I am always here to assist if your child is having trouble at school or at home and you think it might be time to seek some additional help. However, if you don't feel comfortable speaking with anyone here at school, you will find some guidance below. Many of the people and groups listed below are in the North Raleigh area.

 

What type of referral do I need?

 

Psychoeducational Testing - 
 
 These folks evaluate children to determine if they might have a learning 
disability or ADHD. They can also evaluate children for early admission to 
Kindergarten. Some of these providers do not provide therapy,
but can suggest organizational or behavioral intervention.
 If insurance coverage is an issue, you should check with your insurance 
provider to determine if the psychologist and the services are covered by 
your policy.  Psychoeducational testing is not covered by some insurance 
carriers.
 
Child Psychiatrists - 
 
These people can help with emotional issues requiring evaluation and 
on-going medication, such as depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive 
compulsive disorder, etc.  Some provide talk therapy in addition to 
medication prescription and monitoring.
 
Counseling or "Talk" Therapy - 
 
These people provide on-going talk therapy sessions.  They often work in 
conjunction with other psychologists or psychiatrists.  Some clarification of 
credentials:
      Ph. D. – Doctorate of Philosophy in Psychology.  Look for the 
additional credential of “Licensed Psychologist”.  This credential allows the 
provider to do educational testing as well as provide therapy services.  
        MSW or LCSW – Master of Social Work, or Licenced Clinical Social 
Worker. This is a social worker with a masters or doctorate level of 
education that is licensed to provide therapy services in North Carolina.  In 
addition, social workers have specialized training in the coordination of 
government and other third party services.
        LPC – Licensed Professional Counselor.  Master or Doctorate level of 
education licensed by the state of North Carolina to provide therapy 
services.  Individuals with the LPC credential can provide some level of 
educational testing, and often draw from a variety of psychological 
techniques and philosophies in working with their clients.
        When seeking assistance for children, it is helpful to know that some 
therapists specialize in working with different age groups.  Some therapists 
in the Triangle area have specialized training in Play Therapy.  This type of 
therapy is particularly helpful and non-threatening for elementary school 
children.