FAQs
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Our FAQs page gives clear, practical answers to the questions families ask most often about services, scheduling, insurance, evaluations, and medication. If you’re just getting started, skim the headings to find the right section quickly.
If your questions are not answered below, we are happy to help.
Please Email or call 630.549.6245.
What is Plum Tree Psychology?
Plum Tree Psychology is an outpatient mental health practice.
We provide therapy, neuropsychological evaluations, and psychiatric services for children, adolescents, and in some cases adults. Plum Tree serves individuals and families in Kane County, Illinois and surrounding communities.
What makes Plum Tree Psychology different?
Your Child has a team.
Plum Tree Psychology is a group practice specializing in child & adolescent psychology. We have many therapists on staff that meet weekly with our doctors to discuss treatments plans, organize strategies, and refine techniques for your child. At Plum Tree, your child has a team of doctors and therapists working behind the scenes to help provide the best possible treatment.
We are one of few CBIT providers in Chicagoland.
CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics). CBIT is used to treat Tourette’s. CBIT helps train our patients to be more aware of their tics, offer an alternative behavior when they feel the urge to tic, help provide activities to help the reduction of tics, and provide additional coping skills to help make their condition more manageable.
We hold weekly, grand rounds for a multidisciplinary team approach to patient care.
Plum Tree Psychology conducts highly structured and documented clinical team meetings for clinic grand rounds. The team includes two licensed medical professionals, a pediatric neuropsychologist, a clinical psychologist, in addition to LCPC, LPCs, LCSWs and interns at various levels. Internal referrals for medication consults, psychological testing, parent support, and family support are then prioritized “in house.” A current patient will jump to the top of our list for augmented support/exploration, as identified in grand rounds. Patients benefit from a multidisciplinary team approach to care. The lead psychologist is a clinical specialist who involves herself on a case-by-case basis for patients who are complex or refractory in treatment, by way of free, limited screenings for various diagnosis and symptoms. This team approach supports treatment planning.
We have ‘In-Service Education’ training for our therapists.
‘In-Service Education’ brings leaders/providers in ancillary fields in front of our staff to educate/train them. Overlapping disciplines, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, executive skills coaching, residential facility care, local IOP/PHP clinics, pediatric sleep specialists, developmental specialists, board-certified behavioral analysts, and the like help us know when/how to refer our patients for adjunctive treatment, and how we can build our repertoire of the most recent, evidence-based treatments.
Do we accept insurance?
Yes. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL PPO and Aetna PPO.
Plum Tree is also an out-of-network provider for many other insurance companies. Be sure to contact your insurance provider to verify benefits. If your insurance will not cover health care services, you can also choose to be a self-pay patient. Learn More Here
Does Plum Tree Psychology prescribe medication?
Yes. Plum Tree Psychology provides medication management.
Gone is the myth that mental health is separate from physical health! More and more, research is showing the links between mind and body. As a practice, our philosophy is to support activities of daily living that reduce a child’s vulnerability to having difficulties. We harp on diet, sleep, and exercise.
We believe that food can be used as medicine. We know that adequate sleep is critical to optimal peace. We insist that regular exercise—be it light or vigorous—moves kids toward good feelings, social success, and confidence. Vitamins and minerals can make a big difference, too.
Our Registered Nurse Practitioners consult with all clinicians about health issues that overlap with psychiatric issues. This might include referrals to assess for seizures, for bloodwork, for allergies, for visual/auditory processing problems, for infections, and more.
Most families who find their way to our clinic prefer to consider medication as a later step in treating pediatric mental health. We agree! Research shows that specific kinds of evidence-based therapy, social skills training, psychoeducation, and supportive reflection can go a long way to ameliorate symptoms of mental illness.
And! Medication does truly work, and for many children it’s truly helpful. There are medicines that help with anxiety, sadness, irritability, and energy levels. While medication management does not directly address social, family, or academic difficulties, they do reduce psychiatric symptoms so that gains are possible in all these areas.
Our Registered Nurse Practitioners are prepared to prescribe and monitor your child’s psychotropic medications. They’ll emphasize your child’s wellness within the larger picture of physical health. They are in no rush to medicate. They’re very happy to educate you about the types of medications, side effects, and the pros and cons of trying medications.
Research is clear: for many psychiatric symptoms, a combination of therapy and medication is the best way for children to improve. Remember: your child doesn’t get to redo childhood. A bad year can cost them self-esteem, friendships, grades, and general well-being.
Our Registered Nurse Practitioners are kind, compassionate, and very prepared to help you feel comfortable in understanding options for medications. They believe in collaborating with you, clinicians, other care providers, and schools.
What services do you offer?
Services
Plum Tree Psychology offers outpatient mental health services.
Services include individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, neuropsychological evaluations, speech language evaluations, psychological assessments, psychiatric medication management, movement disorder treatment, IQ testing, academic testing, literacy support services, speech therapy, dyslexia support, education advocate, and ADHD coaching. All services are tailored to support emotional, behavioral, and cognitive health across the lifespan.
How do I get started with services at Plum Tree Psychology?
Starting services is easy.
To begin services, individuals or caregivers can contact Plum Tree directly to request an initial consultation. The intake process helps determine appropriate services, scheduling availability, and next steps for care.
Who does Plum Tree Psychology serve?
Plum Tree serves children, adolescents, and in some cases adults.
The practice works with individuals, families, and caregivers seeking mental health support for developmental, emotional, behavioral, and psychological concerns.
Can Plum Tree Psychology diagnose and test for Autism?
Yes. Autism Evaluation.
