Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in South Nyack, NY.

I work with chilldren 8 and up. At Resolution Counseling Center, we take a family-centered approach that relies on a strong partnership with parents. We acknowledge you as the expert on your child and the one with the power to create a healthier home and school life for them. I'll help through a thorough assessment of what's going on, play therapy and child-oriented methods, a customized plan for your child's wellness, and parent-only feedback and strategy sessions along the way. I'll walk with your family until things are in a better place--reach out anytime.

I offer counseling typically to children 12+ If the child is younger than 12, and needs support for entering middle school, or peer/ social skills with my experience K-12, and graduate school age, please inquire re: need! As a family or with a sibling I would treat younger as well. As always just inquire with more information on how I can assist !

Children are our future and we want to make sure we can do everything to help them to be happy, healthy, well-adjusted individuals. At Mars and Venus Counseling Center, we see children and their parents as young as one year old. Our services include: effective parenting techniques for your child’s unique personality, anger management, behavior modification, divorce support, anxiety, depression, overcoming fears, social development, and issues at school. Depending on the age of the child, we often incorporate play therapy to communicate with children in their own language. We use puppets, dolls, clay, drawing, as well as a variety of therapy games to help children identify what is upsetting

Therapy for young children, often involving play or art, can be highly beneficial in addressing a variety of emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges. It provides children a safe space to express their feelings and understand their experiences. Therapists help children learn to manage emotions, improve social skills, and cope with difficulties like bullying, trauma, or parental divorce. They can also aid in early detection and intervention for conditions like ADHD or anxiety. By fostering emotional resilience and self-esteem at an early age, therapy can contribute to healthier development and overall well-being in children.

Wise parents bring young children in for counseling for both preventative mental health, and early intervention before problems become entrenched. I work successfully with young children and their families with eating disorders, behavioral problems, attention deficit disorder, school avoidance and school phobia, difficulties with peers, siblings, and parental relationships. I also work with children challenged or frightened by medical symptoms and problems, and help families to learn strategies to cope and transform the challenges into experiences that lead to strength and family cohesiveness.

When a child is presented for treatment barring organic causes, the first question one asks, " Who has the problem?" Is it the child, parents, school or the interactions of all?" After interviewing the child and parents (conducted in both family and individual sessions), I present the parents with an evaluation. Dependent on the severity of the child's problems and the ability of the parents to mobilize their parenting skills, it is decided to address the presenting problems with individual sessions as well as family sessions. My attempt is to minimize the treatment of the child and enable the parents to learn to parent through "Creative Loving" (a program that Dr. PItta created).

I have a doctorate in child psychology, and have been a school psychologist, both diagnosing learning problems and doing counseling. I work closely with the parents, and in many cases would not treat the child directly. I usually focus on and get to know the parent, how I can best support them as a parent, as a spouse, and as a person in the world. And, I work with parents so that we are a team together helping you to do the best thing for your child or children.

I do not treat young children because for many problems it is best to teach parents skills for effectively responding to their children's emotional and behavioral needs. I teach what is called Parent Effectiveness Training Skills. This involves helping parents reinforce behaviors in children they wish would occur with greater consistency. Train the parent!

Being a young human can be difficult. There is a lot to learn and so much newness to navigate with a brain and body that is still developing. We're here to support you and your child through these challenging but exciting times. Our experienced therapists offer creative arts therapy telehealth sessions to children 12 years old and older to help them express and manage their feelings more effectively. We can help. Get in touch with us today.

When children have problems, those problems are directly related to their relationship with their parents. Hence, my approach to working with children is to work with the whole family. If a child is acting up at school, he generally has parents who are, often unintentionally, not giving him what he needs at home. All parents want to believe that they are good parents, and it is hard for them to accept that they may be doing things that are causing their children to have problems. My job is to gently and patiently create a constructive atmosphere and honest communication between parents and children, which help the children resolve their problems and learn to thrive.

Research shows that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for children with anxiety or depression. Children can learn to manage their anxiety by learning skills to change fearful thoughts and avoidant behaviors. During sessions I use the curative benefits of play therapy to foster learning and development. Play therapy can help children express what is troubling them if they lack the verbal language skills to express their feelings. Structured play therapy allows children to learn and practice problem-solving and social skills. Many issues can be confronted in play therapy and resolutions will be rehearsed and mastered into strategies your child can use after therapy ends.

Small children aged 3 to 8 typically do not participate in family therapy because the vast majority of therapists consider such children too young to articulate their feelings or understand complex patterns of behavior. Butler thinks otherwise, as she perfects her skills using an approach called narrative therapy. Often described as “post-modern,” narrative therapy allows clients to put away old, tired versions of the stories they tell themselves [and everybody else] about their lives. Playing more to the clients’ strengths than their weaknesses, the approach urges clients to see themselves as much more than the presenting problem and to identify ways in which they are already taking steps

Whether your child is experiencing anxiety, frequent tantrums, challenges in school, changes in their mood, friendship difficulties, trauma, low self-esteem, or they are processing family changes, I can help. I have extensive experience working with children in mental health clinics and in school settings. I’ve completed intensive postgraduate clinical training in Child and Adolescent Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. I have advanced training in Play Therapy, and I hold certificates in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and the Creative Arts Therapies. But most importantly, I can help your child express their feelings, uncover bravery, and begin to heal.