During her master's degree, she had the opportunity to experience both theory and practice during her internship at Manhattan Psychology Group, a private clinic in Manhattan, New York, under the supervision of Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychologist Dr. Chelsey Rosen and Dr. Erika Stapert. She specializes in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy).

Following her master's degree, Dr. Steven Kurtz, a child psychologist specializing in treating children's behavior problems and disorders, provided her with extensive training in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), in Manhattan, New York.

PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy) is an evidence-based behavioral treatment for young children ages 2 to 12 who have disruptive behavior disorders. Often referred to as the "gold standard" of behavioral treatments for young children, PCIT improves behavior in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and trauma. PCIT adaptations have also been shown to be effective for young children with anxiety. PCIT provides parents with live coaching of parenting skills as they interact with their children. Parents learn effective parenting skills in a sequence designed to improve the way they pay attention to their children's behavior and set limits on negative behavior.

The structure of PCIT is unique – the parent and child sit in a "playroom," while the therapist stands in an adjacent room and looks at the playroom through a one-way mirror. While playing with the child, the parent wears a bluetooth or headset so the therapist can coach the parent on specific skills in real time. This unique treatment scheme provides a very smooth transition to telehealth appointments. By setting up video conferencing at home, families can participate in telehealth-based PCIT and receive the same coaching and feedback as if they were in a clinic. In addition, research has shown that telehealth-based PCIT is as effective (or even slightly more effective) than clinical-based PCIT.

Appointments are usually scheduled on a weekly basis. Parents are given daily "homework" to practice PCIT skills with their children at home. PCIT is a targeted therapy aimed at achieving certain criteria for improving symptoms through parenting skills. Most families can complete treatment in 12-20 sessions. Families who finish treatment can receive support sessions if disruptive behavior escalates or if parents want to get back on track with PCIT skills.

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PCIT Results:

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PCIT has been shown to provide a number of improvements in child outcomes, including improved attachment and parent-child relationships, increased goal-oriented behavior and reduced negative behaviors. Because the CDI and PDI stages focus on different parenting skills, parents often see different results at each stage. In CDI, children usually exhibit a decrease in attention-seeking behavior and improvement in parent-child interactions. In PDI, children often demonstrate remarkable improvement in adaptability, frustration tolerance, and rule-breaking behavior. In general, PCIT has been shown to:

• Improve parent-child relationship

• Reduce parenting stress

• Improve compatibility with commands

• Increase goal-directed behavior

• Improve aggression and emotional dysregulation

• Reduce arguing, whining, snapping and attracting attention

• Reduce impulsive behavior

• Improve self-esteem

• Increase gaming skills

• Improve frustration tolerance

• Increase attention to tasks

• Strengthen the secure bond with the parent

• Increase parental confidence in managing child behavior