Therapy for Children & Adolescents

 

Our goal in working therapeutically with children and adolescents is to provide them with coping strategies that will last a lifetime.

Our first step is to determine the need for therapy, based on the youngster's problems, development level, and his or her ability to cooperate with treatment.

At CPN we provide emotional support and help in resolving conflicts. We encourage children and teenagers to understand their feelings and problems and to try out new solutions to address continuing problems. Goals for therapy may be specific (such as change in behavior, improved relations with friends or family), or more general (less anxiety, better self-esteem). The length of treatment depends on the complexity and severity of problems.

Click here to arrange for an initial appointment.


We address the following childhood and adolescent issues:
( Please click on any of these topics for more information.)

• Anxiety
  
• Asperger's Syndrome
• Depression
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Dirorder (ADHD)
• Body image problems and eating disorders
• Anger management
  
• Performance anxiety
• Phobias
  
• Shyness
  
• Sleep problems
• Repetitive behavior
  
• Toileting problems

ANXIETY:

Children face almost constant academic and social challenges. Sometimes this creates extreme, unrealistic worries not related to any specific event. These children are often very self-conscious and tense and complain about ailments -- such as headaches and stomach aches -- that don't seem to have a physical basis.

At CPN, we provide therapy that can help youngsters become aware of the source of their anxiety and that can change negative thought patterns to positive ones.

ASPERGER'S SYNDROME:

Asperger's Disorder, as it's also known, is a mild form of autism. Children wiuth Asperger's are often socially isolated and tend to march to the beat of their own drum. Some have problems with change and many are preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. Asperger's children have trouble reading non-verbal cues and are often overly sensitive to tastes, sounds and textures.

CPN's professionals work closely with these children on developing social skills and adaptibility and helping them better understand the social world.

DEPRESSION:

Diagnoses of childhood and adolescent depression have skyrocketed in recent years. Younger children -- who don't have sophisticated communications skills -- are likely to manifest their depression through phobias, physical complaints and behavior problems. Adolescents may start experiencing academic problems, social isolation, symptoms of tiredness and self-destructive behavior.

A variety of psychotherapeutic techniques have been shown to be effective in treating juvenile depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy and supportive therapy helps the youngster examine and correct negative thought patterns and self-image.

ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER:

Children and adolescents who have ADHD have trouble paying attention in school and at home and may be much more active and/or impulsive than others of the same age. These behaviors contribute to significant problems in relationships, learning and behavior. For this reason, children who have ADHD are sometimes seen as being "difficult."

ADHD affects as many as 12% of all school-age children. It's more common in boys than in girls. A child with ADHD often:

• has trouble following instructions
• loses things
• seems not to listen
• appears disorganized
• has trouble making plans
• forgets things
• is easily distracted

It's believed ADHD is caused by the inability to produce enough chemicals in areas in the brain that are responsible for organizing thought. Research shows that ADHD is more common in children who have close relatives with the disorder.

Our therapists work with ADHD children on organizing skills and on learning how to better interact socially.

BODY IMAGE PROBLEMS/EATING DISORDERS:

It's estimated that one percent of all American teenagers suffer from an eating disorder -- most commonly anorexia (starving oneself) or bulimia (eating and purging). No one is sure what causes eating disorders, although it's suspected that many sufferers see themselves as being much heavier than they really are.
There is also a link between eating disorders and depression and issues of control.

Therapy is a key part of treating eating disorders. Parents and other family members are important in helping a person see that his or her normal body shape is perfectly fine and that being thin doesn't make anyone happy. Most important is recognizing and dealing with the problem as soon as possible — like all bad habits, unhealthy eating patterns become harder to break the longer one takes part in them.

ANGER MANAGEMENT:

Angry outbursts are fairly common for younger children and the behavior often fades as they grow older. But when youngsters remain angry and oppositional, it creates serious challenges for parents.

We work with these children to improve communication skills so that they can talk about how they feel and know that they are being heard, diminishing their frustration.

PERFORMANCE ANXIETY:

It can happen in the classroom, on the ballfield and on stage -- a child hangs back out of fear that he or she will do something wrong. Performance anxiety can lead to under-performing in school and missing out on important developmnetal experiences.

It's important to build the confidence of these children, as well as to help them eliminate negative thought patterns.

PHOBIAS:

Fear and anxiety are common to everyone. But when fears get in the way of normal activities, they become phobias. Specifically, a phobia is a fear of particular situations or things that are not dangerous and which most people do not find troublesome.

Young children are often afraid of the dark or of large animals. These fears often fade as they get older. It's when irrational fears continue that it's a good idea to consult a professional. Therapy helps children come to terms with their phobias by allowing them to talk about their fears and the reasons for them.

SHYNESS:

Shy children tend to avoid unfamiliar situations and sometimes have difficulty interacting with others. Their anxiety might increase they feel they are "'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 some youngsters never shed their intense shyness. Parents can help by showing children that it's possible to overcome the feeling and behave in an outgoing manner and by demonstrating the benefits of interacting more with other people. Sometimes, professional help is necessary.

SLEEP PROBLEMS:

These can include insomnia, fear of sleeping alone and being afraid of the dark.
The key to addressing sleep problems is targeting the fears and thoughts that keep children awake at night.

It's important that children and adolescents get the sleep they require. Bad sleeping habits are linked to many psychological problems and can increase feelings of irritability and anxiety.


REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR:

Like so many other childhood issues, bad habits (such as biting nails, thumb-sucking and hair pulling) are common and may continue into adulthood. It's when the habit becomes unhealthy or excessive that it becomes a problem.

Children can be helped to give up repetitive behaviors by learning more positive relaxation techniques.