Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Lynwood, CA.

Children experience life just as we adults to. Taking time to discuss emotions and feelings, the child will be able to gain tools to access feeling words and express themselves appropriately. Sometimes life becomes chaotic for children (new baby, school transitions, etc.), having a safe place to talk where someone listens will create a positive outcome on their outlook.

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.

Young children get scared and anxious, too. They express it differently from the adults. So you may see stomach aches, headaches, crying, worry, shying away from interactions, being afraid to go to school, or even school refusal. With the help of child friendly language, I use a program to help children 6-12 overcome their fear and anxiety. Excessive fear and anxiety is not just a childhood thing that they will outgrow. If their fear seems more than normal, please take action on their behalf. You may save them years of suffering.

A large part of my work is helping kids and their families. More often than not, kids have stress and conflict that they bear as burdens in their lives. Depending on the child's age, I use talking and playing in therapy. The work is to provide the building blocks of self esteem, the identification and expression of one's feelings and a better sense of oneself. Through this interaction, a positive self image is developed. Imagination and creativity and self expression are valuable parts of this process.

One of the ways children improve behavior & make positive change is through play. Some of the ways I help kids make change is through: games, storytelling & artwork. I set clear expectations, & create a supportive, fun-loving atmosphere. I focus on strengths: I identify & address problems and then focus on what’s right & how to do more of it. I work with your family, teachers & others to make sure the improvements made are reinforced in all areas of life. Family members are taught tools to ensure your child continues using new, positive behaviors. I help with: Managing upsetting feelings & tantrums; using effective discipline; managing opposition & aggression; school challenges & more.

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.

From 0 to 5 years, children are at a pivotal age for therapeutic intervention. Children are growing in many important areas, especially in their social and emotional development. Family therapy can help to enhance child development and parent-child relationships. Through guided therapeutic interactions, such as art and play therapy activities, parents can enrich their bond with their 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.

The teen years can be challenging, and it is not uncommon for teens to experience emotional imbalance and upheavals during adolescence. As an experienced teen therapist, I can help families address any adolescent phase of life issue you may be experiencing. I have extensive experience working with shy and sensitive teens, as well as diverse, multi-cultural families. If your teen is struggling, I can help you to discover the cause of the problem and address it. I support teens and their parents in finding alternative ways of responding to adolescent phase of life challenges. Schedule a free consultation and allow me to demonstrate the support I can offer your family.

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.

Every behavior is a way of communication. Children communicate with their caregivers through their behaviors such as (hitting, throwing, kicking, having nightmares, screaming eating too much, not getting along with others, not doing homework, having anxiety thoughts) and so on. In therapy with children I use play and art therapy interventions in order to reduce behavior. I work closely with parents to increase communication and strength the child-parent relationship. I teach and practice reward system, time out, positive communication, boundaries with parents. I attend IEP meetings when necessary.

Dr. Clark has extensive training and experience as a child psychologist (including eight years as a Director of Child and Family Services). The most effective approach, in most cases, will involve an initial interview with the child and parents to obtain background information, followed by meetsing with the parents regarding parenting strategies. For adolescents, individual therapy can also be a useful.

One of my specialties is working with elementary age (and adolescents). A child or young person's struggles with difficult feelings and unhelpful behaviors can impact the rest of his or her life. Addressing these challenges during the child's critical developmental years can rebalance and set the stage for a happier and healthier future. I have a special feeling for young people in distress, and feel my professional and life experience has enabled me to be especially attuned to their feelings, needs, and pain. I have over 13 years experience working with children facing emotional and behavioral challenges. Please feel free to call.