Who Dr. Rydz is
Dr. Thalia Rydz is the owner and clinician of Rydz Behavioral Health. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She holds a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy. She practices in Broward County, Florida, and she speaks both English and Spanish.
When a family first reads about a practice, it is natural to look for reassurance. Dr. Rydz believes reassurance should come from how someone listens and explains, not from a long list of titles. That is why the practice invites you to ask questions at the start and to expect clear, honest answers.
Those few facts are the foundation of everything else on this page. We keep them plain on purpose. Families and schools deserve to know who is behind a practice, and they deserve to hear it without inflated claims, borrowed titles or numbers that cannot be checked.
The rest of this page is about something more useful than a list of credentials: how that training shapes the way Dr. Rydz listens, how she explains her thinking, and what working together tends to feel like for a parent, a teacher or a fellow professional.
Why the practice exists
Behavior is one of the most common reasons families reach out for help, and it is also one of the most misunderstood. A child who refuses to put on shoes, a girl who melts down after school, a boy who hits when a game ends, a student who leaves the classroom: each of these is a moment when an adult has to decide what to do next, often with little time and a lot of feeling.
Rydz Behavioral Health was created to make those moments easier to understand and easier to respond to. The practice offers five connected services: assessment and care planning, parent and caregiver training, school and educator consultation, professional consultation and supervision, and child and family behavior support.
The idea behind all of them is simple. Behavior is communication and learning happening in a context. When we understand the context, the communication and the learning, the next step usually becomes clearer, and the people involved feel less alone with it.
Clinical social work: seeing the whole person in their world
Clinical social work begins with a particular way of looking. A social worker does not only ask what a person is doing. She asks what is going on around that person: the home, the school, the extended family, the neighborhood, the languages spoken, the pressures on the adults, the strengths already in place.
This is sometimes called a person-in-environment view. It matters for behavior support because the same behavior can mean very different things in different settings. A child who is quiet at school and loud at home is not confusing. That child is telling you something about what each place asks of them.
Dr. Rydz brings this wider lens to every conversation. Before talking about strategies, she wants to understand who lives in the home, who helps with mornings, what the school day looks like, and what the family already does well.
Strengths come first
Families often arrive worried that they have done something wrong. A strengths-based view starts from the opposite assumption: that caregivers know their child in ways no outsider can, and that most of what they are doing already makes sense. The work then builds on that foundation instead of replacing it.
Respect for the decisions that belong to families
Clinical social work has a long tradition of respecting a person's right to make decisions about their own life. In practice, that means options are explained, questions are welcome, and no family is pushed toward a plan they do not understand or do not want.
Family systems training: why relationships matter so much
Dr. Rydz's doctoral training is in Marriage and Family Therapy. The central idea in that field is that a family works like a system. What happens to one member affects the others, and patterns repeat because everyone has learned a part in them.
Consider a general example. A girl has trouble leaving the house in the morning, and the adults take turns hurrying her, bargaining with her and finally raising their voices. A systems view asks what each adult is trying to protect, perhaps an on-time arrival, a calm start or a fair share of the work, and how those goals collide. Often a single shared routine eases the pressure for everyone.
Seen this way, a child's behavior is rarely a problem that lives inside the child alone. It sits inside a web of routines, expectations and reactions. A parent's tired voice at six in the morning, a sibling who always gets there first, a grandparent who handles things differently: these all shape what happens next.
This is not about blame. A systems view is almost the opposite of blame. It says that everyone in the picture is doing what they reasonably can with what they know, and that small changes in one part of the system can ease pressure in another.
- Patterns are looked at, not people blamed
- Every caregiver's perspective is welcome, including those who disagree with each other
- Siblings are part of the picture, not an afterthought
- Extended family, such as grandparents, can be included when the family wishes
- Changes are small, practical and chosen together
How these two fields fit with behavior support
The practice offers behavior support, and it helps to be clear about how Dr. Rydz approaches that work. The central questions are the ones many readers will recognize from the study of behavior: what happens just before, what does the behavior accomplish for the child, and what happens just after. These questions help adults see why a behavior keeps showing up and what skill might do the same job more comfortably.
