Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Marina del Rey, CA.

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 greatly benefit from play therapy, which is a professional form of psychotherapy. I work with children ages 3 puberty and up that will significantly restructure behaviors that will provide relief to parents and caregivers. Structure & consistency is key and disclipline needn't be cruel or overly harsh as many parents have questioned to me through the 30+ years that I have worked with their children. My techniques are based on research with what is called in psychotherapy, evidenced-based-practices; this allows relief knowing that your child will receive help from procedures & practices that have been proven to work, as long as parents or caretakers are invested towards change.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Adolescents age 12-18. For over 20 years, I have worked with adolescents/teens. Navigating adolescence can be extremely challenging. Some areas of treatment are ( but not limited to) exploration of developmental issues, self-esteem, managing academic stress, understanding relationships with family and friends, developing a healthy sense of self and communication skills in a social media age.

Seeing your child struggle breaks your heart. More than anything in the world, you want him to thrive. You’re doing the best you can, but even supermoms (and superdads) make mistakes. Whatever the reason, your child is struggling and needs help. I can help YOU help your child through whatever he’s facing right now. We can work on a variety of issues like: Stress Overwhelm Divorce/separation Transitions General anxiety Sadness Lack of motivation Anger Family conflict Grief and loss Loneliness Eating disorders Body image Self-esteem Peer relationships Unhappiness Social withdrawal Sleep And we’ll develop a plan to help him get back to the happy, playful kiddo he deserves to be!

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.

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.

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

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.

Many times, child therapists overdo the family system in their quest to seek effective solutions for emotional, learning or behavioral concerns with young children. And many times doctors overpathologize issues that shouldn’t be medicated necessarily. This leaves parents wondering what is the best route for their child? Introducing brainwave optimization technology. A fast, effective, natural, and less expensive way to allow your child's brain to make the optimizing changes it desires to make---on its own! Without any external force, opinion, medication, diagnostic, etc. Contact kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

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.

Childhood is supposed to be pleasant, happy, carefree and a time to learn all of the valuable skills to be productive adolescents and adults. Childhood can be marred by bullying, domestic disputes, trauma, abuse. Parenting your child can be difficult during these times. I have extensive training and experience using evidenced-based practices to address childhood problems such as: anxiety, depression, defiance, trauma, abuse. I will work directly with your child to regain the spirit he or she deserves to have. I will also empower you as the parent with techniques to respond to your child in healthy ways that promote harmony, compassion and the ability to enjoy one another.

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.

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.

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.

Is your child going through a difficult time or life transition? They may be stuck in a cycle of mood swings or behavioral reactions. It sounds like your child or adolescent would benefit from counseling, and you have the heart and motivation to get them the help they need. I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and offer professional counseling for children, teens, and families. I'm also a certified Family Wellness Instructor. Additionally, I have experience as a student director and teacher and enjoy working with children, adolescents, and young adults in issues relating to identity and development. If you are ready for your child to begin the healing journey, I am here to help.

Therapy can greatly benefit young children and provide them with socio-emotional skills that can they can use for a lifetime! It can also provide parents with that all-so-important support so that they can approach parenting with confidence and skill. I try to provide a safe and supportive environment for both child and parent. Depending on the concern and circumstance, I may recommend individual therapy with the child and collateral therapy with the parent or family therapy. I have training in play therapy and am well-versed in an array of therapy techniques for various concerns and challenges that children face. Please reach out to learn more and get your child support!

Working with children requires a unique set of skills and experience. Children require a careful balance of approaches in order to be reached effectively. I have more than a decade of experience working with children and families in various capacities and I have built up these skills over that time. I can help with behavioral issues, learning struggles, family conflict, and peer interactions. Let me help your family operate more effectively by addressing your child’s needs.

Young children are one of the most complex groups to work with as a clinician. Children have a unique way of revealing very little, yet so much at the same time. As a clinician who regularly works with children, I have come to know the art of exploring beyond what a child may say, in order to understand the deeper context of what a child means. Working with young children offers an opportunity to embark on a unique therapeutic experience, one that clinicians typically don’t experience when working with adults. I appreciate you trusting your child’s therapeutic needs with me.

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.

As a Marriage & Family Therapist, I have extensive experience working with children and adolescents. I have worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health providing crisis intervention and assessment services to children and their families. It is my clinical approach to conduct an assessment to determine clarity and understanding of the specific clinical issues. It is my belief that treatment should consist of the therapist working closely with the parents and any other professionals working with the child to enhance their growth and improvement in treatment. My goal is to assist the child in improving their emotional, social and academic functioning.

Here at My True Temperament Christian Counseling, LLC, we help parents and children, 7-18 years of age, learn and understand the child's true temperament. True temperament means what are the inherent ways, ways specific to the child and not to his/her environment, in which the child prefers to interact with others. We measure the child's temperament in three ways. Inclusion/Social Orientation, Control/Power, and Affection/Emotions. The greatest benefit to both parents and child knowing the child's true temperament is the ability to work with the temperament of the child and not against it. For the convenience of the family, True Temperament Counseling is offered strictly online.