CBT-E is a form of talk therapy where a client and therapist work 1:1 over the course of 20 or 40 weeks. This includes “homework” for the client to do in between appointments. Sessions are structured but always collaborative and individualized.

The initial assessment is a 2-hour session with just the client / adolescent (this can be broken up into 2, 1-hour sessions). Parent(s) of adolescents should attend an additional 50-minute session during the first week of their child’s treatment (without their child).

After the Initial Assessment, clients are seen for 50-minute appointments. For adolescents, parents can be seen for their own appointments and/or can do partial joint sessions with their teenager. This is all agreed on collaboratively.

* For parents of adolescents: if you do not want to be involved at all, we can still use the CBT-E approach. Parent involvement isn’t essential, although useful.

For adolescents, parent(s) should attend a session within the first week (without their child), with 3-10 follow-up sessions (25 minutes or 50 minutes) throughout the duration of treatment, depending on need.

There are 2 session pathways for clients, depending on your diagnosis and medical status: either 20 sessions over 20 weeks or 40 sessions over 40 weeks. (These are not always weekly: some are twice per week and others every other week.) This will be decided during the Initial Assessment and reviewed after several weeks. As you progress, this timeline can be adjusted and the pathway may change.