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Home / Writers / Dr. Meena Dugatkin, Psy. D
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Dr. Meena Dugatkin, Psy. D

Dr. Meena Dugatkin, Psy. D
Clinical Team Lead
Lakeview, Wilmette, Virtual
(312) 508-3645 Ext. 50
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Dr. Meena Dugatkin received her Master’s of Clinical Psychology at Murray State University and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Child, Adolescent, and Families track) from Spalding University. Before joining Light on Anxiety, Dr. Dugatkin completed her internship and post-doctoral training working with children, adolescents, and families in the community, including home and school-based settings.

Dr. Dugatkin has expertise in and a passion for working with the following age groups: Infants and Toddlers (0-3), Preschool (3-5), Middle Childhood (6-8), Preteens (9-12), and Young Teens (12-14). She uses evidence-based treatment of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to treat children struggling with anxiety disorders (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Selective Mutism, Specific Phobia, Panic Disorder) and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Trichotillomina/Excoriation Disorders).

She also treats children with anxiety who present with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Adjustment Disorder, PTSD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Communication Disorders, Major Depressive Disorder, and Persistent Depressive Disorder. She supports children recovering from grief, divorce, bullying or social exclusion, and racial discrimination/microaggressions.

Dr. Dugatkin provides parent coaching and parent-child dyadic therapy to facilitate management of anxiety and comorbid disorders. She integrates Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), and Barkeley’s “Defiant Child” program within treatment. She frequently works with parents to increase understanding of their children’s symptoms, manage behavioral problems in the home, respond rather than react, and increase parenting confidence, all with compassion for the struggles parents experience. During parent-child dyadic therapy, Dr. Dugatkin facilitates emotional communication and identifies solutions to conflict to strengthen parent-child attachment and provide both parties with skills to handle stressors.

Within CBT/ERP treatment, Dr. Dugatkin seeks to build a positive bond with children and enhance their motivation in treatment by incorporating play, positive reinforcement, and motivational interviewing techniques. She uses a non-judgmental, validating, and collaborative approach to treat anxiety and related disorders with particular attention to the child’s needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. She seeks to empathically challenge the children she works with to face their fears and engage fully in their lives. She believes all children possess the courage to reach their goals and is excited and honored to take on the journey towards overcoming anxiety together.

 

 

 


Recent Posts
Dr. Meena Dugatkin, Psy. D
Jan 31
  • Child & Adolescent Anxiety

4 Questions to Identify Perfectionism in Your Child

When we think of childhood, we often imagine the wonderful excitement of eating ice-cream on a warm...

Read More...
Dr. Meena Dugatkin, Psy. D
Oct 15
  • Child & Adolescent Anxiety
  • Rewire Your Parent Brain

For Kids With Anxiety, Parents Learn To Let Them Face Their Fears

This NPR article discusses the importance of parent involvement and training in treatment of...

For Kids With Anxiety, Parents Learn To Let Them Face Their Fears

For some kids with anxiety disorders, a new study suggests the best treatment might be teaching their parents new parenting skills.
Read More...
Dr. Meena Dugatkin, Psy. D
Sep 24
  • Coronavirus Anxiety
  • Social Anxiety Disorder / Social Phobia
  • Rewire Your Parent Brain

Tips to Help Your Socially Anxious Child Stay Engaged Amid COVID-19

This article by Julia Martin Burch, Ph.D....

Tips to Help Your Socially Anxious Child Stay Engaged Amid COVID-19 | Magination Press Family

Read More...

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Light On Anxiety Treatment Centers

Lakeview
(312) 508-3645
1438 West Belmont Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657

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(312) 584-2144
311 W Superior St., Suite 402
Chicago, IL 60654

Highland Park
(847) 241-1195
1160 Park Avenue W., Suite 6E
Highland Park, IL 60035

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(847) 610-6763
3330 Old Glenview Rd., Suite 14
Wilmette, IL 60091

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