Child and Adolescent Therapy
We seek meaningful changes in how your child approaches their life circumstances and relationships. The focus of our work is on building self- understanding, in order to approach situations with greater flexibility and choice. The alliance and collaboration between therapist and client is a key element of therapy. We tailor our approach to treatment depending on our ongoing assessment of your needs, and monitor your therapeutic progress over time. We value individualized treatment and treatment is informed by a variety of therapeutic modalities as indicated, including play, cognitive behavioural and dialectical behavioural approaches. With children, we often involve parents or caregivers as an integral part of the therapeutic process.
Typically, child and adolescent individual therapy sessions are weekly and may also involve sessions for parents or other family members as needed.
The overall length and frequency of treatment vary according to factors such as how complex the problem is, your treatment goals and your treatment progress over time. We will evaluate your individual progress periodically with you.
Adult Therapy
Dr. Slonim is accepting individual therapy referrals for adults under peer supervision for concerns including mood and anxiety, personality disorders, learning disabilities and ADHD. Dr. Slonim works primarily from a psychoanalytic approach and integrates other empirically supported approaches (Cognitive Behavioural, Dialectical Behavioural), tailoring treatment to the individual needs of each client. She collaborates with clients to develop awareness and understanding of self and others, work towards treatment goals and monitor therapeutic change.
Play Therapy
Play therapy can be a safe and natural way for children to express their feelings. It is particularly suitable for younger children, and also for children who have difficulty communicating their thoughts and feelings using words.
We use a child-centred and relational approach to play therapy. We follow the child’s lead in play and look for the development of themes in the content of the play that offer a ‘window’ into the child’s representation of their inner world, such as how they view themselves and others. We use this information to guide the treatment and consultation with parents/caregivers. For younger children, we may include parent-child sessions so that parents can participate in the same way with their child.
Our observation of the child’s play, in addition to other information gathered in treatment, informs us about the child’s concerns and allows us to have a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. Depending on the child and presenting issue, we may incorporate direct talk and direction into the play to help the child become more at ease tolerating and communicating difficult feelings.
Play therapy develops in the context of a therapeutic relationship; the therapist uses the child’s imagination to understand their experience and reflect their underlying emotions. The therapeutic relationship with the therapist can evolve over time as new ways of relating emerge, and the child develops greater verbal capacities.
Parent Consultation
We offer parent consultation services to address a broad spectrum of issues, whether caregivers are seeking guidance about child/adolescent development or about navigating child or adolescent mental health issues as a family. We can provide assistance with challenges like parent-child relationship strain or supporting your child’s unique needs. Our clinicians collaborate closely with parents to understand the unique family context, set goals, and implement strategies in the home.
Whether we are working with children, adolescents, or caregivers, our clinicians may also involve various family members in therapy to promote communication and collaboration.
Psychoeducational Assessment
The purpose of a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment is to identify a child/adolescent’s profile of learning, which typically involves standardized assessment of cognitive functioning, and academic achievement, as well as assessment of attention and socio-emotional functioning.
During the initial appointment, Dr. Slonim will meet with you to gather information about the presenting concerns and your child’s developmental, academic and social history. You and other involved members will be asked to complete standardized questionnaires. With your consent, we will also collect information from your child’s school. The testing portion of the evaluation is conducted in several individual sessions and in most cases assisted by a Psychometrist. A feedback meeting is scheduled following completion of the testing to discuss the assessment findings and recommendations. You will receive a written report which summarizes the findings and provides recommendations for educational programming and, if indicated, social-emotional interventions.