Children & Teens

How I work with children

In my work with children, I begin by assessing some of the underlying causes of the child’s problems.  I meet with parents at the beginning to learn about the family, the child’s development, and significant milestones, stressors, and relationships within the family, and in the world.  It is critical, in working with children, that I meet regularly with parents for the treatment to be as successful as possible.  In working with parents, I gather as much information as I can about the day-to-day life of their child, and any new problems or concerns that arise. 

As children rarely come to treatment ready to articulate their concerns, I play with children, using art, dolls or action figures, puppets, and other toys or tools with which children naturally express their worries or fears.  Children enjoy this one-on-one interaction with the therapist and, in this environment, are secure and safe enough to show their feelings, and work on finding effecting coping strategies.

I view parents as allies in my work with children, since they are the ones who know the child best.  They are able to provide valuable insight about their child, and I can help parents understand some of the factors affecting the child. My goal is to help children understand their fear, anger, jealousy, and sadness so that they gain a clearer sense of their feelings and can, ultimately, respond in healthier, more effective, ways.

How to know if your child needs psychotherapy

Both children and adolescents experience periodic difficulties as a natural part of growing up. Usually these are transient and quickly resolved.  Where there is unusual stress, family illness, loss, significant change in the child’s life, problems may linger and interfere with on-going development, with peer and familial relationships, and with the child’s sense of him or herself.  Treatment can be beneficial in helping the family and child to better understand the cause of his or her distress and finding more effective ways of responding to them.  Although children are often resilient and resourceful, they generally have not yet developed the tools to cope with feelings or situations that are confusing, troubling, or overwhelming to them.  It can be difficult for them to verbalize their fears, so that they often keep these feelings to themselves.  Signs of distress appear in relationships (either in conflicts or social withdrawal), sleep and eating problems, impulsivity, low frustration tolerance, and school or academic difficulties.  

How I work with teens

My work with adolescents centers initially on establishing a trusting relationship, as this is an essential aspect of working with this age group.  This work can help establish more open communication with family members.  Adolescents will never continue treatment, no matter how much the parents want this, unless he or she feels safe in the environment.  For this reason, adolescents need to feel that the therapist is non-judgmental and able to listen to what they have to say.