MATCH Counseling Program

MATCH is designed and tested for kids ages 6-17
with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, or behavioral problems. MATCH is designed to be individualized and tailored to support kids and families who are experiencing one or more of these challenges. Unlike most evidence-based manuals that focus on a single problem area (e.g., anxiety only), MATCH can be applied to multiple areas by developing a treatment plan that fits each individual’s needs and strengths.

All kids experience ups and downs, and all parents and caregivers worry about their children and their behavior sometimes. It can be difficult to know when to look for additional support. When the behaviors you are worried about are getting in the way of your child’s ability to be successful at school, with peers, or at home, it is important to know that there are mental health resources that can help.

MATCH is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. CBT is one of the best-studied and supported interventions for helping with a wide variety of behavioral and emotional problems. Like other CBT interventions, MATCH focuses on helping kids and families build a toolkit of strategies to help manage challenges that come up at home, at school, or with friends. What is unique about MATCH is that it is designed to help counselors customize these strategies to your family, and address more than one type of problem that might come up. For example, some kids might be struggling with a lot of fear and anxiety about social interactions, and also have symptoms of depression like feeling down or losing interest in activities. Other families might be struggling with a child that acts out in problematic ways, like having big tantrums or frequently arguing with adults, and also has symptoms of depression or anxiety. Or, a child might have been struggling with their behavior, and then have experienced a traumatic event that is causing them to have nightmares and feel very upset.

MATCH can help counselors and families work together as a team to create a tailored treatment plan that addresses multiple problem areas.

MATCH is not designed to address all primary mental and behavioral health concerns. For example, MATCH is not designed to address eating disorders, schizophrenia, or psychotic disorders. Outpatient therapy with MATCH may also not be a good fit if a child often engages in unsafe behavior (e.g., runs away from home, harms other, or harms themselves). In this case, a higher level of care may be needed to keep the child and family safe.

MATCH uses cognitive and behavioral strategies that have been tested and found to be effective for a wide range of problems. In trials that compared MATCH to other therapy approaches, MATCH was found to help kids and families reach their treatment goals faster and with fewer additional services needed. If your counselor is using an evidence-based practice, it means they are using all the information we have about what strategies have worked for other kids and families with similar challenges.

An important part of MATCH is identifying you and your child’s goals for treatment, and checking in regularly about progress on these goals. Every week, you and your child will fill out a short survey about your child’s feelings and behaviors over the week. This survey only takes a few minutes and can be completed online, by phone, or in session with your counselor. Your counselor will use this information to help discuss progress with you and make decisions about what next skills to focus on next, to make sure that treatment is tailored to your family.

MATCH will involve regular meetings between you, your child, and your counselor. At our clinic, sessions are typically 45-55 minutes long and are conducted weekly. Caregivers are the most important people in a child’s life, so MATCH involves participation from the caregivers to support children in learning skills and strategies. In between sessions, your counselor will ask you and your child to practice the skills and strategies you are learning.

Caregivers are the most important people in a child’s life, so MATCH involves participation from the caregivers to support children in learning skills and strategies. Some sessions might include just your child, while other sessions might include just caregivers, or everyone meeting all together. If your primary concern is your child’s behavior, MATCH will involve meeting primarily with you and any other caregivers.

In between sessions, your counselor will ask you and your child to practice the skills and strategies you are learning. Your counselor will work with you and your child to make sure that practices are useful and achievable.

The MATCH program is designed to be complete when you and your child have achieved your treatment goals, rather than sticking to a specific length of time. Average duration varies, but is typically around 20-30 weeks for many families.