Interview Series: Anxiety, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Child Psychological Testing with Dan Weinstein, PsyD

Parents, kids, and teens can all benefit from psychological testing. You might be wondering if your child needs psychological testing. But what does psychological testing mean, and what does it entail?

There are many reasons for getting psychological testing that can range anywhere from attention and behavior problems to depression or anxiety. Evaluating your child can help discover what areas they might need help in. Speaking with a psychologist can promote improvement in many aspects of your child’s life by creating strategies to overcome their obstacles.

Dr. Dan Weinstein, PsyD, helps people find their strength and accept who they are by utilizing CBT and elements of DBT. It’s his dedication to his patients (and his juggling skills!) that makes us so excited to have interviewed him for today’s blog! Please read more about his practice below!

Why did you choose to become a psychologist in St. Louis?

I am from St. Louis and I chose to be a psychologist because of my interest that began at age 9 with a family friend who was working on his Ph.D. in psychology at Wash. U.

What ages do you work with?

For Psychotherapy I work with ages 12 and up (most are high school through age 30 but I have been seeing many more adults in the past several years). For Psychological Testing I work with ages 8 and up.

What can parents expect to leave with after working with you?

This will vary based on the goals that have been set by the parent’s and the students. But they can expect to meet their goals, along with better developed skills in articulating and coping with emotions, and improved communication skills, if that is one of the presenting issues.

How long have you been in St. Louis?

I lived in St. Louis for 18 years, went to college, came home for 3 years, then left for Oregon for graduate school. I have been in private practice in St. Louis for 19 years but did my postdoc at family court here prior.

Do you help diagnose behavioral and mental health concerns, like ADHD or childhood anxiety disorders?

Yes.

Who are your favorite types of patients to work with?

My favorite types of patients to work with are people with anxiety, adjustment difficulties, relationship/communication issues, depression and ADHD.

What happens during a first appointment with you?

This depends on the age. If the person is below age 14 most of the time I meet with their parents first to gather clinical information. If they are 14 or older, I typically bring in their parents with them for the first 5-20 minutes, then I send them out and meet 1:1 with the student.

Could you talk a little about your approach and how it plays into your work with people recovering from anxiety?

My approach is using CBT with elements of DBT, family systems, and humanistic psychology. This assists with coping skills, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and anxiety reduction techniques while learning more about who they are as a person and how to accept their anxiety and use it to propel them forward and not hold them back.

What do you wish people knew about getting treatment for anxiety disorders?

I wish people knew that there is excellent empirical evidence that CBT can be as effective for mild to moderate anxiety as medication. Anxiety is a very, very treatable condition and they are not alone – this is the most common psychiatric condition that people face.

How can people learn more and contact you?

You can visit my website at www.doctordanw.com or email me at dan@doctordanw.com or call 314-721-7201.

Share one fun fact about you that most people don’t know.

I can juggle 3 things and if one of them is an apple I can eat the apple while juggling.

Curious to learn more about anxiety treatment for your child? Wondering if you need to connect with a psychologist for a psychological assessment? Contact Compassionate Counseling St. Louis to set up a free 15-minute phone consult. We’ll talk about what’s going on and best next steps - and if we’re not the right fit, we’ll connect you with other wonderful St. Louis-based resources, like Dan!