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College Support Planning at PEC

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College Support Planning at PEC

This service provides structured clinical support for high school students and their families navigating the college planning process. The model integrates executive functioning support, emotional regulation strategies, and developmentally appropriate college planning guidance.

The goal is to help students:
-Increase organization and follow-through
-Reduce overwhelm, avoidance, and anxiety
-Break large tasks into manageable steps
-Build independence and self-management skills over time

Sessions may include individual student work, parent coaching, and joint family sessions as clinically indicated.

For more information, please reach out to Ita Golus, LCSW at:

Phone: 973.309.3262

Email: ita@psychedconsult.com

College Support Planning at PEC

Posted on

College Support Planning at PEC

This service provides structured clinical support for high school students and their families navigating the college planning process. The model integrates executive functioning support, emotional regulation strategies, and developmentally appropriate college planning guidance.

The goal is to help students:
-Increase organization and follow-through
-Reduce overwhelm, avoidance, and anxiety
-Break large tasks into manageable steps
-Build independence and self-management skills over time

Sessions may include individual student work, parent coaching, and joint family sessions as clinically indicated.

For more information, please reach out to Ita Golus, LCSW at:

Phone: 973.309.3262

Email: ita@psychedconsult.com

What Assessments Really Look Like!

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What Assessments Really Look Like!

Spent the morning assessing a student for dyslexia. 

This is what the office looks like – high energy, high impulsivity, and a strong need for sensory input in full effect.

Assessment isn’t just about scores. It’s about meeting each child where he or she is, supporting regulation in real time and creating a space for his or her best effort to shine through!

Are you looking for testing for your child to better understand his or her learning profile? Reach out to us today:
drliz@psychedconsult.com

 

 

 



Does My Child Need a Support Plan for School?

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Does My Child Need a Support Plan for School?

written by Dr. Liz Nissim, published on Psychology Today

As a parent actively involved in your child’s education, you’ve likely become very familiar with their strengths, their challenges, and the subjects where there is resistance versus ease. You might have noticed patterns: some assignments lead to procrastinationor meltdowns, while others are tackled with independence and a sense of pride.

Many parents reach out to me when they begin to realize their child is struggling academically. The question that naturally follows is: Is this a learning disability, ADHD, anxiety, or a combination? And more importantly, Does my child need a support plan, such as a 504 Accommodation Plan or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?

Red Flags by Grade Level

Recognizing early signs of learning or attention challenges can make a huge difference. Below is a guide, broken down by grade level, highlighting common concerns that may indicate the need for further evaluation or support.

Kindergarten

  • Difficulty identifying upper- and lower-case letters
  • Trouble recognizing letter sounds
  • Struggles with number identification
  • Limited rhyming and phonemic awareness
  • Very limited sight word vocabulary
  • Avoidance of writing tasks
  • Short attention span or difficulty sitting still
  • Impulsivity or trouble following two-step directions

First Grade

  • Learns sight words during a session but quickly forgets them
  • Sight word vocabulary smaller than expected
  • Below grade-level reading (based on Fountas & Pinnell levels)
  • Avoids writing tasks
  • Struggles with basic number concepts (e.g., bigger/smaller)
  • Short attention span and impulsivity
  • Memory challenges
  • Difficulty with word problems and multi-step directions
  • Emotional responses (tears or meltdowns) during schoolwork

Second Grade

  • Letter or number reversals continue
  • Poor reading comprehension and fluency
  • Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words
  • Attention issues and impulsivity
  • Memory and recall difficulties
  • Trouble staying focused to complete tasks
  • Strong emotional responses to schoolwork
  • Difficulty following 2–3 step instructions
Read More

Supporting an Anxious Child in School: What You Can Do

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Supporting an Anxious Child in School: What You Can Do

written by Dr. Liz Nissim, posted on Psychology Today

If your child has anxiety, school can be a daily struggle. Your child or teen may resist getting out of bed, express physical complaints like stomachaches or headaches before bed or in the morning, or struggle to make friends. Some subjects may feel especially challenging, and the noise and activity of the school environment can be overwhelming.

