Parent Consultation

I offer consultation on the full range of challenges and issues families confront in the early years, including: discipline, tantrums, sleep, anxiety, opposition/defiance, trouble with transitions, social challenges, potty learning, sibling rivalry, feeding challenges, questions about development, adjusting to child care, preschool or kindergarten. My blogs illustrate the breadth of issues I address.

Note: I do not answer specific questions about children via email. In order to provide meaningful guidance, I need to have a full understanding of the situation which is just not possible via email. I am happy to respond to email queries with resources relevant to the issue you are dealing with.

About My Consultations (Please read thoroughly before scheduling an appointment)

Consultations are for parents/caregivers only and are exclusively via my secure telehealth platform. (Currently, I am only accepting families with children 10 years and younger.) Children are not seen via telehealth. I do observations of children in their natural settings—at home and school ( in-person or remotely)—so I can observe how they function in real-life environments and coach parents and teachers about how to best support them. I do not provide direct therapy for children. Children are not seen via telehealth.(About home and school visits.)

Process: We always start with an initial 50-minute consult so I can get a full download on the situation you are seeking help with. Then, together, we decide what the best plan of action is which might include further consults and possibly a school or home visit. The process is iterative based on the individual needs of each family.

TO SCHEDULE A CONSULT (Please read and follow all the instructions below. It will save a lot of time for both of us!)

For new clients:

  • When you set up the account, PLEASE MAKE IT UNDER YOUR CHILD’S NAME. MAKE YOURSELF THE CONTACT. This ensures you will receive all the forms/appt reminders, etc.

  • Be sure to opt in for appointment and document reminders after you plug in your contact info.

  • Go to my secure telehealth platform. Choose “I'm a New Client.” You will then use the Booking Widget to request an appointment.

  • In addition to the digital forms, please be sure to complete the two pdf uploads: the Child Questionnaire and Lerner Child Development Consent Form (different from the telehealth consent form.). They need to be completed before your appointment so I have time to review them before we meet. Even if you get a message that you have completed all the forms in the portal, that may not pertain to these 2 docs that are unique to my practice.

Because I get booked up quickly, at the time you make your initial consult, you may want to secure a few more consults about 2-3 weeks apart. Otherwise, you may have to wait up to 6-8 weeks for your follow-up appointments.You can always cancel them outside 48 hours if you decide not to get a package. 

I occasionally get cancellations or add new consult times. I recommend you check out the calendar as regularly as you like to see if there are any openings for earlier slots. (I cannot notify individual families every time a consult becomes available.)

It is very helpful to me if you can capture some video/audio and email (clerner92762@gmail.com) or text (301-452-1886) it to me one day before the initial consult. It doesn't have to be just during challenging moments. I want to get as holistic a picture as possible of your child and your interactions with him/her. If video is uncomfortable because your child is aware of it and distracted or self-conscious, just use audio. Please keep clips under 5 minutes.

Strict Cancellation Policy: I have a strict 48 hour cancellation policy as I have a long wait-list and need time to give other families a chance to use the time you are giving up. The full fee is charged if you cancel in under 48 hours. If you have a package, the missed consult is deducted.

FEES:

  • 50-Minute Parent Consultation: $290. (I offer packages that bundle consults for a discount. See details on packages below.)

  • HOME AND SCHOOL OBSERVATIONS:

    • In-person: $400/hour

    • Remote: $300/hour

    Note: These are NOT scheduled via the calendar on the portal. I arrange these directly with families in schools.

PACKAGES:

  • 3-consult package: $826 (5% discount)

  • 4-consult package:$1044 (10% discount)

  • 5-consult package: $1378 (15% discount)

You can add a home and/or school observation to your package. The visit will be discounted at the same rate as your package. Please see info on home and school observations to learn more about those services.

Important information about packages:

  • I give families 24 hours after the initial consult to decide if they want a package. If you opt for a package, I include the first consult in the package so you get the benefit of the discount.

  • Packages ARE NOT refundable.

  • They are good for one year.

  • 50% is paid after the first consult. The balance is paid when the package has been completed or expired, whichever comes first.If there are remaining consults in the package, clients can use them whenever they like once the final balance is paid.

  • I try (but cannot guarantee) to notify families of their remaining consults one month in advance of the package expiration. It is up to the client to keep track of the package and be sure to secure consults on the portal in advance in order to complete the package in time.

    PAYMENTS

  • Payments are made via Zelle, Venmo or personal check. You indicate your payment method on the Lerner Child Development consent form that is in the portal. Note that I do not use the portal to collect payment or generate invoices. I take care of that separately.

  • I do not participate on any insurance panels. I can provide an invoice to submit to your carrier if you have an out-of-plan option, or to use toward a health savings plan.

Billing/Invoicing: I do not use the telehealth platform for billing or invoicing. It is only used for scheduling the video consults. All payments are via Venmo, Paypal or personal check. All invoices are provided directly by me via email.

FOR FAMLIES OUTSIDE THE DC/VA/MD AREA: For families living outside the DC/MD/VA/DE area, I offer parent coaching services. This service is not reimbursable under health insurance plans but is often allowable for health savings accounts.

All of the information regarding fees/packages/billing is the same for parent coaching as it is for parent consultation.

*If you would like a free 15-minute call to discuss my services and be sure it’s a good fit, please email me before setting up a consult.