Because the path to support for you or your child shouldn't be a solitary one.

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No two people are the same. Educational Insights and Counseling employs a customized approach to therapy. Whether you or your child are navigating anxiety, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorders, interventions are designed to meet the individual needs of each person.

Meet Meredith Alt,
Ed.S., NCSP, LEP #4428 

I am a licensed educational psychologist (LEP) working in Studio City. I have nearly 20 years of experience as a nationally certified school psychologist in California, Florida, and Washington State. I earned my educational specialist degree (Ed.S.) from Seattle University, am certified as a Clinical ADHD professional (ADHD-CCSP), a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCTAP), and an Executive Functioning Coach. In addition, I also have experience providing mental health services to individuals across a wide range of ages and needs. I am proudly a SPACE-trained clinician (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), a parent-based treatment designed to help reduce childhood anxiety and OCD by working directly with caregivers. Learn about SPACE.
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My career has equipped me with a strong background in providing support to children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety. I have deep knowledge of the education system and educational supports, including assessments, IEPs, and 504 plans. I’m passionate about the impact of mental health services and the power of psychoeducation for both students and parents.

I have an 12-year-old son and a 8-year-old daughter, who attend Studio City schools. In my free time, I enjoy physical exercise, cooking, reading, and tending to our family’s two feisty pitbull-terrier mixes.

My Approach to Anxiety

Evidence suggests that avoidance of anxiety-producing or distressing situations actually increases anxiety. I tailor my treatment to each individual's specific type and symptoms of anxiety and its myriad presentations.

Anxiety impacts individuals in different ways

An individual with generalized anxiety disorder tends to worry about a number of situations and has difficulty controlling their anxiety to the point where it interferes with daily activities.
Individuals with separation anxiety disorder experience significant distress when apart from their parents or caregivers, often imagining that something “bad” will happen to you during separation. They may create situations so that they are likely to remain with you.
An individual with social anxiety disorder finds it difficult to talk to or interact with other people in social settings.
I tailor my treatment to each individual's specific type and symptoms of anxiety and its myriad presentations. Evidence suggests that avoidance of anxiety-producing or distressing situations actually increases anxiety in many children, teens, and young adults.
I use a multifaceted approach rooted in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a proven method that recognizes how the cycle of situations, thoughts, and behaviors interact. This therapeutic approach includes psychoeducation, teaching children of all ages about symptoms and how to recognize them. It also uses CBT techniques, such as catastrophizing,
which help individuals learn to cope with anxiety-producing thoughts or perceptions. In addition, it arms individuals with behavioral techniques, such as mindfulness and progressive relaxation, that address the physical symptoms of anxiety, and it can employ graduated exposure therapy, which equips children to navigate otherwise anxiety-producing situations confidently.
An individual with generalized anxiety disorder tends to worry about a number of situations and has difficulty controlling their anxiety to the point where it interferes with daily activities.
Individuals with separation anxiety disorder experience significant distress when apart from their parents or caregivers, often imagining that something “bad” will happen to you during separation. They may create situations so that they are likely to remain with you.
An individual with social anxiety disorder finds it difficult to talk to or interact with other people in social settings.
I use a multifaceted approach rooted in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a proven method that recognizes how the cycle of situations, thoughts, and behaviors interact. This therapeutic approach includes psychoeducation, teaching children of all ages about symptoms and how to recognize them. It also uses CBT techniques, such as catastrophizing,
which help individuals learn to cope with anxiety-producing thoughts or perceptions. In addition, it arms individuals with behavioral techniques, such as mindfulness and progressive relaxation, that address the physical symptoms of anxiety, and it can employ graduated exposure therapy, which equips children to navigate otherwise anxiety-producing situations confidently.

3 Types of ADHD

A brain-based disorder, ADHD is often categorized into three types based on behavioral impacts
Number 1
Inattentive
Number 2
Hyperactive
Number 3
Combined
Children with inattentive ADHD have difficulties completing tasks, remaining focused, and planning and organizing.

Individuals with hyperactive ADHD are excessively restless and often move around a lot, and they have difficulty thinking before acting.

Those with combined ADHD exhibit behaviors associated with both inattention and hyperactivity. ADHD affects children in at least two settings—most commonly school and home—and can also impact them in additional settings (eg. sports or other extracurricular activities).

Children with ADHD have deficits in executive functions, eleven separate skills that help us plan and organize, start and complete tasks, stay focused, and maintain control or flexibility. As a therapist, I use a threefold approach for children with ADHD.
My Approach to ADHD
Education
Understanding how ADHD is impacting you or your child at home and school and providing education about how ADHD and executive functioning deficits affect the brain and performance.
Home/School Communication
Consistent communication between the child’s support network at home and at school often has the biggest impact. We monitor progress and adjust interventions to ensure continued success.
Rewards & Privileges
Specifically designed strategies to effectively motivate and reinforce positive behaviors and achievements with your child, improving focus, task completion, and self-regulation.

My Approach to Autism

Autism is a spectrum of neurological disorders that affect three main areas of functioning
Number 1
Communication
Number 2
Social
skills
Number 3
Repetitive or restrictive patterns of behavior
As a spectrum of disorders, autism affects individuals in different ways. Higher-functioning people with autism (a condition formerly called Asperger’s syndrome) are almost always verbal. Still, they may misunderstand the nuances of language and may interpret some verbal language (such as irony or sarcasm) in a more literal manner.

Many high-functioning individuals with autism desire social relationships and friendships, but they can have problems understanding social cues, initiating and maintaining social interaction, and understanding social “rules” and norms.

Individuals with autism tend to engage in repetitive or restrictive patterns of behavior. They may focus on routines, have very specific interests, and engage in repetitive movements. I enjoy working with these individuals, whose unique characteristics I first experienced as a graduate student working at the University of Washington autism clinic.

As a therapist, I employ various evidence-based treatment practices for individuals with autism. My approach is driven by your goals, along with a focus on supporting individuals at school.
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(213) 566-7961connect@meredithalt.com4370 Tujunga Avenue Ste 110
Studio City, CA 91604
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