Once you have corresponded with Dr. Ledley, she will prompt you to book an initial evaluation using the Simple Practice platform.
Please do not request an appointment if you have not been prompted to do so by Dr. Ledley!!!
Running a practice is a constant balancing act between meeting the needs of current patients and being able to accept new patients. This changes, literally, from day to day! When you fill in the new patient request form, I assess whether we are a good fit, as well as whether I can accommodate your needs at the current time given the needs of other patients who I am already working with. Often, after patients fill in the new patient request form I write back with follow up questions to gather this information. If I am not able to work with you (either due to my schedule or due to match of my expertise with your needs), I will send a referral list of trusted colleagues in the area.
Once you are signed onto the Simple Practice platform, you will receive forms to complete prior to our first session.
Please do not request an appointment if you have not been prompted to do so by Dr. Ledley!!!
Running a practice is a constant balancing act between meeting the needs of current patients and being able to accept new patients. This changes, literally, from day to day! When you fill in the new patient request form, I assess whether we are a good fit, as well as whether I can accommodate your needs at the current time given the needs of other patients who I am already working with. Often, after patients fill in the new patient request form I write back with follow up questions to gather this information. If I am not able to work with you (either due to my schedule or due to match of my expertise with your needs), I will send a referral list of trusted colleagues in the area.
Once you are signed onto the Simple Practice platform, you will receive forms to complete prior to our first session.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who Comes to The Evaluation Sessions?
For children and young teens, the first evaluation session will be for parents alone. This will allow you to share background information with Dr. Ledley and hear more about cognitive behavioral therapy. The next evaluation session will be with your child. Many young kids and teens feel more comfortable with their parents to be present for this session and that is totally fine.
For older teens (high school age), the "parent session" is optional. Many parents still like to have this session to provide background, discuss concerns, and share information about family history without their child present.
Are Parents Involved in Treatment?
Yes! Absolutely! For children and young teens, it is very helpful for parents to attend the first few treatment sessions. In these sessions, we learn about why anxiety sticks around and what we need to do to treat it. It is ideal to get parents and kids on the same page/using the same language about anxiety and the cognitive behavioral approach to treatment. As treatment progresses, kids usually come in for sessions on their own, with parents joining at the beginning and/or the end to give an update on the past week and to hear about homework for the upcoming week.
Teens tend to be more independent with treatment, but my approach is to balance a teen's desire for confidentiality with a parent's desire to understand and help their child. Ideally, we have parents come in to the session from time-to-time to discuss important issues -- with the teen there, guiding the conversation. I regularly speak to parents of teens about how treatment is going, how to apply treatment techniques at home, how to effectively discipline, etc. while still respecting that teens value the therapy environment as a place where they can confidentially share things that are going on in their lives.
How Long Does Treatment Last?
This is hard to answer without meeting your child! I will try to give you a clearer sense after our evaluation session(s).
In general, cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders last around 16-20 sessions. In private practice, I find that there is great variability. Some kids do great with a few sessions of psychoeducation and some simple cognitive behavioral techniques. Other kids stick with me for several years as they weather family, social, and school challenges. I always try to be mindful of each family's financial and social needs -- for most people, money and time are precious! I try to be efficient in the work that I do, using empirically supported techniques and keeping kids focused on the problem at hand.