Helping your child succeed can be challenging. Fortunately, you live in an age of specialization.

Dr. Buckley specializes in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. She has extensive training and experience counseling children with serious mental illness, academic and behavior problems, and difficult life circumstances. Her approach to child counseling creates an enjoyable experience where you and your child benefit from evidenced-based techniques tailored to fit your preferences and your child’s specific needs.

At Blue Heron Psychology, child counseling involves teaching your child skills, and developing parenting strategies that inspire your child to use these skills at home. You are encouraged to stay actively involved in your child’s counseling, and will meet with Dr. Buckley for at least part of every session. At Blue Heron Psychology, child counseling is offered for children ages 3 to 12. For older children, please see  Adolescent Counseling. 

Dr. Buckley uses cognitive-behavioral therapy and positive psychology to promote skill development and a sense of capability for your child. 

She has a particular interest in counseling children struggling with anxiety, anger, behavior problems, bullying, depression, inattention, hyperactivity, school avoidance, and social problems. She has experience teaching children to cope with negative emotions, control impulses, communicate effectively, and solve social problems while minimizing tantrums, rule-breaking, and avoidance. She teaches children using humor, visual aids, role-play, and playtime with the many toys and games in her office. With your permission, your child is rewarded for learning with stickers and small prizes.  

At Blue Heron Psychology, the goal of child counseling is to help you and your child successfully manage your child’s emotions and behavior, and to strengthen your parent-child bond. Through counseling, your child develops a capable self-image based on actual accomplishments that leads to more frequent positive feelings and interactions with you. In addition, Dr. Buckley helps you, as a parent, to acknowledge that child-rearing is inherently difficult, and to reward your own successes in adapting to the constant changes it involves. Effective counseling helps your child learn to manage emotions and make adaptive choices, and helps you encourage this while avoiding unproductive power struggles.

Dr. Buckley’s style is interactive, accepting, and at times entertaining. To best meets your child’s needs, counseling typically involves a combination of individual sessions, parent meetings, and family sessions. Counseling includes goal setting, learning new skills, and when you are ready, practicing in the real world. For counseling to be successful, you and your child must consistently practice learned skills and parenting strategies between sessions. If you prefer, Dr. Buckley may also communicate with your child's teachers, coaches, and doctors to inform counseling and facilitate skill practice beyond the home.

Counseling is a straightforward process. 

You briefly speak with Dr. Buckley by phone to share your concerns, ask questions, and ensure that your concerns and your adolescent's needs may be met before scheduling. The first meeting lasts a full 60-minute hour. The full hour is necessary to ensure informed consent, learn your child’s history, clarify your concerns and goals, meet with your child, and develop an action plan with you. All parents are encouraged to participate in counseling, and are welcome at the first few meetings based on your schedule and preferences.

For counseling to be successful, Dr. Buckley must meet alone with you during most of the first meeting, and then with your permission will meet with you and your child to create an action plan. If you agree to the plan, you may schedule additional sessions. You are welcome to attend the first meeting with or without your child depending on your preference.  If you bring your child, you have the option of bringing another adult to stay with your child while you meet with Dr. Buckley, or having your child play in the waiting area unaccompanied. A variety of toys, books, and games are available in the waiting area. Please discuss which option you prefer when you speak with Dr. Buckley by phone.  

An initial trial of 1 to 4 weekly sessions is typically recommended for children who would benefit from counseling. Some children benefit from only a few sessions, while others may need a full course of 8 to 12 sessions to meet their goals. If your child completes a full course and you wish to continue, you have the option of shorter and less frequent check-ins to ensure sustained wellbeing for your child. At Blue Heron Psychology, you can end counseling at any time, and you and your child take the skills and strategies learned with you.

Blue Heron Psychology offers counseling with the highest confidentiality allowed by law, and without requiring your child to be labeled. 

At Blue Heron Psychology, your child will receive discrete professional counseling without being mislabeled or overdiagnosed. As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Buckley offers you and your child understanding and expertise while respecting your privacy, dignity, and autonomy. She personally stores your child’s counseling record, and offers you a greater level of access to the record than is required by the law.

At Blue Heron Psychology, you will be informed about the benefits and risks of a legal diagnosis for your child prior to consenting to counseling. If you are open to a diagnosis for your child, Dr. Buckley typically recommends using standardized measures in addition to the first meeting to ensure an accurate diagnosis. In the case that a diagnosis is added to your child’s record, you will be informed, may object, and may decide with whom to share this information.  

Safeguarding your child’s wellbeing and privacy is paramount to successful counseling. For this reason, Blue Heron Psychology does not accept payment from insurance companies. Counseling is offered fee-for-service only. You do not have to sacrifice your child’s privacy or accept a legal diagnosis to benefit from counseling. 

Rates 

The first meeting is a flat fee of $225 for a full 60-minute hour.  Session rates range between $115 and $199 each, depending on their length and whether you purchase them as part of a discounted multi-session package. At Blue Heron Psychology, you save time and money by customizing a counseling action plan that works for you. 

Blue Heron Psychology is considered an Out-of-Network Provider. If you prefer to self-submit receipts for counseling to your insurance company for reimbursement, Dr. Buckley will be happy to provide you with the necessary Superbill. However, the fee must be paid in full prior to the start of each session or package, and Blue Heron Psychology cannot guarantee that your insurance company will reimburse you for services rendered. For more information about rates please contact Dr. Buckley.