Dr. Rydz pairs those questions with the family-centered training described above. The result is support that is concrete without being cold. A plan has to work on an ordinary Tuesday with a tired parent, a sibling in the next room and a school bag that is somehow missing. If it cannot, it needs to change.
You can read more about this way of thinking on the approach page and in the guide to understanding behavior analysis.
Speaking English and Spanish
Dr. Rydz speaks English and Spanish. In Broward County, where many households use more than one language, that matters more than it might seem. Language is not only vocabulary. It carries tone, humor, family sayings, and the way a parent naturally gives an instruction or offers comfort.
When a parent can explain a worry in the language they think in, they usually explain it more accurately. When a plan is described in the language used at home, it is more likely to be used at home. Families can talk in English, in Spanish, or in a mix of both, and the conversation can move between them as needed.
Some families have one language at home and another at school. Others have grandparents who speak one language and children who answer in another. These situations are common, and they are treated as an ordinary part of family life, not as a complication.
Words that carry feeling
A phrase like "portate bien" and its English cousin "be good" do not feel identical, and neither tells a child what to actually do. Part of bilingual work is helping families choose clear, kind, specific words in whichever language they prefer, so a child hears the same message from every adult.
Culture and values
Families come from many backgrounds, and they hold different ideas about respect, independence, mealtimes, bedtimes and how adults and children should speak to each other. Dr. Rydz asks about these values openly and builds plans that honor them instead of quietly working against them.
What it is like to talk with her
Parents often tell professionals that they feel judged before they have finished their first sentence. The first conversation here is designed to feel different. It starts with listening. Dr. Rydz asks what a typical day looks like, what the family is hoping for, and what has already been tried.
She explains technical words when she uses them, and she is comfortable being asked to explain them again. If a suggestion does not fit your home, you are encouraged to say so. A good plan is one you can actually carry out.
As a general example, a mother might describe her son as stubborn when he will not stop a video game. Dr. Rydz might respond by asking what the end of the game feels like to him, what usually happens next in the evening, and what the family would like the transition to look like. The word stubborn gives way to a more useful picture, and a plan can grow from it.
Conversations stay focused on the child and the family. Questions are met with plain answers, and when something is not known yet, that is said directly. You will not be hurried toward a decision, and you will not be asked to accept anything you have not understood.
- You are heard before anything is recommended
- Technical words are explained in everyday language
- You can ask the same question twice
- Your family's routines, values and language are treated as important information
- Decisions are yours to make
Working with children and teens
Children are not small adults, and they are not the problem to be solved. They are people learning how to get their needs met, manage big feelings and make sense of what is expected of them. Dr. Rydz keeps this in mind when children are part of a session.
Examples used on this website alternate between boys and girls on purpose. Both are equally part of the work, and both deserve to be seen as individuals instead of through a stereotype. A boy who cries is not told to toughen up. A girl who is loud is not told to be quieter without anyone asking what she needs.
With older children and teens, collaboration becomes even more important. Teens are more likely to take part in a plan they helped shape, so their voice is invited into the conversation. You can learn more on the child and family behavior support page.
Younger children
Young children learn through play, routine and repetition. Support for them often looks like adjusting the day so that expected behavior is easy and practicing new skills in short, friendly moments, with adults who are calm and consistent.
Older children and adolescents
Older children want to be treated with respect and given real choices. Support for them often involves negotiating expectations, naming the reasons behind them, and agreeing on what a good plan would look like from their point of view as well as the adults'.
Working with parents and caregivers
Parents and caregivers are the people who will carry a plan into everyday life, which makes them the most important members of the team. Dr. Rydz treats caregiver training as coaching, not as correction. She offers ideas, demonstrates when helpful, and then asks how it went.
