Anxiety Treatment

Dr. Herbst specializes in psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and emerging adults to address anxiety and related concerns, such as OCD. While she tailors treatment to meet the individual needs of her clients, Dr. Herbst most often uses cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is an evidence-based treatment for concerns like anxiety and OCD. Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT helps individuals identify and change patterns of behaviors and thoughts to improve their symptoms. Although it is normative to experience some level of anxiety in daily life, signs that therapy could be beneficial include:

  • avoidance of daily activities (e.g., school, social outings)

  • increased physiological distress (e.g., gastrointestinal distress, headaches)

  • difficulty sleeping or relaxing

  • persistent worry that interferes with completing daily tasks

Autism Assessment

Dr. Herbst uses gold-standard, evidence-based assessment strategies to assess for autism in children and adolescents. Each assessment includes a comprehensive clinical interview with caregivers, cognitive testing, autism-specific testing (ADOS-2), and additional academic and psychological measures that are carefully selected to match the needs of individual clients. For example, Dr. Herbst’s evaluations often include assessment for co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ADHD, intellectual disability). Feedback is provided to families shortly after testing, along with a high-quality report detailing assessment findings, diagnoses, and recommendations.

When and why does my child need an assessment?

Early detection of autism in childhood can help identify targets for intervention and set children and families up for long-term success. Dr. Herbst evaluates children as young as 3 years old. The following may be signs that your child could benefit from an assessment:

  • difficulties communicating (including non-verbal communication, such as limited eye contact or limited non-verbal gestures)

  • decreased interest in and/or difficulty regarding interacting with others

  • repetitive motor movements or verbalizations

  • limited imaginative play or play that is especially repetitive

  • resistance to changes in routine and/or transitions between activities

  • significant sensory difficulties

What is involved in an assessment?

The assessment process is made up of three steps:

  1. Intake. During the 90-minute intake, Dr. Herbst will meet with you and your child to get to know your family and gather information to inform the tests to be included during the testing day.

  2. Testing. During the approximately 2-hour testing appointment, Dr. Herbst will work with your child and engage them in a series of activities to assess abilities such as cognition, social-communication, and executive functioning.

  3. Feedback. During the 60-minute feedback session, Dr. Herbst will meet with you and other caregivers important in your child’s life to discuss the results of testing and answer any questions you may have. Following this meeting, you will receive a copy of your child’s written report.