Treatment Interventions

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 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a treatment approach that is solution-focused and goal-directed. Dr. Vanegas will meet with you and your child to determine a treatment plan and frequency of sessions.  Sessions normally last 45-60 minutes and are held either on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on symptom severity and impairment. During sessions, the child is taught skills to challenge negative thinking patterns and behaviors that contribute to their presenting symptoms. As the child masters the skills taught during sessions, their symptoms begin to decrease. Because research supports parental involvement, Dr. Vanegas meets with parents at the end of each session to discuss skills and to support parents as they actively participate in their child/adolescent’s treatment. CBT is an effective treatment method for a number of disorders, including depression, anxiety, self-esteem concerns.

Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) is one of the treatment interventions of choice for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  Dr. Vanegas has been trained in the effective use of this treatment approach and is proficient in applying her skill-set to the child/adolescent's specific OCD symptoms.  Sessions last 45-60 minutes are are largely focused on confronting the fears that keep OCD behaviors in place.  Parents are encouraged to participate in the child/adolescent's treatment, and are taught techniques to appropriately respond to the child's symptoms.

Dr. Vanegas received training in the use of CBT-E and Family Based Treatment for eating disorders.  She also incorporates mindfulness strategies and targets symptoms related to perfectionism that often contribute and worsen eating disorder behaviors.  Her approach is centered on challenging beliefs that keep the eating disorder in place, while simultaneously having discussions about body acceptance and the effects of societal standards on body image.  Patients are taught to be critical consumers of media and to evaluate themselves in a more positive way, by looking at their values, rather than only their body shape and weight.

Dr. Vanegas is highly trained in the use of Family Based Treatment--an evidence-based treatment for eating disorders that is often referred to as the “Maudsley Approach”. The focus of this treatment is on using the whole family to help resolve the child’s eating concerns. Family Based Treatment empowers parents to become part of the treatment team and to learn about the etiology and management of the eating problem. This treatment can be effectively provided in outpatient settings, and is also often used in residential and partial hospitalization programs.

Eating disorders and other mental health diagnoses, such as depression and anxiety, can sometimes have a component of emotion disregulation and interpersonal concerns.  To address these concerns and provide patients with a well-rounded treatment, Dr. Vanegas has garnered experience in the use of DBT.  She often combines DBT with other treatment approaches to fit the patient's treatment needs.

Dr. Vanegas has extensive training in the treatment of behavioral concerns in children.  Parent sessions are provided to parents who are looking to improve their children's behavior using evidence-based parent management training practices and positive parenting techniques.