The reasons for school-related anxiety can vary, but one thing is clear: when a child is preoccupied with worry, it’s hard for them to focus on academics. Over time, this can lead to a cycle of frustration and fear, with each worry feeding into the next. An anxious child’s inner dialogue might sound something like this:

“I can’t focus because I’m worrying about my mom’s safety, so now I missed the math lesson. I don’t know how to solve these problems, but I’m afraid to ask for help. My teacher will be upset with me. Now I have a homework sheet of 20 problems I don’t understand. And I have science and spelling homework, too. Samantha wouldn’t play with me today—did I do something wrong? What did the teacher just say? Was that the bell? Are we going to gym? I can’t do this!”

How Can I Help My Anxious Child Succeed in School?

Fortunately, there are support plans available that can help. These come in two forms: a 504 Accommodation Plan and an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

504 Accommodation Plan

A 504 Accommodation Plan provides support once a diagnosis is in place. Created by a team including parents, the principal, the school nurse, teachers, and a counselor, this plan offers accommodations that help your child manage their anxiety at school. It’s valid for a year and can be updated annually, though reviewing every three months is often beneficial as a child’s needs can fluctuate throughout the year.

Common 504 accommodations for anxiety include:

  • Daily check-ins: Inform the school team—principal, counselor, and teacher—about your child’s challenges so they can help make the morning routine smoother. Arrangements could include a designated staff member to meet your child at drop-off to ease separation and transition.
  • Flexible attendance: If attending a full day is overwhelming, consider a gradual return—starting with a half-day and slowly adding classes as your child adjusts.
  • Staggered entry: Allowing your child to arrive before or after the morning rush can reduce anxiety about crowded hallways.
  • Regular check-ins: Establishing a trusted adult (like a guidance counselor) who meets with your child regularly or on an as-needed basis can provide comfort and support.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

An IEP provides specialized education and additional resources if a child’s anxiety significantly impacts their learning. This program can include in-class support or co-teaching for challenging subjects. It involves a case manager from the Child Study Team (CST) and may include testing by the CST or from a clinical psychologist.

For children who have co-existing conditions such as ADHD or specific learning disabilities, the support can be even more comprehensive. Out-of-class resource programs might provide modified curriculum support tailored to their abilities.

An IEP can include 504 accommodations along with additional options such as:

  • Reduced workload and homework: Completing only selected problems (e.g., odds or evens) can make assignments feel more manageable.
  • Avoidance of spotlight: Allow your child to volunteer instead of calling on him to avoid added pressure.
  • Breaks as needed: Giving your child permission to take breaks when they feel overwhelmed can help them reset.
  • Safe space: Designate a quiet space in the school where your child can go to decompress.
  • Extended time: Allowing extra time on assignments, tests, and quizzes can ease performance pressure.
  • Quiet testing environment: Permit your child to complete tests or assignments in a quieter setting if needed.

The Real Impact of Anxiety on School Life

Anxiety can profoundly impact a child’s school experience. For many, holding it together at school means they’re exhausted by the time they get home, leading to emotional outbursts that can be difficult for the family.

As a parent, sharing your child’s struggles with teachers, counselors, and the principal can provide much-needed support and reduce your own burden. By involving the school in your child’s daily challenges, you can help them find relief during the school day rather than bearing the weight of their anxiety alone until they come home.

I Think My Child is Dyslexic. Now What?

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I Think My Child Is Dyslexic. Now What?

written by Dr. Liz Matheis, posted on Psychology Today

First thing first: If you suspect your child has dyslexia, consult with an educational psychologist who can perform a psycho-educational evaluation to look at areas of academic functioning as well as cognitive or intellectual capability.

