Child Behavior Management Pittsburgh

04/22/2026

🚩 Red flags 🚩 to watch out for on social media parenting accounts:

1. No credentials listed. It should be extremely clear what the credentials and training of a professional are if they are providing advice. Examples of key words that inspire confidence for me: licensed psychologist, board certified pediatrician, licensed social worker, BCBA, speech pathologist. Experts are usually open and honest about their education and training!
2. They give “trendy” suggestions that aren’t rooted in research (have we seen the video of people suggesting that you yell “Jessica” during a child’s tantrum? Yikes!)
3. They base suggestions solely on their experience of parenting. Don’t get me wrong, having lived experience parenting definitely provides a unique and important perspective, but it also means they may not have experience with children who are different from their own.
4. They over sell, or offer simplified solutions intended to work right now (“stop your child’s tantrum with one simple sentence!”). Unfortunately that is just not how behavior works—more often than not, behavior gets worse before it gets better.
5. Use fear-based tactics. If they warn you that certain statements or actions that are within the normal range of human functioning will traumatize your child, that’s a huge red flag! (Lots of fear mongering about time out right now!)
6. They don’t mention neurodiversity or how it might impact the strategies they recommend. For example, parents of children with ADHD may not be as successful with certain strategies that are recommended by “influencers” because of how ADHD impacts learning.

These 6 questions are meant as a starting point, not the definitive answer or the whole story, but hopefully worth reflecting on as you scroll. 📱 Save this for the next time you go down the rabbit hole of internet parenting advice! ❤️

And remember—when in doubt, log off and talk to a real human being with actual training and credentials! We are here to support you and provide the nuance that your child needs: no gimmicks, no flashy sales pitch, no trendy language.

04/14/2026

Pittsburgh families: Consider this your gentle and supportive nudge if you have been thinking about getting on a PCIT waitlist but haven’t taken the leap yet 🖤 💛

Many providers have increased availability over the summers, so RIGHT NOW can be a great time to reach out to account for time spent finding a good fit, paperwork, and scheduling an intake.

Always talk to your child’s pediatrician or a licensed provider if you have questions about appropriate services for your child!

I have immediate openings for PCIT and PCIT for Selective Mutism, reach out today! (Link in bio)

04/10/2026

A friendly reminder that parenting a child with anxiety is genuinely hard, and much of the advice given by “influencers” on Instagram is over-simplified—I’ve even seen so-called parenting experts give advice that can worsen anxiety!

Bottom line: if your child is struggling, consider this your permission to scroll past advice and seek out support from an expert!

I’m running a really awesome (research-backed) parenting group called “Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions” starting next Wednesday. Reach out if interested (link in bio), there are only 2 spots left!

04/08/2026

Check out this month's blog post, all about challenging unhelpful thoughts for parents!

Parenting is not just about managing behavior: it’s also about managing the thoughts that run through our own minds all day long. Many parents come to therapy convinced they are “failing,” “too soft,” or “doing it wrong.” These thoughts don’t come from nowhere. They are shaped by exh...

04/06/2026

April marks one year that Child Behavior Management Pittsburgh has been open! 🎊

I am so honored thinking about all of the families who have entrusted CBMP to provide evidence-based services to families in the Pittsburgh area! Thank you for letting me come along on your parenting journey!

If you want to support the work we do for young children and their families, share this post or share our website, it helps families in need find us!

03/23/2026

Did you know that many parents spend months and even years advocating for their child with Selective Mutism before they find help and appropriate treatment?

It is a joy and privilege to work with these fierce and determined parents ❤️ thank you for letting me join you on your Selective Mutism journeys!

Did you know Dr Vaughan is working with Echo Counseling Services to offer the first ever SM camp in Pittsburgh this June? Make sure you are signed up for our newsletter to get the latest! Link in bio

03/05/2026

New resource alert🚨

This 30 minute webinar contains practical and concrete strategies for parents trying to improve their reactions during tough parenting moments.

In this webinar you will learn:
✨how to determine the “why” behind dysregulated parent behavior
✨prevention strategies
✨new skills and new responses for tough moments

To access, click here: https://behaviorlearningpittsburgh.podia.com/emotion-regulation-for-parents 💛

This is an educational resource and is not the same as therapy. Always consult with a licensed provider if you have questions about your child!

02/23/2026

If you've ever asked yourself any of these questions:

"What am I supposed to say when my anxious child is spiraling?"
"If I push, will it make the anxiety worse?"
“We rearrange our whole day around their anxiety — is that okay?”
"Did I cause this?"
"Will my child grow out of this anxiety?"
..then this parent/caregiver only group may be a good fit for you!

Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) is an evidence-based group developed by Dr. Eli Liebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center for parents of children with an anxiety disorder (e.g. generalized anxiety, social anxiety, selective mutism). SPACE provides education about child anxiety, scripts of what to say when your child is having a tough moment, and support to make plans for decreasing parent accommodating of anxious behaviors in a manageable way.

Want to learn more? Click the link in bio to visit our website!



Note--this group may not be appropriate for every family's situation. Please reach out if you have questions about the appropriateness of this group for your child/family!

02/09/2026

https://www.behaviormanagementpittsburgh.org/blog/helping-kids-with-picky-eating-a-low-pressure-approach

Check out this month's blog post!

Picky eating is one of the most common (and stressful) concerns parents bring up in therapy. Mealtimes that were supposed to be about connection can quickly turn into power struggles, negotiations, or worry about whether your child is getting “enough.” The good news is that picky eating is very ...