Doctors Peter M. Lake, MD, and Bradley C. Riemann, PhD, talk about some of the effective treatment approaches at the Child and Adolescent Center.
The treatment experience at the Child and Adolescent Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital consists of evidence-based treatments delivered by some of the nation’s premier psychiatric experts. Whether a child responds best to cognitive-behavioral therapy, experiential therapy, medication, or (likely) a combination of approaches, the treatment teams at Rogers’ centers empower every patient with tools to help them recover from their illness.
Lake: It starts with Rogers’ environment. I mean, it’s just a gorgeous, dream come true as far as having a setting that initially makes people feel comfortable.
Riemann: Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the treatment of choice for anxiety disorders, and not just anxiety disorders, but other disorders as well.
Lake: There’s a huge advantage if you can do a therapy called experiential therapy, which is basically using regular activities, regular life experiences, to augment but also sometimes just engage children and adolescents in life.
Riemann: The approaches that we use are really have been widely researched for decades. And there’s just a tremendous amount of empirical support behind what we’re doing.
Lake: Part of that starts with the family and parents feeling comfortable. And part of it is that you have some grounds and facilities, some lake front, woods, campfires, ropes and challenge course, hiking trails, because you have to play with kids. Kids have to play. And that’s how you get to know ‘em. That’s how you see how they’re doing, see them interact socially, and in a variety of settings. And we have that all right here on our campus.
Riemann: So the, you know, the pay off is just to see that difference. And to see that they now have hope. For the future. That they can go on and lead a fulfilling life.
Lake: So to be able to practice some real life, here and now, in vivo tasks really helps motivate the kids that they’re going to get better.