Caregivers also carry their own stress. A parent who has been awake since dawn, who is worried about work and who is trying to be patient is working under real strain. Dr. Rydz acknowledges that strain openly, because plans that ignore the adult's limits rarely last. Sometimes the most helpful change is the smallest one.
Not every household has two parents. Many children are raised by a single parent, a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, a foster family, or a combination of adults sharing the work. All of these caregivers are welcome, and consistency between them is often one of the first topics, because children tend to thrive when the adults around them respond in similar ways.
A practical conversation about parent and caregiver training covers routines, how to give instructions, how to respond in difficult moments and how to look after yourself while doing it.
- Coaching that fits your schedule and your household
- Practice between meetings in small, manageable steps
- Attention to what each caregiver is comfortable doing
- Honest conversation about what is going well and what is still hard
Working with schools and educators
A child's day is split between home and school, and the adults in each place often have only half the picture. Dr. Rydz values the chance to talk with teachers, counselors and school teams, with the family's knowledge and permission, so that everyone is working toward the same thing.
Consider a general example in which a boy does well in the morning at school but struggles after lunch. A teacher notices it, a parent notices a different pattern at home, and neither knows what the other sees. A conversation, held with the family's agreement, can connect these observations and suggest changes that make the afternoon feel more predictable.
Teachers carry a great deal. They manage many children at once, follow school policies and respond to needs that change by the hour. Consultation is offered with respect for that reality. The goal is to help a school team understand a child's behavior and find supports that fit the classroom, not to tell educators how to do their jobs.
The practice does not replace a school's own evaluations and does not provide legal advocacy. What it can offer is a shared way of describing behavior and a thoughtful second perspective. Read more on the school and educator consultation page, or in the guide to working with your child's school.
Working with other professionals
Some professionals want a thoughtful colleague to think with. They may be supporting a child, a family or a classroom and want a second perspective on a behavior support plan, a case that feels stuck, or the way they are approaching a difficult conversation.
Dr. Rydz offers consultation and reflective discussion for professionals and teams. As a clinical social worker with family systems training, she is interested in how the helping system around a child is working together, not only in the child's behavior.
Professionals are sometimes reluctant to ask for a second opinion, as though it signals a weakness. Reflective practice says the opposite. Thoughtful people in helping roles tend to look at their own work regularly, and a safe, respectful space for that looking is a sign of care for the families they serve.
Eligibility and any supervision arrangements are confirmed with the practice directly, and they depend on the particular professional and situation. See the professional consultation and supervision page for how to begin that conversation.
Principles that guide the work
Every practice has values, whether or not it writes them down. These are the ones that guide Rydz Behavioral Health, and you can expect to see them in how conversations are run and how plans are written.
Dignity
Every child and every caregiver is treated with respect. Plans avoid shame, embarrassment and comparison, and they aim to help a child feel capable.
Clarity
Recommendations are explained in plain language, with the reasons given. If a plan cannot be explained simply, it is not yet ready to be shared.
Collaboration
The family, the school and the professional team each know something the others do not. Good plans bring that knowledge together.
Honesty
Behavior change takes time, and no one can promise a particular result. Progress is discussed truthfully, including the parts that are slow or uneven.
Privacy
Information about children and families is handled with care. Sharing with schools or other professionals happens only with the family's knowledge and agreement.
What the practice does not do
Being clear about limits is part of being trustworthy. Rydz Behavioral Health is not a government agency or a government program. It is a private practice. It is not an emergency service. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
This website is educational. The pages, guides and examples are general, and any example that mentions a boy, a girl or a family is a general illustration and not a real client. Nothing here is individual medical, clinical or legal advice, and reading it does not create a professional relationship.
The practice also does not make promises about how a child will respond, does not state what a particular plan will cover, and does not take sides between a family and a school. What it does is listen, explain and help people plan their next step.
