Henry Olcese

I am a graduate of Pepperdine University but I have called Sonoma County home for over 30 years. I started my career working with teens in the juvenile court system in Southern California and have loved working with children and teens ever since. I have gained much of my experience through a behavioral approach in a unique program where I had the opportunity to go into clients homes and create individual behavioral plans. I have experienced working some of the most at risk youth in the county including those in juvenile hall and in danger of being hospitalized. It has been my privilege to provide services to those with a variety of diagnoses including ADHD and Autism spectrum disorders. Additionally, I have years of experience working with schools and education programs and familiar and confident with IEPs and 504 plans.

My philosophy of therapy is to treat children and youth as part of the family environment that they are in. This approach gives the parents and caregivers the opportunity to be a part of the process to help support the child. The process includes a collaborative approach with both parents and youth, and while I can work exclusively with the client I find that this approach is overall less effective. When working with adults, I emphasize this same philosophy whether it be with working with others in the adult client's life currently or their family of origin, and then utilizing an attachment approach. My experience is typically behavioral in approach, so I incorporate positive reinforcement, personal goal setting and individualized care. Ultimately, the time that I spend with clients is theirs, so I want to spend it in a way that makes sense to the client which is why I am excited to offer information and answer questions about what is happening in the room or how I am working with each person.

In the first session, clients can expect to receive something beneficial from the meeting. A brief history and some paperwork will be required as it actually is unwise to not get some information upfront in this manner. However, I know that clients are coming inf for a reason so I endeavor to offer support and engagement in the very first session. Therefore, some of the initial paperwork that is typical in sessions might be spread over 1-3 sessions. This allows for the treatment to begin earlier in the process and a fuller experience overall.