FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

No, it is NOT a requirement to have a referral from someone to begin services with ASG. Although many of the clients we work with come to us from a variety of sources, it is not necessary to inquire through another person or professional. Many families learn about our services through therapists, psychiatrists, hospitals, school counselors/teachers, and “word of mouth” from other families. The initial consultation inquiry call is absolutely free of charge to families.

At ASG we meet with clients in a variety of ways, depending on the situation. Often it is in our office, which is located in San Francisco. Or, it could be in the comfort of your own home, over the phone or Skype, or in a neutral meeting place or office space.

In most cases, the initial meeting is for the parents or guardians only. At times the student is present, and this will be decided together prior to the meeting time. During this meeting we will begin to gather information about what is needed for the student, and strategize on the best plan on how to move forward from there. ASG will sometimes begin to inform parents about the range of options available, but in most cases we are not quite ready to give solid and specific recommendations in this meeting, unless the child is unsafe and there is a need for immediate action.

This is a common concern, and not that unusual. During our initial meeting we can talk through this dilemma together and come up with some strategies to engage the student in the process. Given our extensive experience with this, we often have different ideas about how to present this to your child, and we can often come up with a plan together.

At ASG we specialize in working with adolescents and young adults who are often struggling with a wide variety of issues. Some of them are: Depression/anxiety and other related mood disorders, Neurological disorders (Autism Spectrum disorders), psychiatric disorders, excessive and chronic anger/hostility/aggressive behavior, complicated and complex psychological profiles, complicated family dynamics, school truancy/failure, learning differences and academic challenges, socialization difficulties, substance abuse/addictive behaviors, impulsivity and poor judgment, elopement, promiscuity, eating disorders, self harm behaviors, legal problems, identity and gender issues, screen and social media abuse, history of treatment failure/relapse.