Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Huntington Park, CA.

I have years of experience treating children in pre-school through middle school. I worked in schools and at home with oppositional children, kids with learning delays, who "act out," tantrum, do not handle transitions in activity well. I have worked with violent children, academic underachievers, children with separation anxiety, bedwetting, and children who eat non-nutritional objects. Applied Behavior Analysis is oftern used to create ground-rules that reinforce acceptable behavior and discourage negative behaviors. It's important that extended family (and teachers, and caretakers, if possible) be on the same page. A united front is essential to positively modify children's behaviors

Stress for young children can often be challenging to discern. Parents may notice that their child begins to experience a greater incidence of tantrums and/or angry outbursts, but often attribute such changes to growing up. Children may also demonstrate strict rules for their play and become upset when their schedule is changed without warning. Sometimes parents may not be able to identify obvious signs of stress in their children, but recognize that their child has encountered a number of stressors. In any of these cases, children can benefit from therapy wherein they can explore how to express their feelings and learn to process their emotions in a safe non-judgmental environment.

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.

Blending a family should be a happy event. A new marriage should be all about partnership and building life together. But all too often blended families are filled with conflict rather than harmony. Instead of compromise, it’s often about who’s right and who’s wrong. And the relationship with the step-children is always going to be strained. It’s no wonder that second marriages with blended families have a higher likelihood of divorce. But if you and your spouse are unified and take everyone’s needs into account, your family could function more smoothly. Many stepparents are defensive about “their” children. Each has a different upbringing and different parenting experiences and styles. What m....

Parenting can be a wonderful experience and at the same time a difficult and even a daunting one. If you are overwhelmed at times, suffer from pangs of anxiety or guilt around being a good enough parent or need someone to just talk to about the daily/ weekly ups and downs of being a parent then counseling with Dr. Ellie can be of great support. Aside from being a counselor, I am also a mother of two and have personal experience with being a parent. I know how difficult it can be, but I also know what a difference it can make when you have the right kind of support.

The inner world of a child is rich with emotion and depth. It can be difficult to watch your child struggle, whether it is socially, academically, or in the home. Child therapy can be beneficial in not only providing current support and problem-solving, but can also serve to be preventative for potential longer-term issues. Young children in particular have a language of their own -- play! I will work with your child using play and art therapy techniques to communicate and develop more effective coping tools to thrive in his or her environment and family.

Understanding what a child is trying to communicate is crucial. Often as a parent, it is difficult when frustration gets in the way, to hear what a child is trying to say. Years of experience helps me decode the message and help intervene in a way that can help the whole family function in a more positive manner.

I can work with children through many techniques. I am the best listener in the world using my intuitive skills as well as my classical training in how the brain works. Some children can just being in a healing space start changing. The children I see know that they are truly being SEEN sometimes for the first time. I know which learning and emotional stages they are in and find them progressing more quickly through them through Therapy.They never then see themselves in a one down or victim role.

I work with 12 year olds and up. For young teens we use games, pillow fights, exercise, drawing, any medium that would make it more comfortable for the teen to open and share. When beneficial, I bring the parents into the end of the session so that they know what the teen is needing in their assistancxe with that next week. Art and journaling are a significant part of homework to allow the youth to express and reduce their emotional overload.

At LA Therapy Network we have therapists whose specialty is helping couples and/or single parents with young children! Children often need therapists who understand their special needs, but also a therapist who can work with you, the parent to understand and help your child through whatever difficulties he or she is experiencing, or that you are dealing with as parent. Let us help you through the tough times or to learn how to be a more effective parent! We offer parenting support, family therapy, play, art and sandplay therapies! Because we are a group of private practice therapists, we can offer you services as a collaboration which can make a huge difference to your treatment! LA & LB!

I have worked in elementary schools with children between the ages of 6 and 10. My approach with children is strength based, helping them to identify what is important to them in order to help them make better choices. I find it is important to help kids to discover their unique understanding of life so that they can start building a stronger footing to stand on in order to face the demands and pressures of living.

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.

When children feel accepted the way they are, they are free to change. I create a safe place in which a child can express his or her emotions and feel understood and valued. Opportunities within the session for responsibility, decision-making, and control help children trust and accept themselves. In therapy, play is for children what words are for adults. Children work through and reveal their thoughts and feelings through their play. Lacking the extensive vocabularies and associations of meanings that adults have, children often are more comfortable exploring and expressing themselves through play, games, and art.