Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
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No, we do not accept insurance. While Growing Minds Psychology is not a participating provider in any insurance company plans (out-of-network), we will provide you the documentation for you to independently submit to your insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement should your child meet diagnostic criteria for a mental health diagnosis. The diagnoses will be provided following the initial evaluation. The superbills are provided once a week for therapy patients and following the parent feedback session for neuropsychological evaluation patients. While some insurance companies may provide reimbursement, there are no guarantees for reimbursement. If you are interested in seeking reimbursement for future services, we recommend speaking with your insurance company before scheduling appointments so that you can fully understand what the cost will be to you. You can share with your insurance company the provider’s NPI and the expected CPT codes to get an estimate of the services, if any, that may be reimbursed and at what percentage.
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You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.
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Absolutely! We believe in transparency with children. They want to feel included in the evaluation and treatment process and by sharing our goals, we are building the trust that they need to face any anxieties, learning needs, or challenging behaviors.
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While we cannot prescribe medication within Growing Minds Psychology, we work closely with a handful of psychiatrists in the area and can recommend a provider who best meets your family’s needs.
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We encourage collaboration across providers as an integral part of the evaluation and treatment process. To ensure privacy and confidentiality, you will have an option to sign a Release of Information for us to discuss details with others.
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Our clinicians are licensed to provide therapy to patients and perform evaluations with those who live in New York. If you live in another state or country and are interested in services, please reach out and we will see if there is a way to work together given your location.
Questions about Individual Therapy
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Sessions provide a safe space for children and teens to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Therapists use evidence-based strategies like CBT to help build coping skills, resilience, and confidence.
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We encourage open communication with parents throughout therapy to support skill-building at home and in daily life. When appropriate, and as long as the child feels comfortable, parents may also be included in parts of sessions to strengthen progress between visits.
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Every child is different. Some may benefit from short-term therapy, while others may need longer-term support. Your therapist will work with you to create a plan that best fits your child’s needs.
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If your child is struggling with emotions, behaviors, or daily challenges that feel hard to manage, therapy can provide tools and support to help them cope more effectively.
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The initial therapy intake includes a review of records and a thorough clinical interview with parents. We typically meet the child for a handful of sessions before holding a feedback meeting with parents to provide insights into treatment plans and share diagnostic impressions.
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Both options are available. For young children, we typically recommend in-person sessions to support engagement and skill-building. For adolescents, we often suggest starting in person to build rapport and then may transition to virtual sessions if appropriate. Your clinician will work with you to decide what format best fits your child’s needs.
Questions about Neuropsychological Evaluations
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A neuropsychological evaluation provides an in-depth look at your child’s thinking, learning, and academic skills. Using standardized tests, input from parents and teachers, and a review of schoolwork and prior evaluations, we build a clear picture of how your child is functioning in school.
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These evaluations can help identify conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or selective mutism, while also highlighting your child’s strengths. After the evaluation, families receive personalized feedback and a detailed roadmap of supports and next steps to promote success both in and out of the classroom.
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If your child is struggling with learning, attention, behavior, or emotions in a way that feels harder than expected for their age, an evaluation can provide clarity. Many families seek testing when challenges at home or school aren’t improving with simple strategies or when more information is needed to guide support.
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Our evaluations combine standardized testing, input from parents and teachers, a review of schoolwork and prior testing, and often classroom observations. This allows us to create a complete picture of your child’s strengths and challenges.
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Following an initial parent interview, most evaluations are completed over two to four testing sessions, depending on the child’s age and attention span. Parents receive a detailed feedback session and written report within a few weeks.
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When appropriate, diagnoses are provided. However, our focus is on understanding the whole child and giving families practical recommendations that support growth at home, in school, and in daily life.
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Children do best when they are well-rested and have eaten a good breakfast. If your child uses glasses, hearing aids, medication, or other supports, please bring them along. We work hard to make the process fun and engaging, so most children feel comfortable throughout.
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Yes. With your permission, we can communicate with teachers and school teams to share recommendations and support planning.
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Yes. Our reports include clear guidance on what kinds of supports, accommodations, or placements may be most helpful for your child’s success.
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We evaluate for a range of developmental, learning, and emotional needs, including ADHD, autism, selective mutism, dyslexia, and other learning differences.
Questions about Parenting Support
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No. Our parenting programs address a wide range of challenges—from anxiety and OCD to difficulties with following directions, impulsivity, and emotion regulation. The right program is selected based on your child’s specific needs.
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We provide several evidence-based parenting programs tailored to meet different family needs. These include Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for young children with behavior challenges, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) for parents of children with anxiety or OCD, and Parent Management Training (PMT) for addressing disruptive behaviors.
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Each program empowers parents as the key agents of change in their child’s growth. Parents learn new tools and strategies for responding to behaviors or worries in ways that promote resilience, confidence, and coping skills.
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That depends on the program. For example, PCIT includes both parent and child through live coaching, while SPACE and PMT primarily work with parents directly. Your clinician will recommend the best fit for your family’s needs.
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All of our parenting programs are considered short-term, though the exact length varies by approach and each family’s needs. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) typically lasts about 3–6 months, while Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) is usually 12 sessions, and Parent Management Training (PMT) runs about 12–15 sessions. Selective Mutism (SM) treatment is often provided in an intensive model, starting with a handful of longer sessions in a short period of time. This is followed by consultation and ongoing support, which often shifts to a weekly format as children continue to practice their skills. Your clinician will work with you to set goals and create a plan that fits your family best.
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Most of our parenting programs are offered virtually, which gives families greater flexibility and convenience. Virtual sessions also allow parents to practice strategies directly in the home environment, where many of the challenges naturally occur. In some cases, in-person sessions may be recommended, and your clinician will work with you to determine the best format for your family’s needs.
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The initial intake for our parenting programs include a review of records, a thorough clinical interview with parents, and an observation session with the child. Following the initial intake, we hold a feedback meeting to plan treatment and share diagnostic impressions.
Questions about
Selective Mutism
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Selective Mutism is an anxiety disorder in which a child is able to speak comfortably in some settings, such as at home, but has difficulty speaking in other situations, like school or around unfamiliar people. Children with Selective Mutism want to communicate but experience anxiety that makes speaking feel overwhelming.
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Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM) is an evidence-based treatment that helps children gradually become more comfortable speaking. Through live parent coaching, individualized practice, and gradual exposure to new speaking situations, children learn to communicate more confidently across home, school, and community settings.
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Treatment is individualized to each child's needs. Many families begin with intensive PCIT-SM sessions to build early momentum, followed by ongoing recommendations that may include school consultation, school-based intensives, group treatment, parent consultation, or continued individual therapy.
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Intensive treatment allows children to practice speaking more frequently at the beginning of therapy, helping them build confidence and momentum more quickly. Because progress with Selective Mutism often depends on repeated successful speaking experiences, an intensive format can accelerate skill development and make it easier to generalize gains across home, school, and community settings.
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Parents are an essential part of the PCIT-SM model. Through live coaching, they learn evidence-based strategies to create opportunities for communication during everyday routines. Because children spend far more time at home and in the community than in therapy, empowering parents to support communication outside of sessions is a key part of treatment.
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We regularly collaborate with teachers and school staff by providing consultation, attending school meetings, developing individualized speaking plans, and offering school-based intensive sessions when appropriate. Our goal is to help children successfully use their communication skills in the classroom and other school settings.