"Kids do well if they can."

           --Ross Greene, Ph.D., The Explosive Child

Dr. Meyer's approach to child assessment and treatment is shaped by the belief that "kids do well if they can", a phrase coined by Dr. Ross Greene in his Collaborative Problem Solving model of assessment and treatment. If children are having difficulties meeting the demands of their particular developmental stage, then it is our responsibility as adults to figure out what is getting in the way.

This simple phrase and accompanying belief system challenge conventional wisdom about why children behave in the ways that they do. Extensive research into brain-behavior relationships suggests that children often behave in challenging ways because they lack the skills that would allow them to meet adult expectations, not because they are "manipulative", "attention-seeking", or "spoiled". If a child could be conveying his needs in a way that doesn't get him in trouble, he would. Why wouldn't he?

Dr. Meyer individually designs each evaluation to reveal a child's profile of strengths and challenges, which may be impacting his/her behavior and overall functioning. This information forms the basis for making recommendations regarding appropriate in-home strategies and/or professional interventions. Early intervention strategies can be extremely effective in bringing about positive and enduring behavioral change.