Dr. Valerie G. Slattery

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically based treatment and is practical and results-oriented.  CBT is designed to reduce symptoms and improve a child’s behavior and self-regulation.  Research has shown that CBT is very effective with anxiety and depression in children and teens. CBT emphasizes the connection between feelings, thoughts and behaviors and teaches coping skills and strategies to address each.  Through CBT, children and teens are encouraged to recognize their own thought patterns, to notice when these patterns are helping and when they are hurting.  The underlying concept behind CBT is that a child’s thoughts and feelings play a role in their behavior.