Approach
Child and Adolescent Psychologist, Long Island
Treatment with children and adolescents:
Dr. Kratter's approach to treating children and adolescents involves a great deal of openness, flexibility, and connectedness. It is difficult for most children and teens to sit comfortably in a one-on-one setting and converse for 45 minutes. Using less rigid, more informal techniques to establish rapport and engage the child's cooperation and participation, the sessions are often structured to be fun, engaging, and supportive. Children tend to look forward to their appointments, becoming more focused and cooperative in working on their issues as time progresses. The process is more of an interactional approach, rather than a psychodynamic one.
Now offering biofeedback games, developed & tested at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, for ADHD, impulsivity, and self-regulation skills. This specialized program is for kids who have a tough time with tantrums, anger, aggression, irritability, feelings of frustration, anxiety, or even a diagnosis like ADHD, ODD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Ego-supportive techniques and cognitive strategies, including CBT are utilized to help children feel better, more confident, and equipped to cope with challenges and difficulties they may be experiencing. With adolescents, the approach is also more upbeat and interactive, rather than stiff and formal. A session might be held outside of the office or online. The key ingredient is the ability to engage and connect with the teenager, who most likely, has a significant amount of resistance to being involved in a treatment process to begin with. Ego supportive psychotherapy can be extremely effective with teens that are struggling. At times, medication may be considered as an adjunct to treatment, and appropriate referrals and inter-disciplinary consultations are established.
Family sessions are often used as a key ingredient in facilitating better communication between parents and teens, and between teens and their siblings. School consultations can also provide a vital link towards the overall adjustment and progress of the child.
