GEOFFREY BROWN
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST
SERVICES FOR FAMILIES
I offer several psychological and educational services that all seek to support your child's social-emotional health and development, and enhance their ability to learn more efficiently and effectively. Your child's education and psychological health depend on a number of factors including their home and school environment, relationships with peers and family, their self-concept, your parenting style, etc. There may be times when more consultation is needed with parents and/or school, more individual work directly with a child, or a comprehensive evaluation to understand your child's learning style.
PARENT CONSULTATION / COACHING
Although you may have found yourself at my website looking for therapy or an evaluation, there may be other options to try that have not been explored that could potentially improve home and school life for your child. Consultation or "coaching" can be a very effective component to a plan of support for your child, and is often a good first step for a parent to take. In these sessions with parents/caretakers, I share my experience and knowledge to advise families on effective ways to support your child at school and at home. By working together for a few sessions, we can collaborate and determine an appropriate plan of support. An evaluation is sometimes necessary to understand certain difficulties that a child is experiencing, and therapy for your child can be a very effective way to help. I can provide guidance on these options in our coaching sessions.
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL TESTING
I conduct comprehensive, individualized psychoeducational evaluations that synthesize contextual data with results on standardized assessments of neuropsychological functioning, cognitive, social-emotional, and academic skills to help form a plan to support your child. My evaluations are tailored to the presenting concerns and seek to provide a comprehensive understanding of your child's strengths and weaknesses, accompanied by concrete and practical recommendations to address concerns. All evaluations will include an intake and interviews with parents, one or more appointments with the child to conduct testing, and a follow-up meeting to go over results with the family. Depending on the purpose of the evaluation, I can also support you in working with your child's school as an advocate.
PSYCHOTHERAPY / COUNSELING
I work primarily with middle and high school students and have extensive experience providing counseling services to children with a wide range of needs within the context of public schools. My approach with adolescents is collaborative, flexible, and practical. Although the theory and techniques that I use (i.e., CBT, Mindfulness, ACT) draw from well-established, evidenced-based treatments for depression, anxiety, and other "disorders," I avoid the use of diagnostic terms and prefer to use a framework with kids that focuses on establishing personal goals, identifying obstacles, and building skills through daily practice and reflection. I foster the building of healthy habits and cultivating self-awareness while focusing on the therapeutic alliance and shining a light on their strengths. Once rapport is established, we work collaboratively to set short-term goals focused on skill-building to promote independence. Read more about my approach here.