PeaceTree Kids

A Destination To Grow

Welcome to PeaceTree Kids

Since you are the expert on your child, you know when something isn’t quite right. By this point, you’ve likely taken steps to help make things better on your own – tried new approaches, made changes in routine, implemented new discipline strategies, and given your child extra support and attention. Stressful life events can also happen when we least expect them and you might feel like the opposite of an expert in new and unfamiliar circumstances. If you are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or unsure of what to do next, you’re in the right place and we are here to help.

“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.”

“We've forgotten what it's like not to be able to reach the light switch. We've forgotten a lot of the monsters that seemed to live in our room at night. Nevertheless, those memories are still there, somewhere inside us, and can sometimes be brought to the surface by events, sights, sounds, or smells. Children, though, can never have grown-up feelings until they've been allowed to do the growing.” - Fred Rogers

At PeaceTree Kids we provide psychotherapy and psychological assessments for children and teens within a specialized environment with therapists and psychologists who have expertise in working with children and teens.

Learn more from Julia Gomes at PeaceTree Kids:

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Call us at 610-265-3400/submit a simple inquiry below:

You might be feeling confused, overwhelmed, or worried about your child. Perhaps they are facing more worried thoughts, lowered self-esteem, feelings of sadness, or overwhelmed by grief.

Whatever the concern, we are here to help.

We help kids and teens navigate their worlds and inner experiences by providing a safe, consistent space where they can learn skills to confidently move forward and thrive.

How can I Tell If My Child Needs Therapy?

Oftentimes, parents will consider therapy when they feel that what they have tried to do is not working, and they can’t figure out how to help their kid manage their emotions better. Parents come to therapists when their strategies turn to arguments, their concerns get validated, and they feel like their kid is really struggling. However, there is no real way to answer the question of whether or not your child needs therapy without an evaluation and intake session, because every child is different.

How Can I Tell If My Child Needs a Psychological Assessment?

Parents should seek out psychological testing if their child is engaging in challenging behaviors or
showing concerning symptoms and/or having difficulties in their daily life. These include:

– Struggling in school or experiencing a drop in academic performance
– Difficulty concentrating
– Acting out in class
– Social challenges/quirks/behaviors that seem peculiar
– Frequently missing school or not completing work
– Bullying or being bullied
– Overwhelming feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, sadness or hopelessness
– Frequent or dramatic mood changes
– Substance use
– Interest in understanding/identifying the way that their child/teen learns best to provide them with holistic support that builds upon their strengths and strategies to address some of their challenges.

Our ASD assessments include Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) as well as the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI-R) which are considered to be the ‘gold standard’ for diagnosing Autism. The ASD testing consists of two sessions: 1) Session One is a three hour interview with the client’s caregiver (specifically someone who is able to provide information about the client’s first, 5 years of development), 2) Session Two is an hour long assessment with the child/adolescent. At the conclusion of the testing, the evaluator will develop a comprehensive report based upon the findings from the testing period. The evaluator will schedule a feedback session with the caregiver and the client which will review the results of the testing, diagnostic information, and
specific-individualized recommendations that will provide the child/adolescent with the most
effective strategies and resources for support.

These symptoms could indicate a mental health disorder or learning disability. It’s helpful for parents to get a formal diagnosis so they can seek out effective help for their child. Psychological testing doesn’t always look for difficulties. Sometimes, children are referred for psychological testing to identify school readiness or giftedness. If your child shows some of the traits of giftedness such as advanced language skills and learning abilities, you might want to seek out psychological testing to determine whether they are gifted. Our assessment process provides a comprehensive approach which includes a clinical interview with client and/or parent/caregiver, subsequent testing sessions, and a feedback session. The number of sessions for the testing process is dependent upon the type of test and the client’s limits of time able to attend to the test. We tailor the assessment process to identify your individualized needs because we understand that assessments need to suit your referral/reason for testing. The report is a comprehensive report which reviews the results of the testing and provides individualized recommendations for the person that can be implemented in a variety of contexts. The feedback session is where the report will be reviewed and any questions can be addressed to ensure that the client/family understands the meaning of the results.

We have offices in:

King of Prussia, PA

491 Allendale Road
(King of Prussia Medical Center)
Suite 201 (PeaceTree Core)
Suite 303 (PeaceTree Kids)
King of Prussia, PA 19406

Philadelphia, PA

1819 JFK Blvd.,
(The Sterling Commerical Center)
Suite 302
Philadelphia, PA 19103