- No promises about how quickly behavior will change
- No promises about coverage or approval from any plan
- No judgment about how a family is organized
- No pressure to share more than you are comfortable sharing
How payment and settings work in general
Families often wonder, before anything else, whether the practice is a realistic fit for their life. Two practical questions come up again and again: where will support happen, and how will it be paid for.
Support can take place in the home, at school, by phone or video, or at the office. Many families combine settings, for example a video call to plan and a home visit to practice. There is a full explanation on the page about home, school, telehealth and office visits.
Payment routes include insurance, Medicaid or private pay. Eligibility and coverage are checked before services begin, and the practice does not promise that any plan will cover a service. The page on paying for services explains in general terms what to ask your plan.
Serving Broward County
Broward County is home to families from many places, school communities of many sizes and households that speak many languages. Dr. Rydz practices here, and the practice is shaped by the families who live here.
Families in a large county sometimes worry that they live too far from anyone who can help, or that their school district is too complicated to explain. These worries are common, and a first conversation is the right time to raise them so that practical options can be considered together.
Locations for in-person visits are confirmed during the first conversation, and telehealth offers another way to connect when travel is difficult. For a general picture of how this works, see the page on areas served.
If you are unsure whether the practice is a good fit, a first conversation is a low-pressure way to find out. You can ask your questions, hear how support would work and decide for yourself.
How to take the next step
If you are a parent, you might begin by writing down what you are noticing and what you hope would be different. You do not need a perfect description. A few honest sentences are enough. The guide to preparing for a first visit offers a simple way to organize your thoughts.
If you are an educator or another professional, you might begin with a short description of the situation you would like to talk through, without sharing identifying details in a first message.
When you are ready, the contact and intake page explains how to reach the practice and what happens afterward. Phone and email details appear on that page. There is no obligation to continue after a first conversation.
Common questions
What is Dr. Rydz's professional background?
Dr. Thalia Rydz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy. She practices in Broward County, Florida, and she speaks English and Spanish. Those are the credentials this website states, and anything beyond them is better discussed with her directly during a first conversation, where you can ask whatever matters to you.
Can we speak Spanish during sessions?
Yes. Dr. Rydz speaks both English and Spanish, and families may use whichever language they are most comfortable in, or a mix of the two. Many households in Broward County use more than one language, so switching back and forth is welcome. If a plan is easier to follow in one language at home, it can be explained that way, and written notes can follow the family's preference where possible.
Why does family systems training matter for behavior support?
Because behavior almost always happens inside relationships and routines. Family systems training teaches a practitioner to look at patterns between people, such as how adults respond, how siblings interact and how a day is organized, instead of looking only at the child. This tends to make plans more realistic, less blaming and easier for the whole household to carry out together.
Does the practice work with both boys and girls?
Yes, equally. Children of every gender are welcome, and the examples used on this website alternate between boys and girls on purpose. Support is built around the individual child, their strengths, their interests and their family, not around assumptions about how a boy or a girl is supposed to behave. The same respect and the same careful listening apply to every child.
Will you work with my child's school?
Often, yes, when the family wishes. School and educator consultation is one of the practice's services, and it can include conversations with teachers and school teams so that home and school use similar language and routines. Sharing information with a school happens only with your knowledge and agreement. The practice does not replace school evaluations and does not provide legal advocacy.
Is Rydz Behavioral Health a government agency?
No. Rydz Behavioral Health is a private practice led by Dr. Thalia Rydz. It is not a government agency or a government program. Families may pay through insurance, Medicaid or private pay, and eligibility is confirmed with the practice before services begin. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911, and for a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
Is the information on this website individual advice?
No. The website is educational and general. Examples describe typical situations and are not real clients or promised results. Reading the site, or sending a general message, does not create a professional relationship. Individual recommendations come only after a conversation in which the practice can learn about your particular child, your family and your circumstances, and explain what it can and cannot offer.