Child & Adolescent Counseling Services
Children
More and more often children are facing obstacles they aren’t equipped to handle or mental health disorders that make their life and the lives of those around them very challenging. Child therapy meets children where they are and gives them the missing tools they need, in a practical and meaningful way for their age, in order to increase their overall functioning. Play therapy, art therapy, and behavioral management are therapeutic measures often geared towards children.nnMost therapists will see children age 7 and up, but a couple of our therapists will work with children as young as 3. You can view a list of therapist's that work with children below.
Teens
Teens today face a wide variety of different obstacles, from social media to chaotic schedules to split households, that often have a big impact on their mental health and overall well-being. Therapy for teens centers around creating a partnership with the individual and giving them the tools and coping mechanisms needed to navigate their current and future life. Therapy is also a safe space where teens have the opportunity to openly share whatever they may be facing and have a trained professional come alongside them to support positive decision-making, self-discovery, and overall healthy well-being.
Art Therapy
Art therapy utilizes creative expression in a therapeutic context that leads to self-discovery, understanding, and healing; it allows individuals to use their creativity to explore their feelings, better manage behaviors, reduce stress, improve mood, teach social skills, lower anxiety, and increase self-esteem. Art therapy, often in combination with other therapeutic approaches such as cognitive therapy, is used to treat a vast number of different mental disorders and has proven to be an effective therapeutic intervention with positive improvements to overall well-being- independent of artistic ability. All different art media can be utilized, and every session is tailored to the individual client's needs and goals.
Play Therapy
Play Therapy is a specialized form of therapy that incorporates techniques specific to children, typically ages 3 to 12, in order to connect them with their feelings, thoughts, and actions in a way that can result in therapeutic improvements. Children, especially younger children, often do not have the capacity to fully articulate their problems or process through them. Play therapy gives children the space the uncover underlying issues and learn coping mechanisms to handle or redirect behavior.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy is a form of therapy that emphasises stories. These are the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, others, and the world around us. Our lives are made up of multiple stories about how we see situations and ourselves in those situations. These stories, in turn, influence how we view ourselves, others, and the world around us. In essence, narrative therapy helps to provide empowerment and a sense of control over one's life by helping clients challenge stories and build alternative ones.
ADD/ADHD & Autism
ADD, ADHD, and Autism are neurodevelopmental disorders that develop with children as they age. Specific therapeutic tools can be used in the context of said development to work on the areas of communication, socialization, behavior, thought process, executive functioning, and more that often accompany a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. ADD, ADHD, and Autism look different in different stages of life, so therapy meets individuals where they are and works on specific goals that go beyond simply treating a diagnosis and begin to work on real improvements for the individual.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders, namely anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, affect millions of individuals and can be incredibly difficult to combat. Therapy for eating disorders provides a safe space for the direct inspection of current functioning and underlying factors contributing to the disorder and its maintenance. Sessions mainly focus on the individual but may also include the family due to the nature of the disorder and the need for a strong support system. Our certified nutritionist, Linda, may also accompany therapy sessions to assist in creating practical ways to maintain healthy boundaries in relation to eating and client overall wellbeing.
Behavior analysis and management
Behavior Analysis is founded on the concepts of learning theory and is guided by the idea that behavior is a motivated construct that can be changed or prevented. Children and teens with disorders that heavily impact behavior such as autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, and ODD can have improved symptomatology through the use of behavioral principles. Behavior Analysis and Management look a bit different in the counseling setting and may incorporate individual sessions, parent or caregiver training sessions, or family sessions depending on the individual and the behaviors being displayed.
We now offer testing and medication management services for children and teens.