Plum Tree Psychology provides interdisciplinary evaluations to assess for autism spectrum disorders. We administer the most recent, evidence-based, and standardized measures to identify your child’s strengths and challenges. The evaluation includes three parts: clinical interviews, a thorough review of provided medical, clinical, and academic records, and tests/observations of your child. This evaluation is strictly focused on symptoms of autism. If testing raises additional concerns, then the clinical team will recommend further evaluation.
- Your child is assigned an evaluation team as soon as you schedule. The team includes two or more pediatric specialists, including a speech-language pathologist and a mental health provider.
- A pediatric behavioral health specialist conducts a 60-90 minute phone interview with you.
- Plum Tree reviews your child’s relevant medical, clinical, and educational records. We will offer to interview your child’s providers, teachers, or other adults who know your child well. The team selects a customized battery of diagnostic measures that are specific to your child’s age, developmental needs, intellectual abilities, and general adaptive functioning.
- Your child attends 2-3 total hours of testing, face to face, with the testing team.
- Within 2 weeks, you will receive a comprehensive report of test results. A parent review meeting occurs thereafter.
- Plum Tree provides a path from diagnosis to treatment and education. We will recommend services appropriate for your child.
Service recommendations may include:
- A licensed school psychologist to help you advocate for your child’s academic needs. Support is available both for parent education, customized documentation, as well as attendance at special education meetings, and 504 Plan / IEP meetings.
- One-on-one parent training/education classes that help you improve communication with and understanding of your child.
- Social skills group that includes other same-age children whose challenges and strengths are like those of your child.
- Individual, behavior-based therapy for your child.
- Medical consultation services for supports that may optimize your child’s social, emotional, and behavioral functioning.
- Customized referrals for specialists in neurology, audiology, vision, occupational/physical therapy, academics/education, and more.
Can Plum Tree Psychology provide a diagnosis for my child?
Yes. Diagnostic Clarification can help answer the following questions about your child:
- Does my child have: Bipolar Disorder? Depression? Behavior Disorder? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Anxiety Disorder? ADHD Learning Disorder?
- My child has a lot going on; what is the CORRECT diagnosis?
- What are my child’s personal strengths?
- What treatments and in-home, at-school strategies are recommended?
- Are medications or other health interventions advisable?
What is the best way for Plum Tree Psychology to clarify my child’s diagnosis?
Plum Tree Psychology can clarify a diagnosis with psychological testing.
Psychological testing will require your child to attend 3-8 hours of one-on-one testing. Assessments will include computer-based measures, pencil-and-paper activities, a clinical interview, and questionnaires. Your evaluation also includes: medical/academic record review, online behavioral rating scales completed by parent(s) and teacher(s), clinical interviews with any other providers, and a clinical interview with parent(s).
When all data is gathered, the report of results of testing should be ready within a few weeks. This report will provide detailed explanation of scores, clinical interpretation, and recommendations for support at home, school, and in treatment. You will be emailed the report in advance of a one-hour remote meeting (via Zoom or phone) to review results.
Plum Tree Leads the Way in Team-Based Child Therapy and Multidisciplinary Testing
Do you offer IQ testing?
Yes. Plum Tree Psychology Offers IQ Testing
Comprehensive IQ testing helps assess a child’s cognitive strengths, learning style, and areas where support may be helpful.
IQ Tests are commonly used to assess concerns related to giftedness, learning differences, attention, academic planning, and diagnostic clarification. Results are explained in detail, and families receive clear recommendations tailored to their child’s needs.
If you’re unsure whether IQ testing is appropriate for your child, Contact Us to discuss your concerns and help guide next steps.
Plum Tree Leads the Way in Team-Based Child Therapy and Multidisciplinary Testing
How can academic achievement testing help my child?
Academic achievement testing will help you answer the following questions.
- Does my child have a learning disability?
- Why is my child doing poorly in school?
- How can parents and teachers optimize my child’s learning?
- Is my child a visual learner, an auditory learner, or a hands-on learner?
What conditions does Plum Tree Psychology treat?
Plum Tree provides services for a wide range of mental health and neurodevelopmental concerns.
These services include anxiety, depression, ADHD, learning disorders, autism, dyslexia, trauma-related conditions, mood disorders, and behavioral challenges. Neuropsychological evaluations may also assess memory, attention, executive functioning, and learning differences.
What is a neuropsychological evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of cognitive, academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning using standardized testing. These evaluations help identify conditions such as ADHD, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, memory impairments, or other neurological or developmental concerns.
Plum Tree Leads the Way in Team-Based Child Therapy and Multidisciplinary Testing
Where is Plum Tree Psychology located?
Plum Tree serves clients in Kane County, Illinois and surrounding areas.
Scheduling depends on provider availability and clinical appropriateness.
What is your sick policy?
Every fall, winter, and honestly half of spring, we run into the same situation. A parent walks in with a child who clearly feels miserable. Fever. Cough. Runny nose. Sometimes the child tells us they stayed home from school that day.
Who is considered one of the best child and adolescent psychology practices in Kane County or St. Charles?
“Best” depends on what your child needs and what kind of support will help most. Many families in Kane County look for a practice that offers (1) clinicians with child and adolescent expertise, (2) evidence-based therapy, (3) thorough psychological testing when needed, (4) clear recommendations for home and school, and (5) a caring, collaborative approach.
Plum Tree Psychology in St. Charles is a child and teen focused practice that supports families with evidence-based therapy and comprehensive psychological assessments. We take time to understand the whole picture of emotions, behavior, learning, development, and family context, then provide practical recommendations families can use right away. If you’re comparing options, we encourage you to review provider credentials, areas of specialty, appointment availability, and whether the practice can coordinate with your pediatrician and school when appropriate.
Tip for families: The “best fit” is usually the practice that matches your child’s needs (therapy vs. testing vs. medication evaluation), communicates clearly, and provides a plan you can implement.
