Therapy for children and tweens

Photo by IIONA VIRGIN on Unsplash

I help anxious and depressed kids, children who have a hard time concentrating and controlling their emotions, find a way forward in a world where they don’t seem to fit.

 

Your child wants to control her high-powered emotions. She just doesn’t know how.  Sometimes anxiety, depression, or trauma are also working behind the scenes. This means they tend to show themselves through behavioral and emotional difficulties.

 

My tolerance for intensity and the feelings hidden beneath distractability and meltdowns is high. I also work with you as a parent, thinking with you about what will work best for your family.

The process of therapy

Because I see a limited number of child clients, openings are infrequent. If I do have an opening, we will have an initial phone conversation to see if I am a good fit. From there, I send you a intake packet via my client portal and schedule one to two sessions with you to go over your child’s developmental and social history. We may also discuss family dynamics and your childhood experiences, working on the idea that how we were parented generally affects our own parenting and expectations of family life.

 

I use play, art, and movement versus traditional talk therapy techniques when I work with children. Falling back on that old therapy cliché How does that make you feel? just doesn’t cut it for kids—or most adults!

 

It takes about 4-6 meetings for me to assess and gather information to plan my approach to fit your child’s needs and whether my approach is what will work best. Depending on the issues, therapy can take a few months to a year or longer.

The role of parents and caretakers

We are partners working together in support of your child. It is important that we check in regularly. Child therapy is most effective with your involvement. I see your child for just an hour or two each week. You know them best.

 

Whenever possible, I include all parents in the child’s therapy and can work with people in different households. In addition, I always keep the child’s needs in mind while also taking into account different parenting approaches.

 

We generally check in about every 4-6 weeks. I protect your child’s confidentiality throughout, but will keep you informed of larger themes and when I have serious concerns.

Contact me

Interested in learning more or want to schedule an initial consultation? Use my secure contact form or email me directly. My online portal shows my current openings, though I am usually fully booked. You can also schedule an appointment via the portal.