Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Walnut, CA.

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.

In working with young children, I seek to establish a relationship of trust while supporting the child's relationship with his or her parent(s) or caregiver(s). Because the end goal is for the child to no longer need my services, it is very important that I work collaboratively with the parents and transfer any new skills and trust to the primary relationship. Techniques that I use include structured and unstructured play therapy, sand tray, bibliotherapy (which incorporates the use of topical picture books with play and discussion), and art therapy, as well as behavioral therapy assignments to assist parents in shaping problem behaviors. Your precious children are treated as such!

Parents may seek therapy for their young children due to concerns about grief/loss, behavioral problems, emotional problems, trauma/abuse, and a variety of other issues. I conduct play therapy with young children to help establish a connection with the child. Utilizing the language of play helps the child feel safe to express themselves and is a great way to help the child work through the problem. I endeavor to help young children learn healthy ways of coping and work through the issue that concerns the parents. I also like to have sessions with parents and family sessions to work with the parents on the issue that brings them to therapy.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

My experience has covered working with young children as a mental health professional. I work with children who are 6 years and up. If your child is under the years of 12 years old it will be necessary for you to be involved in treatment as much as your child is. Lastly, I aim to help to develop the relationship between the parent(s) and minor in treatment and provide support to the client and parenting support to the parent for the client's benefit.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Very few therapists specialize in therapy with young children. Fortunately, we have several on staff at the La Vie Center. Because we have over 25 therapists on staff, we have counselors that specialize in many different areas and working with young children is a particular area of expertise for us. Give us a call and we will find just the right child therapist for you.

Wondering when and if your child may benefit from therapy? Children are often described as resilient, meaning they can adapt and come back from difficult situations in a healthy and adaptive way. Adapting to tough situations is normal however there are some signs that your child might benefit from therapy might entail a child who is overly anxious, sad or irritable; changes in behaviors that disrupt their home or school setting; cutting or other self-harm behaviors or talk about wanting to die or kill themselves. If you believe that therapy might be helpful to your child or if you're not still not sure, feel free to contact me to explore it further. I work with children ages 8-12.

Children often have trouble expressing themselves to strangers or to a Doctor. As a result, counseling can involve hours of building trust with a child and allowing the child to express themselves freely through play and imagination. Counseling a child can not be engaged in effectively when the parents are not involved in the process. Counseling the parents in communication skills that enhance bonding, boundary implementation, and behavior modification are essential if a child is to grow in healthy ways.

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.

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!

The best change seen in children are the ones with motivated teachable parents. Are you a parent struggling to know what to do next to help your child? Do you have mom/dad guilt? Are you having difficulty understanding the best ways to provide loving discipline? These areas can begin to get overwhelming and difficult to navigate without some support. I work with parents and their children who are above the age of 6 years old. If you have children that are only younger than 6 years old, depending on the challenge I may just support you as the parent if desired and or/provide recommendations to seek a therapist that specializes in working directly with very young children.

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....

After 11 years of working with children, I find it more effective to work with you, the parent. This is not because you are responsible for the way your child is behaving or what your child is going through, but because you have the most positive power and influence in your child's life. If I can use what I know through education and experience to empower you the parent to connect to your child, it will be more impactful and long lasting than if I spend therapy sessions with them. Your child will also find healing through their relationship with you, increasing trust, and strengthening your relationship for the present and future. You will have your Parenting Power back, stronger than ever!

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.