Psychotherapy for Children with Bipolar and Depressive Disorders

Mary A. Fristad, PhD, ABPP, is Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Human Nutrition at The Ohio State University. She is also Associate Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Psychiatry, as well as Director of Research and Psychological Services in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Fristad is board-certified both in clinical psychology and in clinical child and adolescent psychology. She has published over 150 articles, book chapters, and books addressing the assessment and treatment of childhood-onset depression, suicidality, and bipolar spectrum disorders. Dr. Fristad has been the principal or coprincipal investigator on over two dozen federal, state, and local grants focused on assessment and treatment of mood disorders in children. Jill S. Goldberg Arnold, PhD, maintains a private practice in the Boston area, where she specializes in childhood mood disorders. Before moving to the East Coast, she was Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University. Dr. Goldberg Arnold has collaborated on both state- and federally funded research projects examining the impact of psychoeducational psychotherapy on families of children with mood disorders. She has published widely in the area of childhood mood disorders. Jarrod M. Leffler, PhD, ABPP, is Director of Outpatient Group Therapy Programming and Associate Director of the Clinical Child Internship Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He is also Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University. Dr. Leffler’s research and clinical interests include the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of bipolar spectrum disorders in youth; group therapy; treatment outcome; service utilization; supervision; and program development, implementation, and evaluation. He has worked on state and federally funded grants, provided numerous presentations and trainings, and written several articles and book chapters.

I. Mood Disorders in Children and How Psychoeducational Psychotherapy Helps
1. The Challenge of Treating Children with Mood Disorders
2. Current Scientific Knowledge about Childhood Mood Disorders
3. Implementing Psychoeducational Psychotherapy
4. The Complexities of Establishing a Mood Disorder Diagnosis
II. Psychoeducational Psychotherapy Session by Session
5. Discussing Mood Symptoms with Children
6. Reviewing Symptoms and Disorders with Parents
7. Teaching Children How to Separate Symptoms from Self and How Treatment Helps Symptoms
8. Discussing Medication with Parents
9. Discussing Healthy Habits with Children
10. Teaching Parents about Systems: Mental Health and School Teams
11. The Child's Tool Kit for Coping with Difficult Feelings
12. Discussing Negative Family Cycles and Thinking, Feeling, Doing with Parents
13. Thinking, Feeling, Doing with Children
14. Problem-Solving and Basic Coping Skills for Parents
15. Problem-Solving Skills for Children
16. Addressing School Issues with the School Team
17. The Communication Cycle and Nonverbal Communication Skills for Children
18. Communication Skills for Parents
19. Verbal Communication Skills for Children
20. Planning for Symptom and Crisis Management with Parents
21. Working with Siblings
22. Wrapping Up with Parents and Children
III. Child and Parent Handouts and Group Game Materials
Appendix. Resources