Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Newport Coast, CA.

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.

Prepare to Change counselors have been serving children and adolescents in many south Orange County communities for many years. Counseling for children can be effective and helpful, but sometimes a child’s needs are so huge that therapy isn’t enough. They may need structure and more of a foundation at home. To improve family life, our experts also believe in empowering parents so they can become the agents of change in their families.

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.

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!

We enjoy working with children as young as 4 years of age. We begin with a psychological assessment, history and obtain any relevant medical information. Then we meet with the primary care givers, usually both parents, or grandparents who provide us with their concerns and observations. We recommend the child be assessed by a medical doctor to rule out any medical cause for the problem behavior.Then we educate the adults with parenting skills. If the parenting tools are not enough to correct the problem behaviors then we will do play therapy with the child to better assess the child's problem.

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....

The developmental stage of parenting a young child is unpredictable and at times chaotic although simultaneously it is the greatest blessing. Parents go thru an adjustment period while learning how to be parents and provide that child with all their needs. Childrearing has its numerous challenges and yet it is the most important role and individual can commit to when becoming parents.

Our practice includes a clinician with experience in language & skill-building with autistic children, behavior modification & therapy with at-risk youth & families, and work with adolescents & families in crisis. He also coordinates an evidence-based program with the County of Orange that teaches families how to modify severe behavior problems in children. He is trained in Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, & EMDR.

I have 15 years of experience counseling children in a variety of settings. I build trust with children and intuit their individual needs quickly. I value them strongly and they sense my genuine, unconditional acceptance. I offer play therapy ( ages 2-12) and counseling methods that incorporate the approaches of Gary Landreth and John Rosemond (Family Psychologist) along with my own methods. I have a wide variety of child interventions and tools I've acquired over the years and remain up to date on the latest breakthroughs and research in Child Therapy. I've written functional analyses and emotional/social goals for children's school IEPS per my additional Masters in Education/Counseling.

Do you have a child that is having difficulty at school or at home? Is your child finding it difficult to maintain relationships? Even the best parent needs help from time to time . I can help children deal with the sadness and anxiety of struggling with a divorce in the home, bullying, sexual identity or a traumatic event. Through specific play and art therapy techniques, I can help to unlock a child's emotional world and identify thoughts and behaviors that are becoming problematic.

Young children often have difficulty expressing their needs and because of that they display tantrums and maintain a state of irritability, anger and sadness. They don’t know how to make sense of how they feel. They need the help of adults to guide them to understand what their thoughts and feelings are and how to be aware of their needs and feelings. Dr. Simina has worked with young children and teens for the past few decades in psychotherapy, which she helped them figure out and efficiently communicate their needs and feelings that is at the heart of their self of calmness and positive self-image. She also utilizes art therapy, an evidenced-based type of therapy for children and teens, which ultimately increases their sense of identity and...(view profile to read more)

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.

Children see the world through a different lens. Adults often treat children in a delicate way, as to not overwhelm their sensitivities. As a former early childhood educator, I understand the balance between nurturing interaction, and recognizing a child's strength. Children are naturally social beings, even when they are shy. They are natural grievers, even thought they might not fully understand loss. Children want to be loved and feel acceptance, even when they exhibit behaviors that seem to indicate otherwise. I implement talk, music, and art therapy to help children express themselves in ways that feel natural to them. Let me assist your child in discovering healthy self expression.