Services
Therapy with adolescents
When stress interferes with some part of an adolescent’s life, such as school, home or relationships with peers, therapy can help.
Teenagers typically experience stress around developmental transitions like starting high school or contemplating college, or stress may follow an external event such as an important loss, frightening experience, or trouble with peers. At other times, teens may show uncharacteristic behavior that is not easily explained by outside circumstances, which may reflect internal sources of worry. Whatever the reason, adolescents who experience stress can show behaviors that cause concern to adults, and at such times the opportunity to meet with an adolescent psychologist can help.
Generally speaking, the goal of therapy with adolescents is to remove obstacles to typical development in order for them to more freely resume the “work” of growing up. Adolescents generally require a greater amount of autonomy from their parents in the course of psychotherapy than younger children. Issues of privacy and sharing of information can understandably cause anxiety for parents and teenagers alike. Dr. Judge has specialized in these and other issues that uniquely affect adolescents and will work with you and your teenager to navigate these concerns. Importantly, adolescence is also a time where serious psychiatric problems can first appear, and teenagers and adults often struggle to know which behaviors are “normal” and which may be cause for greater concern. Dr. Judge’s specialization with this age group allows her to help you evaluate these concerns.
Adult psychotherapy
Therapy can help adults in times of external change or stress, as well as when internal worries and frustrating patterns persist without obvious cause.
Dr. Judge has experience treating severe mental illness as well as the kinds of worries that accompany typical development. She has specialized training in recovery from psychological trauma and severe mental illness in the family. Psychotherapy with adults will vary in length and kind based on the patient’s needs and history. An initial evaluation will clarify what troubles you and help determine the most appropriate form of treatment.
Forensic Evaluations
Dr. Judge has been a court-appointed child custody evaluator for the Probate and Family Courts and she also has conducted a range of court-ordered evaluations for Juvenile Courts throughout Massachusetts.
Dr. Judge’s current forensic practice is limited to evaluation and expert witness testimony in civil and criminal matters involving commercial sexual exploitation and domestic sex trafficking.