Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Walnut, 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.

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.

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.

Hello and Welcome! When working with young children, I strive to understand the entire family systems dynamics. The first couple of sessions may include time spent together as a family or child and parent unit. When working with young children, I make use of fantasy play, sandtray play and games. I also assist parents in learning how to respond to their child empathically. If there are behavioral issues, I may make use of some Cognitive Behavioral interventions.

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 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.

If your child is suffering from trauma, grief or showing behavioral issues that have seem to come out of nowhere, play therapy is the answer. In our family playroom we offer a variety of therapeutic toys and games, including sand tray to help your child express the thoughts that cannot be verbalized. I am trained in play therapy, expressive arts therapy and sand tray, and have seen great results in children of all ages.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!