What to Expect

I view therapy as a collaborative process between myself and the families I work with.  My approach involves working with parents and families to generalize the skills we learn and practice in therapy to other settings. Therapy can help your child develop key problem-solving skills that not only will aid in managing the presenting problem, whatever it is that brought you to seek help, but ideally carry over and provide them with life-long skills to manage future problems as they arise throughout their lives.  Providing your child with the gift of therapy at the most malleable time of their lives is the first step in realizing change and modeling for your child the value of seeking help.

Common Signs & Symptoms

How do you know when to get help for your child?  Parents and children often initially seek mental health treatment due to struggles presenting at home and or at school.  Knowing the signs that your child may benefit from therapeutic services can vary depending on your child's age and personal presentation.  Some of the common signs it may be time to explore therapy options for your child include:

Younger/School-age Children

• Decline in school performance

• Sleep difficulties

• Frequent physical complaints i.e., stomach aches, headaches, or general complaints of not feeling well, despite a normal examination from pediatrician

• School refusal

• Excessive anxiety or worry

• Acting out and or aggression

• Hyperactivity

• Difficulty sitting still or paying attention in class

• Social withdrawal/ Isolation

• Difficulty separating from main caregivers

• Low frustration tolerance

• Bed-wetting when medical reasons have been ruled out

• Thoughts/and or talk of suicide