Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Cudahy, CA.

Children respond positively to therapies which include forms of creative expression such as art or music therapies. These approaches facilitate a child's processing of thought, feelings and emotions. This concentration is personalized, individually. How a child feels will effect the way that child acts and behaves at home and in school. Children often are living with a parent who struggled from the conflicts of a separation or divorce. A child can take-on the parent symptoms in order to identify with that parent. Sometimes, initially, conjoint sessions are encouraged, which can help secure emotionally, the child in the family's transition processes.

Most of my work has been done with high schoolers and adolecents; however, I do have experience using play therapy and small groups with K-8th graders. As a mother of a child on the spectrum, I was trained in Greenspan's Floortime Approach. This later helped me with working with children of all ages. Play therapy helps children recreate the worlds they live in and helps me, the therapist, understand where they're coming from.

Many times parents are at a loss on how to help their young children. Sometimes the parents are worn out from trying to deal with a "Strong Willed Child" and so either become too strict or become too passive. Neither approach helps to raise a child to be a grown adult that you are proud to claim as you child. In our work here at Schwarz and Associates we strive to take a balanced approach to helping parents to learn skills to parent in a way that truly helps them become the adults God wants them to be and you will be proud of!

We offer a range of services for young children including those who are going through their parents divorce to being at risk for developmental delays, children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and individuals with adaptive functioning needs and behavioral challenges. Our approach integrates meeting the child where they are at with a mixture of play therapy and evidence-based practices from the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) depeing on the needs of each client and family.

Having worked in the elementary schools as well as raising six young children myself, I have extensive experience in working with this group. I use a family systems approach to therapy and prefer to partner with parents in the treatment of their children. If family therapy is not a possibility, I will see children on their own, also creating a strong collaborative alliance with their parents.

Children grow and change on a daily basis, which can be a difficult process not only for the child but for the parents as well. I assist children in learning how to express themselves through fun, creative outlets that are both age appropriate and applicable across multiple settings. Such settings may include home, school and multiple social avenues.

Studies show that our most important years of development are between the ages of 1 and 5 years old. Often what is learned here shapes us the rest of our lives. As any parent knows, a lot can happen in one year with a child, much less five. Fear, trauma, abuse and bullying can have a lasting effect on a child if it goes unaddressed. In my work with your child I will not only help them overcome tough moments but also build resilience for future challenges. If your child is suffering from in emotional or behavioral problems, I'd love to help. You don't have to go it alone.

I utilize developmentally appropriate, play therapy to gain knowledge and understanding of how young children perceive themselves and their world. Older children, tweens and adolescents benefit from therapeutic activities and talk therapy, as vehicles for gaining insight and self-understanding. I have provided therapy, on campus at a K-8th grade school and previously worked as a Certified Child Life (Development) Specialist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. As a mother, I deeply empathize with parents whose children are experiencing difficulties and welcome your questions and concerns regarding the therapeutic process for your child.

Young children respond well to play, art and music, and these activities can help them in expressing their strong feelings, while also developing new, healthier ways of coping with their experience. Children and their parents often enjoy the benefits of therapy in addressing behavioral issues, life transition, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, Sexual abuse, aggressive or defiant behavior, difficulty with peer relationships and learning issues, like ADHD. The focus of my work with young children is to help them thrive again. If you’re wondering whether your young child may benefit from therapy, I invite you to contact me, as I would be more than happy to speak with you about your concerns and how we might best address them in support your child.

For about 7 years I only worked with children in my practice. The rest of my practice has been split working with adults and with kids. With kids, its all about their instinct and comfort. If they sense that the therapist isn't comfortable or experienced with kids, they won't engage in the therapy process. I use a variety of techniques working with children, depending on their age. For smaller children, art therapy and play therapy can be very successful for a variety of reasons. The main reason is that it takes the focus off of them and they feel more at ease to talk and be open. For older children who can handle "talk therapy", using simpler language can be effective.

Too often therapies are not targeted at children's age levels. I specialize in play therapy with young children. Play therapy is an opportunity for children to express feelings, emotions or trauma in a safe environment. Developmentally, children are not able to adequately express their feelings or experiences in words. Through play therapy, the therapist can interact and help the child to express and heal important feelings related to their experiences. I have specialized doctoral clinical training in play therapy and child therapy. I have found play therapy, combined with family therapy, to be an effective technique to help children with anxiety, trauma, depression, and behavioral problems.

Many therapists share they use play therapy in their practice with children, but have not taken further training on its use in therapy. I am a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, which means I completed 3 years and 3000 additional hours of practice after licensure, clinical supervision, consistent continued education courses, and significant focus in at least two play therapy evidence based practices. I utilize Child Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, Digital Play Therapy, and Prescriptive Play Therapy to address children's needs in addition to creative arts therapies (Drama Therapy, Art Therapy interventions).

Young families today have a lot of challenges living in Southern California due to the high cost of living, pressures of family life, and the demands of working. All of these responsibilities can contribute to a high level of stress and anxiety for parents. Many parents also deal with additional issues as having a special needs child, a family member experiencing trauma, divorce and blended families, a defiant child, and possibly marital problems. These circumstances can be overwhelming and difficult to deal with. You may feel alone and hopeless regarding your situation. Isolating, avoiding the problem, and repeating old arguments will not change the circumstance.