic treatment plan.