Our goal is to provide children and adolescents with coping strategies that will last a lifetime.
Step one is to determine the need for therapy, based on the child’s problems, developmental level, and his or her ability to engage in treatment. We help children and teenagers to become more self-aware and to better understand their thoughts and feelings. We also teach coping skills in order to generate healthy solutions to their problems. Goals for therapy may be specific (such as a change in behavior, improved relationships), or more general (decrease anxiety levels, improve self-esteem). The length of treatment depends on the complexity and severity of the presenting problems.
As needed, we also provide emotional support and parent education/training as part of your child’s treatment. Some common child/adolescent treatment issues include:
ANXIETY: Daily academic and social issues can generate extreme worries that may or not be based on reality. Anxious children are often very self-conscious, rigid, and have frequent complaints — such as headaches and stomach aches — that don’t seem to have a physical basis. Tess can help youngsters become aware of the sources of their anxiety and develop coping strategies, such as learning how to change negative thought patterns to positive ones.
DEPRESSION: Diagnoses of childhood and adolescent depression have skyrocketed in recent years. Younger children — who don’t have sophisticated communication skills — are likely to manifest their depression through physical complaints and behavioral problems. Adolescents may start experiencing academic problems, social isolation, irritability and/or self-destructive behavior. A variety of psychotherapeutic techniques can be effective in treating juvenile depression. For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and supportive therapy help youngsters examine and correct negative thought patterns and self-image.
BODY IMAGE PROBLEMS/EATING DISORDERS: The most common types of eating disorders are Anorexia (starving oneself) and Bulimia (eating and purging). They seem to revolve around a distorted body image and issues of control. Therapy is a key part of treating eating disorders, along with monitoring by a medical professional. Parents and other family members are important in helping a person become more accepting of their body shape/size and to encourage healthy eating habits.
ANGER MANAGEMENT: Angry outbursts or tantrums are fairly common for younger children, and this behavior often disappears as they grow older. However, when youngsters remain angry and oppositional, it creates serious challenges. We work with these children to improve their self-control and communication skills so that they can talk about how they feel and know that they are being heard. We work with parents to develop appropriate behavioral plans at home to promote positive parenting and effective discipline.
PERFORMANCE ANXIETY: It can happen in the classroom, on the ball field or on stage — a child becomes immobilized out of a fear that he or she will do something wrong. Performance anxiety can lead to under-performing in school and missing out on important developmental experiences. It’s important to build confidence and self-esteem in these children, as well as to help them eliminate negative thought patterns.
PHOBIAS: Everybody has some amount of fear and. For example, young children are often afraid of the dark or of large animals. These fears often fade as they get older. But when fears become irrational and/or get in the way of normal activities, they can develop into phobias. Phobias are fears of particular situations or things that are not inherently dangerous and which most people do not find troublesome. Therapy helps children understand their fears and learn to cope, rather than developing patterns of avoidance.
SHYNESS: Shy children tend to avoid unfamiliar situations and often have difficulty in social interactions. Their anxiety might increase when they feel they’re “on display”, such as when meeting someone new or having to speak in front of others. A shy child is much more comfortable watching the action from the sidelines rather than joining in. Most children feel shy from time to time, but in some children, these tendencies intensify with age and can develop into an anxiety disorder. It may be helpful to consult with a professional if you have concerns about shyness and whether or not your child may be suffering from anxiety.
SLEEP PROBLEMS: Childhood sleep problems can include difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep that are often associated with separation fears or fear of the dark. The key to addressing sleep problems is identifying the specific thoughts/fears that are preoccupying your child. Poor sleeping habits are linked to many psychological problems and can increase irritability or tantrums.