FAQs

What should I expect during a session?

Sessions are 45 minutes long. During the session, we’ll work to explore what negative cognitions have become tangled up for you, and begin doing the work to challenge and dissolve them. This is largely done through utilizing the safe space of the therapy room to begin to unpack the upsetting events, dynamics, or anxiety-inducing experiences that you’ve endured. I typically provide a direct approach, providing prompts or questions that help you to make connections. 

I love working with children! I work with children as young as 3 years old. When working with children in therapy, there’s typically a longer rapport building stage. Since children aren’t often voluntarily choosing therapy, rapport building a large part of buy-in. I practice CBT, TFCBT, and EMDR with children, while incorporating aspects of Play Therapy, Bibliotherapy, and Psychoeducation. 
 
My speciality is supporting children in processing through a traumatic event. This could be sexual abuse, a car accident, entering the foster care system, loss of a loved one, or anything that a child has deemed largely upsetting.
My background is working with children ages 3-18 to process trauma. Through my work at the Children Crisis Treatment Center, I supported at-risk children and their families in the foster care system, working through traumatic experiences. This was done through outpatient therapy and work in the court system, providing testimony on behalf of my clients and their needs.
 
I began Resilient Mind Therapy LLC in 2018, seeing both children and adults as clients. I now utilize TF-CBT and EMDR in my therapy approach. In addition to trauma, I specialize in self-esteem, anger management, parenting, and adoption. 
 
I began doing psychological evaluations in 2023, and work with many local attorneys to provide services to their clients. I later began working at CCES in Bucks county, where I supported families by providing Child Custody Evaluations.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an approach used to connect our thoughts to our feelings and our feelings to our behaviors. It focuses on the dissolving of negative cognitions in order to find healing, and advocates the belief that naming things can make them lose power. The more than we connect, the more we understand, and the more we can break cycles.
 
I’m also certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) which adds an additional trauma lens to our untangling. This is especially helpful in identifying trauma narratives and working to pinpoint the role of upsetting experiences in our cognitive distortions.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized therapy that works to take power out of traumatic memories. Similar to the way our brains process unconsciously during REM sleep, when our eyes move back and forth, EMDR imitates this bilateral stimulation, allowing our brain to process traumatic memories and anxiety distortions at a deeper level. Holding gentle buzzers in your hand as they buzz back and forth will light up your brain in a way that allows for it to process the core fears and stressful experiences, and regain a sense of control and safety. 
 
If you feel like you’ve done a lot of work to process your symptoms verbally and logically, and are still feeling stuck, EMDR is an excellent modality to try.

Though I previously have accepted insurance, I am not accepting any insurance clients. My private pay rate is $150 per session. I do offer Out of Network reimbursement documentation which clients can provide to their insurance company (usually submitted through their claims portal) after payment. Some clients receive back 80% of the paid bill, and others receive none- it depends on your OON benefits.

Current slots are available Monday-Thursday. After your free consultation call, you’ll be given access to the online portal (Sessions Health), where you can sign intake paperwork and then have access to the full calendar. You can then schedule at your convenience. No set schedule is required for sessions, you’re welcome to schedule whenever works for you. If you’d like a certain slot reserved on a regular cadence, simply reach out and it can be blocked off.

Therapy appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice are subject to a full session fee of $150, regardless of sliding scale or insurance payment arrangements. Evaluation cancellation fees are subject to a higher charge, which can be found in the evaluation consent form.

Resilient Mind Therapy LLC is licensed in PA, NJ, and FL, which means that Jodie Carvalho, LCSW can work with clients who are residing in those states at the time of their session.

What is a custody evaluation?
The evaluation will produce a clinical assessment leading to recommendations for resolving the custody dispute or to an agreed-upon parenting plan. By gaining an understanding of co-parenting principles, existing tensions between the parents/guardians may be reduced. This “conciliation” effort is part of the evaluation process.
 
Custody evaluations require careful attention to detail, during a stressful time. My goal is to create balanced assessments that prioritize the best interests of your child(ren).

Child Custody Evaluations for cases in Montgomery and Bucks county start at $7000 ($3500 per party).  Other counties are subject to additional fees. This includes 6 evaluative sessions (as noted below), and the completion of a full and comprehensive evaluation report.

A Child Custody Evaluation allows clinical insight to be provided to the courts regarding the child’s needs. This holistic approach is often weighed heavily in the custody planning for cases where parents are on different pages as to what would be in the child’s best interests. 

Both parties are required to pay for half of the custody evaluation, but one party often does not like the recommendations of the evaluation. In fact, given the typical tension in the co-parenting relationship, there’s often some part of the evaluation recommendations that are upsetting to both parties. However, take heart that my goal is to prioritize the best interest of your child, and my recommendations are made after multiple interviews (including interviews with both parents, the child(ren), and often other professionals, such as teachers, therapist, doctors, etc.).  

If your evaluation is court-ordered, contact your attorney to obtain a court order that appoints me as the evaluator. We can then begin the consent form process.

What is a Psychological Evaluation for Immigration-Related Cases?What is a Psychological Evaluation for Immigration-Related Cases?

Psychological Evaluations for Immigration-Related cases are typically sought out by attorneys looking to strengthen their client’s court case. I’m trained to address cases involving T-VISAS, VAWA, Asylum, U-VISA, and Hardship.

A psychological evaluation is used in court-related cases to identify the emotional impact that the court findings may have on a client. In immigration cases, this means identifying the impact of potential deportation or other related outcomes, while considering the client’s circumstances, history of trauma, and emotional and psychological symptoms. This can help the court take a holistic approach and determine a case outcome.

The fee for this evaluation is $1200. Sliding scale available on a case by case basis. This includes 3 hours of face-to-face meetings (either virtual or in-person) between the client and the evaluator, collaboration between the evaluator and attorney, phone calls to other relevant parties, psychological testing, and completion of the evaluation in a timely manner. Court appearances, if required, are subject to additional fees.