Pediatric Psychology

Pediatric Psychology at Golisano Children's Hospital

At Golisano Children's Hospital at University of Vermont Health, our skilled child psychologists provide compassionate, effective support to infants, children, adolescents and families. We provide services to address mental health concerns associated with acute and chronic illness and injury. In addition, our psychological interventions address pre-existing mental health challenges and are intended to improve health outcomes in general.

Pediatric Psychology Services

We serve children with every type of developmental and emotional challenge. Depending on your child’s needs, we may evaluate and treat them in one of our hospitals or outpatient clinics located throughout Vermont and northern New York.

Pediatric Psychology Services During Hospitalization

A hospital stay for medical care can be frightening and confusing for children and their families. Emotional support can help. A pediatric psychologist or clinician may be part of your child’s care team for conditions requiring hospitalization, including:

Adjusting to life with a new injury or illness
Acute illnesses, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis and diabetes
Chronic pain
Trauma from illness or injury, including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury

Outpatient Child Psychology

Children and families can access compassionate evaluation and psychotherapy in our clinics. Our skilled therapists provide care and support for:

Acute and chronic illness or injury
Acute and chronic pain
ADHD
Anxiety
Behavior and relationship problems
Bereavement and loss
Developmental challenges
Eating disorders
Family challenges
Gender-related concerns, such as gender dysphoria
Mood disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Sleep problems
Substance use disorder
Trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

What to Expect From Pediatric Psychology

Mental health care for our youngest patients is as unique as each child. We carefully listen to you and your child to help your family chart a positive path for the future.

Your child’s treatment plan is a team effort between you, your child and your child’s care team. If your child’s condition requires medication, we work with our medical providers, including skilled child psychiatrists, to find the right option.

Your child’s psychological care plan may include different psychotherapy approaches in individual, group or family settings. Psychotherapy (talk therapy) engages children, families and mental health providers to help understand children’s feelings and modify behavior. We use many psychotherapy techniques, including:

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): Promote children’s positive behaviors with the goal of reducing unwanted behaviors.
Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) and other family interventions: Helps parents forge stronger bonds with their children so they can better respond to their children’s emotional needs.
Child trauma therapy: Empowers children to understand and manage the feelings and behaviors that can result from traumatic experiences.
Play therapy: Allows therapists to observe and treat patients through play, one of the primary ways children communicate.

Patient Resources

Vermont Center for Children, Youth and Families: Helpful information and guidance about local treatment programs, hotlines, advocacy and support groups and counseling.