Therapy for Children

Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling. Anxiety, big emotions, intrusive thoughts, perfectionism, school stress, ADHD, friendship difficulties, or changes at home may instead show up as meltdowns, avoidance, irritability, reassurance-seeking, difficulty separating from caregivers, trouble sleeping, or simply seeming unlike themselves.

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Sometimes parents know something is bothering their child but aren’t quite sure what it is. Other times, a child may be able to tell you that they feel worried, angry, or overwhelmed but struggle to understand why—or what to do with those feelings. Therapy can give children a place to slow things down, make sense of their internal world, and begin developing language for experiences that may otherwise feel confusing or too big to manage.

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My approach with children is warm, supportive, and developmentally appropriate. Depending on the child’s age, personality, and needs, I may incorporate conversation, creative activities, play-based interventions, mindfulness, emotional regulation strategies, and evidence-based approaches into our work. Therapy isn’t meant to feel like another classroom or another place where a child is being told what they’re doing “wrong.” I want children to feel comfortable being themselves while gradually building new skills.

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Together, we may work on recognizing emotions and triggers, managing anxiety and intrusive thoughts, increasing flexibility, tolerating frustration and uncertainty, strengthening self-esteem, improving communication, and developing healthier ways of coping when emotions feel overwhelming.

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I also recognize that children exist within families, schools, friendships, and other important relationships. When appropriate, I collaborate with parents and caregivers so they can better understand what their child may be communicating through their emotions or behavior and learn ways to reinforce therapeutic skills outside of sessions.

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The goal isn’t for a child to never feel anxious, frustrated, sad, or overwhelmed. It’s to help them understand what they’re feeling, trust that they can handle difficult emotions, and feel more confident navigating their world.