Caring Cove’s Approach to Therapy

At Caring Cove, we are also committed to helping the community meet the needs of children and families by offering trainings on evidence-based techniques to schools and other professionals who work with children and families.

What Do Sessions Look Like At Caring Cove?

Prior to your first session, you will receive an invite to our Patient-Portal and will be asked to complete some questionnaires to help us best understand your concerns and needs. We will review the information you provide before your intake appointment in order to ensure that we are using your time efficiently.

Your first sessions at Caring Cove will focus on further assessing your needs and concerns. If your concerns are related to your child, we will ask questions about their needs and complete a diagnostic interview. We always start by meeting with you: the parents or primary caregivers. We recognize that you are the experts on your child’s health and development, and your input and insight are invaluable in identifying the right approach to therapy. The intake may also include a parent-child observation in order for us to further assess your child’s behavior and needs. At Caring Cove, we have a specialized room with a two-way mirror that allows for observations.

Next, depending on the age of your child/adolescent and their needs, we may meet individually with your child to understand their concerns and hopes. Many children struggle to verbalize their needs clearly, so we foster a warm, inviting environment where they can be themselves without fear of judgment or discipline. Developing an open and trusting relationship with you and your child is our top priority. When you feel comfortable sharing your experiences and needs, we can align our goals with yours and provide the specific support, training, and resources you need.

Whether you are seeking services for yourself or your child, we want you to see that you are not alone. Feeling truly understood and supported can help you establish long-term goals and define the direction you want therapy to take. After completing the intake process, we will review the information collected with you and make treatment recommendations that are supported by the most up-to-date research. We will then define individualized treatment goals and assess progress throughout our work together.

Our goal is to help you and/or your child or adolescent overcome emotional and behavioral challenges and live your best lives. In addition to providing therapy, we are also available to consult with your child’s school and other related services to advocate for your child’s needs.

Empirically-Supported Treatment Approaches

We believe in helping families live lives that are filled with value-driven behavior. But oftentimes, our emotions or thoughts can run the show, and working through these deeply personal doubts and fears requires a personalized approach. So when we develop a treatment plan, you can trust that it is designed for you, your child, and your family alone.

We understand that difficulties naturally come with parenting and having children. Unfortunately, many parents feel judged or criticized if they share their concerns. When you enter our office, you will be greeted with warmth and empathy. Many of the parents and families we see at Caring Cove shared the same fears and doubts you have. Our psychologists have helped children and families of all backgrounds address anxiety, behavioral problems, school-related difficulties, trauma, and much more. Additionally, our psychologists have specialized training in perinatal mental health and have assisted new parents. Our extensive experience and research-based approach to treatment equip us with the tools necessary to address your unique needs. We offer judgment-free guidance and support regardless of the reasons you are seeking therapy.

By incorporating empirically-supported therapy approaches into our work, you will receive treatment that is not only most effective for your unique needs, but faster, too. Your time is valuable, and our therapists use short-term approaches to help you find relief and healing without spending years in treatment. We also track treatment goals and provide tailored resources to give you the accountability you need to practice at home and keep growing between sessions and long after our work together is finished.

Some of the specific approaches offered at Caring Cove include:

Behavioral Therapy. Behavioral therapy is at the foundation of many of the approaches we provide at the Caring Cove, specifically for children with behavioral difficulties. Many parents unintentionally “promote” undesirable behavior or “reward” negative behaviors and thinking. Our goal is to encourage children to try new, more desirable behaviors by helping to create environments that reinforce appropriate behaviors.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Like behavioral therapy, CBT is a scientifically supported approach that serves as the foundation for many of the evidence-based treatments we provide for adults and children at Caring Cove. CBT helps individuals understand the relationship between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. We will also provide strategies for preventing emotions and thoughts from keeping you or your child from living the life you want. During CBT, clearly defined goals will be identified collaboratively and progress will be monitored.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is an evidence-based treatment approach that focuses on helping adults and adolescents live a life that they find valuable while changing the relationship they have with their thoughts and feelings. So often, difficult thoughts and feelings take control over our lives, overwhelming us and keeping us from living according to our deeply held values. Our goal is to clarify what is most meaningful in your life and to use this as a guide to improve the quality of your life. During sessions, we teach mindfulness, acceptance-based strategies, and behavior change skills that you can use to manage difficult thoughts and emotions.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Parent Management Training (PMT). PCIT and PMT are standardized treatment approaches we use to address disruptive behaviors in children and improve parent-child interactions. Both approaches have years of research supporting their effectiveness. We will teach you proven strategies to promote desirable behavior and manage disruptive or unwanted behavior. Depending on the age of your child, we will provide specific recommendations and real-time coaching. Caring Cove is one of the few locations in New Jersey that has a specially designed PCIT room with two-way observation to assure that you get the best possible treatment and experience.

Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT). TF-CBT is tailored to children and adolescents who have gone through a traumatic experience, like the death of a loved one, motor vehicle accident, bullying, medical trauma, sexual abuse, or witnessing domestic violence. TF-CBT is the gold-standard treatment for trauma and has been shown to reduce trauma symptoms and increase functioning. Children and adolescents process their traumatic experience(s) during treatment in order to prevent it from continuing to negatively impact their life. Related emotions and unhelpful thinking patterns are identified and addressed, and children learn coping and emotional regulation skills to take control of their functioning again, rather than being defined by the traumatic experience.