Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) Therapy in Alpharetta and Atlanta
At Atlanta Specialized Care, we use Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) Therapy to help clients overcome emotional and behavioral challenges through skill-building and compassionate support. By working together with children, teens, adults, and families, our CPS therapists help reduce conflict, improve emotional regulation, and enhance communication. Moreover, this is done all the while fostering, meaningful, lasting growth.
What Is Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) Therapy?
CPS is a compassionate, skills-focused therapy developed by Dr. Ross Greene. CPS is a research-based approach that sees difficult behaviors as signs of unmet needs or lagging skills, not defiance. Unlike traditional behavior management methods that use rewards or punishments, CPS sees challenging behaviors as signs of lagging cognitive or emotional skills, not intentional defiance.
This approach is never one-size-fits-all. CPS is highly adaptable and personalized to meet each client where they are; empowering both children and adults to improve self-regulation, reduce avoidance, and move beyond unhelpful patterns.
The Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) Process
At its core, the CPS model helps identify a person’s unmet needs and works collaboratively to solve those problems. It’s especially effective with children and adolescents who struggle with flexibility, frustration tolerance, or emotional regulation.
The process includes:
Identifying Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems
This initial step involves using structured tools to pinpoint the specific skills a child or client might be lacking and the ongoing problems that lead to challenging behaviors.
Understanding the Child’s/Client’s Perspective (The Empathy Step)
A crucial part of CPS is collaborating with the child or client to truly understand their point of view, their concerns, and what might be making it hard for them to meet expectations.
Defining the Adult’s Concerns
This involves clearly articulating the problem or concern from the adult’s perspective, ensuring that both viewpoints are on the table for discussion.
Collaboratively Finding Solutions
The core of the process is working together to brainstorm and agree upon realistic, mutually satisfactory solutions that address both the child’s/client’s and the adult’s concerns.
Building Skills and Reducing Conflict
This approach not only helps to significantly reduce meltdowns, conflict, and power struggles but also actively builds essential skills in the child or client, such as problem-solving, empathy, and effective communication.
Is CPS Right for You or Your Child?
If emotional or behavioral challenges are interfering with daily life, school, or relationships, it may be time for a new kind of support. CPS and ERP therapy provide active, skill-building strategies that help clients learn, not just talk.
These approaches are particularly helpful if:
Integrating Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) Therapy in Treatment
When behavioral challenges create tension at home or in school, Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) therapy offers a constructive path forward. This evidence-based approach helps children, teens, and adults build communication, flexibility, and problem-solving skills that strengthen relationships.
Below, you’ll see how Atlanta Specialized Care applies CPS therapy across diverse client needs and goals.
Broad Application Across Client Needs
Collaborative and Proactive Solutions therapy is highly effective for children with frequent emotional outbursts, teens struggling with frustration tolerance, or adults facing behavioral rigidity and conflict at home or school. CPS intervention is also a proven approach for families looking for structured, non-punitive ways to resolve conflict and recurring issues.
Empowering Skill Development
Through CPS therapy, clients learn to develop crucial executive functioning and self-regulation skills. The Collaborative Problem Solving process helps children and adults communicate their needs, manage frustration, build flexibility, and improve social-emotional skills; key elements for lifelong success.
Personalized and Flexible Support
Each Collaborative and Proactive Solutions therapy plan is customized to address your unique concerns and family dynamic. Some individuals benefit from intensive, multi-session support, while others thrive with steady, step-by-step coaching as they work toward specific behavioral and emotional goals.
Collaborative and Holistic Care
Our CPS therapists partner with families, teachers, schools, and other support systems to ensure that Collaborative Problem Solving skills translate into daily routines and real-life situations. This holistic approach ensures that progress is supported at home, in school, and within the broader community.
Diverse Therapeutic Techniques
CPS sessions at Atlanta Specialized Care utilize the CPS model; alongside targeted coaching for emotional regulation and executive functioning. We often combine Collaborative and Proactive Solutions therapy with family therapy or group sessions to maximize positive outcomes for each client.
Start Therapy With a CPS Collaborative Therapy Today
Even when it feels like you’ve exhausted every option, meaningful change is still possible. Many of our clients come to us after years of frustration, wondering if healing is out of reach. With the right combination of insight, strategy, and support, we’ve seen lasting breakthroughs occur where nothing else seemed to work. At Atlanta Specialized Care, we meet you where you are; with curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to finding what actually helps. Whether you’re a parent searching for help with a child’s behavior or an adult struggling with anxiety or avoidance, CPS therapy in Atlanta & Alpharetta can offer clarity, structure, and results.
Take the next step today.
Request an appointment or contact us to learn how our specialists can help.
FAQ About CPS Therapy
What’s the difference between CPS and traditional behavior therapy?
CPS focuses on solving problems collaboratively, rather than managing behavior through consequences. It helps develop skills like flexibility and emotional regulation.
Do you work with schools or families as part of CPS?
Absolutely. CPS is most effective when used across settings. We collaborate with parents, teachers, and care teams to ensure consistency and growth.
Is this therapy available through telehealth?
Yes. We offer CPS and ERP via secure teletherapy sessions in addition to in-person appointments at our Atlanta office.