Deborah J. Jones, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Specializing in the Evaluation & Treatment of Children, Adolescents, and Families
Deborah J. Jones
Village Pediatrics of Chapel Hill
300 Market Street, Suite 112
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
ph: 919-816-2211
Services
A description of services offered & what to expect:
Dr. Jones provides individual and family therapy for children, adolescents, and their family members using cognitive-behavioral and behavioral family-systems therapy approaches.
Details regarding the theories behind Dr. Jones' approach to psychological evaluation and treatment are provided below, as well as details regarding what to expect when you set up an appointment to see Dr. Jones.
If you have any questions about Dr. Jones' services, her hours, or fees, please call 919-816-2211. She will be glad to answer your questions.
Theoretically-Guided & Evidence-Based Services
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a set of psychological treatment techniques that view the child or adolescent client as an active participant in his or her own therapy experience. The cognitive-behavioral approach views emotional and behavioral problems as the result of an interaction between individual characteristics of the child (e.g., temperament) and the context in which the child is growing and developing (e.g., family, school, community). Therefore, cognitive-behavioral therapy emphasizes treating the child or adolescent with broader consideration of the contextual factors that may be exacerbating or maintaining the child's symptoms.
Family-Systems Therapy: Research done by Dr. Jones and others has highlighted the very central role of the family context in child and adolescent adjustment. Thus, Dr. Jones also incorporates a behavioral family-systems perspective into her therapy. Importantly, behavioral family-systems highlights the need to integrate the family into any changes that the child or adolescent is making in the therapy process.
Evidence-Based Therapy: The techniques used in CBT and behavioral family-systems therapy have been tested in numerous studies with children and adolescents. Importantly, findings suggest that these approaches are often very effective in alleviating behavioral, emotional, and adjustment difficulties in children and adolescents.
Accordingly, although there is never a guarantee that a particular treatment will work with a particular child or adolescent, the evidence-based techniques used by Dr. Jones have a solid research base to support their efficacy with many children, adolescents, and families.
Evaluation & Treatment
Evaluation: The first appointment that a child or adolescent and his or her family has with Dr. Jones will be used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation.
Typically, an evaluation will consist of a clinical interview (e.g., parents, child or adolescent, entire family), a series of paper-and-pencil measures which will ask lots of questions about child/adolescent and family functioning, and observation of child/adolescent and family dynamics. Depending on the referral question, Dr. Jones may also administer a series of more structured psychological tests and even ask permission to talk to the child or adolescent's teacher and/or visit the child/adolescent's classroom.
A comprehensive evaluation is necessary in order for Dr. Jones to gain a thorough understanding of the difficulties a child or adolescent is experiencing, as well as his or her psychological strengths which may enhance treatment. The results of the evaluation will be discussed with the family and used to guide the goals for treatment.
Treatment: Based upon the findings of the evaluation, Dr. Jones will discuss treatment options with the child/adolescent and family, including specific treatment techniques, whether individual- and/or family-therapy is recommended, and specific treatment goals, as well as markers for how we will measure progress.
Consistent with Dr. Jones' training in evidence-based practice, she will present a treatment plan which relies heavily on cognitive-behavioral and family-systems interventions, which will be described more fully to families before treatment is initiated. Given the research to show that family involvement is critical to the treatment of many child/adolescent psychological difficulties, Dr. Jones will most typically recommend some combination of individual-child/adolescent and family therapy. Dr. Jones may also set-up referrals for a child/adolescent to see another provider, depending on the presenting issues and evaluation results (e.g., child psychiatrist to determine whether medication is an appropriate adjunct to therapy).
If a child/adolescent or family is not a good candidate for cognitive-behavioral and/or family systems therapy, Dr. Jones will make a referral to another provider who may be better suited to meet the family's needs.
Deborah J. Jones
Village Pediatrics of Chapel Hill
300 Market Street, Suite 112
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
ph: 919-816-2211
