ODD often impacts relationships and the way young people present themselves. They might not fully understand how their actions are affecting others, so building up a sense of self-awareness is a core component of our clinical treatment. Working closely with a team of psychotherapists, young people will come to learn more about their condition and triggers, as well as how their behaviour impacts others. They’ll also learn how to develop healthy coping mechanisms in times of stress, ensuring that they don’t give into aggression or violence. 

Some of our clinical treatment options include:

• Family therapy
• One-to-one therapy
• Expressive arts therapy
• Somatic therapy 
• Self-love techniques
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Group therapy
• Parent training
• Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT)

Helping everybody develop a sense of self-awareness, our clinical approach aims to give young people the tools needed to become more empathetic of those around them. Therapeutic care can also help uncover any co-occurring disorders they may be struggling with in parallel to ODD.

Though there’s no set cure for ODD, a personalized treatment plan will be drawn up to help your child better manage symptoms. Most of the time, we don’t prescribe any medication to children unless they’re suffering from a co-occurring disorder like ADHD or depression. In all cases, we’ll always do a thorough medical examination before prescribing anything. Young people and their families are, of course, consulted about any possible medications or changes to treatment plans before they are administered. 

In the majority of cases, treatment for ODD will revolve around therapy, parent training, and a range of clinical and social learning approaches.

Left untreated or unaddressed, ODD can have a big impact on a young person’s education. Their actions might come across as hostile or antisocial, leading to fewer friendships and social exclusion. It can also have an impact on their studies, but it shouldn’t have to. At The Wave, we firmly believe that no young person should be left behind, and that’s why one of our seven elements is education.

Every young person has so much ahead of them, and we’re here to help them see their potential and realise their dreams. Alongside therapy, we provide a range of educational opportunities designed to bolster a young person’s confidence and skills for life outside of our clinic. Whatever their dream is, we’re here to help arm them with the tools needed to achieve it.

Some of the educational pathways we offer include:

• International GAP-year experiences
• Continuation of GCSEs and A-Levels
• Vocational courses (London School of Art, Royal Horticultural Society, Leith’s School of Cookery, and The British Horse Society)

Each young person will have their own personal learning plan (PLP) to help them stick to their goals and set the foundations for a solid future.

Recovery doesn’t happen through therapy and support alone – it also happens through action. At The Wave, living and learning recovery is one of our core approaches to treatment and can help young people put what they’ve learned into action and actively heal while contributing and helping others. This is what our Global Citizenship Programme is all about – making sure everyone gets the chance to give back to the community.

This is especially important for those suffering from ODD, as it will help them develop a sense of empathy for others and see the direct impact that their care and actions are having on those around them. As well as building a sense of self-awareness, our global citizenship programme also helps them to better relate to their peers and become more understanding of how their behaviour (good and bad) affects others.

Volunteering opportunities will also give young people a chance to reconnect with something they care about and help them nurture something meaningful and positive.