Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and answers. 
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Why choose Navesink Psychological Services?

Navesink Psychological Services was developed to fill a void in the local mental health community. While working as a school psychologist, Dr. Strobel was often asked by families for referrals to local therapists who would understand their children and extend the support he provided in school to after-school hours. Many families requested a male therapist because they felt that their sons would work better with someone with whom they could relate. While Dr. Strobel was honored that families trusted his opinion and felt that he had helped their children in school, he was often at a loss for referral recommendations of qualified providers in the community. Dr. Strobel would also often work with families who had evaluations completed outside of the school setting and were looking for help for their children within the school. After reading countless evaluations Dr. Strobel began to notice that many were written by providers who had little to no understanding of how the special education process worked. He felt terrible for families who paid significant amounts of money for an evaluation and were promised a report that would guarantee their child would receive help in school when in fact the evaluation left out key components necessary to meet school requirements or made recommendations that were not reasonable for a school setting. Now licensed to provide these services himself, Dr. Strobel started Navesink Psychological Services to give families a resource to turn to when experiencing difficulties with their children that extend beyond the school day. 

What can I expect in the first session?

Individual Therapy/ Counseling

The first session involves collecting background information, explaining the therapeutic process, and developing a plan for treatment moving forward. During the first session the therapist will get to know you, your child, or your family and hear about what concerns are present. At times parents may come in without their child for the first session in order to provide background information candidly.

Evaluations

Prior to the day of the evaluation, a member of the NPS team will speak with the family regarding the presenting concerns and tailor the assessment to meet those needs. On the day of the evaluation we will start by interviewing the child and family and discuss how the balance of the day will be structured. Testing will take a few hours and breaks will be provided. Parents are encouraged to bring snacks for their child as well as any relevant documentation (doctor’s reports, reports from school, other evaluations, etc.). Children should have a good night's rest, take all regular medications, and wear/bring any adaptive devices (e.g., glasses, hearing aids, etc).

What should I tell my child?

Individual Therapy/ Counseling

Explain to your child that they are coming to meet with someone who is going to help them. When children hear that they are going to meet with a “doctor” they often get nervous and their mind jumps to what they are familiar with, a medical physician who may give them a shot. Explain that this is a different type of doctor and that there will absolutely be no shots. Children are welcome to bring a toy, game, stuffed animal, or other small item from home that will make them more comfortable. You can inform them that there are toys and games (including Legos, stuffed animals, and art supplies) at the office that they will be allowed to use. Dr. Strobel is available to further speak with families about how to explain what is going to happen on the day of the session.

Evaluations

Explain to the child that they are going to meet with someone who is going to complete some activities with them in order to help determine how they best learn. Avoid saying “tests” which can make children nervous. Discuss with older children that they are going to complete some activities which will help discover what makes school difficult for them, and the results of the evaluation will help develop ideas about how to make them more successful.