On par with how your public school district’s child study team will find eligibility, the evaluator will look for an achievement-aptitude discrepancy of a minimum of 19 points or 1 standard deviation. Request that your evaluator further administer a dyslexia assessment, such as the Feifer Assessment of Reading or the Feifer Assessment of Writing to determine the type of dyslexia or dysgraphia. This will further allow your evaluator to determine if your child meets the criteria for a specific learning disability within the area of reading, writing, or reading comprehension.

Once you have this diagnosis, request an initial identification meeting with the school’s child study team. Put your request in writing via an email and/or a physical letter that can be handed to the assistant to the director of special services. (A sample letter can be found at the end of this post.) Request a date stamp and a copy of your stamped letter. Once you are sitting with the child study team for an initial identification meeting, share a copy of the evaluator’s report and request an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child under the eligibility category of “specific learning disability.”

You are then requesting pull-out resource within the areas of reading and writing with a special education teacher who can modify the curriculum for your child. The program that is most empirically validated for dyslexia is known as the Orton Gillingham or Wilson program, a multisensory instructional system.

 

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Is My Child Dyslexic?

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Is My Child Dyslexic?

written by Dr. Liz Nissim-Matheis, posted on Psychology Today

It’s March, and you’ve noticed a few things about your child’s reading and writing skills. At your last parent-teacher conference, your child’s teacher recognizes that your child is struggling with reading and writing. What can be further confusing is that your child may have made progress but is still not reading or writing at grade level. Slowly, over the school year, you’ve noticed that your child avoids reading or huffs and puffs when it’s time to sit down and write a response, a short answer, or an essay.

So now what?

We can’t ignore the elephant in the room. The COVID-19 pandemic created a gap in instruction for 1.5 years. Our children did not receive the face-to-face instruction that they needed. Many of the academic struggles that our children were experiencing went unnoticed because how can a teacher recognize reading and writing struggles when assignments are being handed in electronically. There isn’t an observation of the entire child who may have been melting down behind the screen. A great deal of teacher observations and academic instruction were lost during that time.

As our children progressed to the next grade and then the next, parents and teachers began to notice skills that were not at grade level in reading or writing. Our children began to show more behavioral signs, and the natural explanation was that our child was “behavioral” without truly understanding or investigating the underlying roots of those behaviors.

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Book Review: Smart but Scattered

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Book Review: Smart but Scattered

Review by Deborah Tiel Millard, MA – PEC Office Manager

Does your child have difficulty finishing homework assignments, losing personal items, putting things away and following instructions? If so, your child may have challenges with Executive Function Skills. Smart but Scattered, written by Peg Dawson, EdD and Richard Guare, PhD, is a practical, easily-accessible and well-written parent’s guide to understanding and helping children ages 4-13 who have challenges with executive function skills.

The book breaks down specific executive function skills into two main areas. Those skills involving thinking (cognition) and those involving doing (behavior). Those included in cognition: working memory, planning/prioritization, organization, time management and metacognition. Those included in behavior: response inhibition,  emotional control, sustained attention, task initiation, goal-directed persistence and flexibility. Each of these skills is defined and practical examples are given which help to identify strengths and weaknesses in each of these areas.

Simple quizzes are included, as the authors encourage parents to identify their own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of their children. This helps parents to understand how their own strengths and weakness matter as they work with their child. Once these are identified, the book goes on to teach parents how to do several things: modify the environment, teach skills directly and motivate their children to learn and use these skills.

The book contains a large section on how to help a child complete daily routines. This extensive guide contains ready-made routines, adaptations for specific age groups and challenges a child may have, and checklists parents can utilize. These can be downloaded and printed out for everyday use.

The following chapters focus on each specific executive function skill and help parents understand how the skill develops, has parents rate how well their child currently displays this skill and then gives specific examples with steps for how to help their child build this skill in every day life.

The book finishes with a section that covers how to know when to seek more help and how to work with the schools to help their child with information on how to create accommodations and modifications that address these issues.

