Therapy for Children & Adolescents (5-18)

Therapy starts with understanding and connecting. Change can feel hard and uncomfortable. It’s a little less uncomfortable to navigate alongside someone who approaches you with compassion, curiosity, encouragement, and a little humor too.

In addition to support, therapy should be giving you tools to help you grow. My goal is to help you achieve the important goals you have in mind through education, practice of evidence-based interventions, collaboration, and empowering you to see your strengths.

What is Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)?

CBT is an umbrella term for talk therapies that focus on the interaction of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT has been shown to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of therapy and medication for a variety of disorders. Here are some examples of goals central to CBT:

  • Gaining a better understanding of the ways different emotions show up in your body and identifying those emotions. If you can name it, you can tame it!

  • Learning to calm down your body and ground yourself during intense emotions.

  • Increasing awareness of the ways your brain gets stuck and learning strategies to redirect attention or challenge unhelpful ways of thinking

  • Facing your fears instead of avoiding them or participating in your life despite urges to withdraw

  • Developing more self-confidence through use of these and other tools

What are the next steps, and what should I expect?

  1. Complete a free, 15-minute parent phone consultation to mutually determine whether I’m the right therapist for you.

  2. The first session is an intake evaluation. The goal is to learn about what brought you into my office as well as your strengths, challenges, and goals. At the end of the session, we will discuss recommendations and whether to move forward with therapy.

  3. If appropriate, we start therapy at your own pace and with your goals in mind. I meet kids and teens where they are at, including those who are anxious or unsure of the therapy process. Therapy with younger children is not a back and forth conversation. I use play and experiential activities to teach skills and increase confidence. In between sessions, we often set goals and start practicing new ways of managing difficult emotions. Parents are welcome to check-in, schedule parenting appointments to learn new strategies, or let their teens be the drivers of their own treatment.

Get Started

Reach out for a free, 15-minute phone consultation to determine if I’m a good fit for you or your child!