Susan Ciardiello, Ph.D, LCSW
SERVICES
Dr. Ciardiello provides psychotherapy to school age children and adolescents (grades 4 and up), college students, adults, couples, families, and groups. Dr. Ciardiello also provides ADHD coaching to help clients manage their ADHD traits better and lead more structured and organized lives. In addition, Dr. Ciardiello conducts presentations on the use of ACTivities in group work with youth from her books, ADHD coaching, and cognitive behavioral strategies to help people cope.
Psychotherapy
Individual therapy involves an exploration of childhood issues that may be having an effect on current behavior, coping, and life satisfaction. Also, psycho-education and cognitive-behavioral strategies are used to help clients cope with relationship difficulties, grief and loss including family building loss, friendship and social skills challenges, school, family, and/or work related stress, difficulties with parenting, or mental health struggles such as ADHD, ASD, depression, anxiety, and OCD. Sessions can be facilitated via face-to-face, Online, or by phone.
Couples therapy involves taking a look at each partner's attachment styles and childhood experiences that might trigger exaggerated reactions when relating to each other, resulting in conflict and difficulty empathizing with one another.
Family therapy involves looking at each family member's perspective and generating empathy for one another. Enhancing communication and emotional attunement is also involved to help families achieve more peaceful relationships.
Group therapy involves the use of the Activity Centered Therapy (ACT) group work model, developed by Dr. Ciardiello, to help adolescents work on their individual goals related to enhancing social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral competencies while providing mutual aid and comfort to each other as group members.
Upon request, monthly receipts can be provided with all the necessary codes needed for insurance reimbursement.
ADHD Coaching
Assessment/Evaluation (average 3 sessions)
During the beginning sessions, ADHD traits are reviewed and how they manifest as difficulties and struggles in the client's life. Also, questionnaires are completed with client's to help identify executive functioning difficulties and the degree to which ADHD traits cause learning and life management challenges. In the coaching of children and adolescents, caregivers are asked to complete parent questionnaires on their child's executive functioning and ADHD traits. This helps both parents and coach gain a full picture of the youngster’s current functioning. Additional sessions may be needed if there is an interest in reviewing school accommodations known to help ADHD students. In the coaching of adults, partners or spouses are invited to complete spouse/partner questionnaires.
The assessment process is a vital part of coaching. It involves relationship building and education about ADHD and Executive Functioning. In addition, the information gathered allows for better understanding and prioritization of the ADHD traits that are causing difficulties in the client's life.
Ongoing Coaching
After the assessment period, the coaching begins. Coaching sessions occur in person, Online, or by phone. Coaching integrates:
-
The teaching and monitoring of strategies to help clients manage their ADHD traits better. These may include but not be limited to procrastination, poor short-term memory, disorganization, trouble regulating emotions, difficulty monitoring and completing homework and/or tasks, difficulty waking up and getting to bed, hyper-focus, difficulty with transitions, social skills, etc.
-
Education where clients continue to learn what it means to have ADHD and/or Executive Functioning issues. ADHD is a neurological condition with some upsides and some downsides. ADHD people are often creative geniuses. With the right kind of support, they can be incredibly successful in their lives.
-
The development of new routines and structure into daily life and, for students, learning study skills that are a good fit.
-
A "mindfulness approach" where clients learn to monitor ADHD traits without judgment and pick a coaching strategy to help themselves.
-
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help with Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS!) that interfere with self-esteem and coping.
-
In-home organizational support via Online sessions if needed.
-
For students, homework tracking support and study and long-term project planning.
-
In the coaching of college students, Dr. Ciardiello gets copies of the students syllabi for all classes and helps them plan for and track papers and exams.
-
Parent or couples sessions are encouraged to help with the implementation of parent or spouse strategies.
-
Parents are offered guidance and advocacy for school-based accommodations when needed to help develop and/or maintain IEP’s or 504 plans.
-
Dr. Ciardiello's coaching is evidence-based and strength-based.
-
Dr. Ciardiello uses a number of psycho-educational ACTivities from her books to help clients with time management, organization, building and maintaining friendships, and communication and coping skills.
Upon request, monthly receipts can be
provided with all the necessary codes needed for out of network insurance reimbursement.
Presentations
Dr. Ciardiello presents Activity Centered Therapy (ACT) Groups, the group work model from her two books, "ACTivities for group work with school age children" and ACTivities for group work with adolescents."
She also presents cognitive-behavioral techniques and tools to use when working with clients to help them rationalize their irrational thoughts and cope better with anxiety and stress.
In addition, Dr. Ciardiello presents on ADHD and ADHD coaching.