As the parent of a child with challenges in these areas, I found this book incredibly helpful. I was able to easily identify both my own as well as my child’s strengths and weaknesses in this area. I also utilize the practical examples, ideas and worksheets on a daily basis as I help my son manage these issues. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone working with children who struggle with executive function skills.

The authors have also written Smart but Scattered books directed to teens and adults. To learn more about the Smart but Scattered books, please click the button below.

 

 

 

Click here for more information
"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Julie C.
"Dr. Matheis has a remarkable ability to understand the unique needs of her patients and address them constructively. She builds strong, meaningful relationships with patients and their families, encouraging trust and collaboration. When working with my son who struggles with autism-related anxiety, she created an environment in which he was able to calm down and open up to her in ways I had not seen before. She was able to reach him and helped him work through his crisis/problem. Most importantly, she empowered him to move forward."
- N.L.
"Dr. Matheis is amazing. She has tremendous resources and loads of energy. She is not willing to accept anything less than the most effective results for her clients. She made me feel as if my son was her top priority throughout the entire process. I would, without reservation, give her my highest recommendations.  Thank you, Dr. Matheis!"
- Anonymous
"Dr. Matheis has an amazing ability to read kids and connect with them. She has been an invaluable resource for our family over the past several years and has helped us with everything from educational consulting, to uncovering diagnoses as well as family therapy. Working with Dr. Matheis never feels clinical and most importantly, our children love and trust her. We can not thank you enough Dr. Liz!"
- Anonymous
"My teenage son had been seeing Dr. Matheis through his senior year of high school, as he was only diagnosed with ADHD at 16 years old.  Dr. Matheis came highly recommended from our pediatrician and she has done wonders for our son as well as our family, navigating new ways for him to deal with his diagnosis without the use of medication.  She taught him ways to organize himself and even when something did not work for him, she patiently continued teaching him new ways to keep himself on track.  She has also helped us as parents to understand how his mind works so that we did not continue to blame his lack of focus on him, rather on his unique way of thinking.  Thank you Dr. Matheis!!!!"
- LG
"Dr. Liz is the best! Our family was directed to her by our Pediatrician to assist with figuring out severe mood changes, severe anxiety, strange new fears and food aversion that had come onto one of our children literally overnight. After just a couple of visits, she suggested that the issues may actually be rooted in a physical issue and suggested we immediately take our child to be swabbed for strep, because Dr. Liz suspected PANDAS (a pediatric autoimmune disorder brought on by strep). The same Pediatrician that suggested Dr. Liz would not do the swab (they do not believe in PANDAS and we no longer go there) but I took my child to my doctor who did the swab and it was positive for strep. When our child went on antibiotics, within 24 hours all symptoms went away and our child was back :-) Dr. Liz then recommended a PANDAS specialist who helped us and our child is in complete remission and is happy and healthy. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Liz for her knowledge of all things, even the most remote and unusual and for helping us so much! Thank you!"
- Anonymous
"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Anonymous
"Thank you, Dr. Liz. Although we have told you countless times, it will never feel enough. You have listened when J could barely speak and continued to listen when he was sad, angry and confused. You've challenged him and directed us in our roles as parents. You've helped J face his fears while the list evolved and changed, and yet you've stayed committed to 'the course.' We pray that your children realize that time away from them is spent helping children learn and that vulnerability is a sign of strength and bravery."
- June I
"My son was admitted to an Ivy League school when only 2 years ago, you assessed him and saw his struggles, his Dyslexia. We are grateful that he no longer has to carry that deep feeling of inadequacy or shame that must have kept him so self conscious and from reaching his potential. He has the PERFECT program for him. He has A's in high math and economics. He became a Merit Scholar, a Boys State legislature, the HEAD captain of the football team and help a job ALL while studying and managing his classes and disability. I am PROUD of you, a young doctor, who knows and sees the vulnerability of children and helps them recognize "it's NO big deal" God bless."
- Anonymous

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