Helping a child to become socially adjusted, well behaved, academically motivated, and emotionally stable is a great goal and a tough task for most parents. Given the increasing amount of stressors that affect young people today it is common to experience your child struggle in ways that you may not have expected and may not know how to manage. My background includes over 10 years of experience working with young people in public schools, private schools and in clinical settings as both a School Psychologist and Licensed Counselor. My approach with children and adolescents is to consider their individualized unique abilities and needs while maintaining consideration of their interaction within a social dynamic that includes family, friends, school, and societal expectations. I utilize a cognitive-behavioral approach to counseling that starts with relationship building for a strong foundation of trust. I collaborate with my clients to set realistic goals that will improve their functioning, and develop skills in counseling to take the healthy risk to change some of the things that are not working for them beyond the office setting. My clients are taught the connection between thoughts, feelings, and the resulting behaviors through natural trial and error. Throughout this process, I maintain a light approach in guiding children and adolescents to conclude why they should 'let it go' if it does not matter in the grand scheme of things, to laugh at their own irrational tendencies, and to recognize how some thoughts can be productive while others can be hurtful. We discuss what kinds of behaviors result from certain thought patterns and whether or not clients are getting what they want out of what they are currently doing. All of this is done in a private, comfortable environment where parents and siblings can make themselves at home. In addition, I can provide psychological assessment tools to help identify diagnosable conditions that can guide treatment and may help your child become eligible for other services.
My practice also offers educational consultation for parents, guardians, and advocates attempting to gain insight into an educational system that is complex and can be unhelpful. As a School Psychologist who is regularly responsible for chairing Planning and Placement Team meetings, determining if a student has a disability and whether or not they are eligible for special education/Section 504 services, and collaborating on appropriate program development to meet the needs of children I can assist you in taking the next steps to improved educational outcomes. Although schools are set up to meet the needs of all students, your child may not be receiving the appropriate supports that they are legally obligated to recieve. I can provide you an insider's perspective into this process, answer questions as they apply to the specific situation of your child, and ease concerns as to whether or not you are fully advocating in the best interest of your child.
I would like to help you and your family. Please give me a call at (860) 965-7743 and review my website www.cranelpc.com to discuss your individual concerns. Michael L. Crane, MA, NCSP, LPC
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