Counseling Teens Palo Alto

Teen Counseling Child Counseling-Palo Alto

Thank you for visiting my page on teen counseling and child counseling; I have over 10 years experience counseling children and teens. Childhood and adolescence is a period of rapid physical, emotional, and social development; these changes can be stressful and may evoke anxiety and other difficulties. Biological and social changes coupled with the stress of every day life and the culture of Silicon Valley may affect children and teens emotionally.

You may have noticed your child or teenager feeling anxious, sad, depressed, or overwhelmed. They may have trouble concentrating, be more irritable, be consumed with fear or worry, or have difficulty expressing their feelings. It is not uncommon for teens on the Peninsula to excel academically, but struggle emotionally or socially.

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone; you know when they are acting unusual, but you may not understand why, or may not know how to help. Some children and teens may act out or engage in self harm while others withdraw. Sometimes the behavior changes are subtle. If you are questioning whether the behavior is normal, the behavior may be symptomatic of a larger issue.

Despite the complexities of children and teens, they are incredibly resilient: they can learn, cope, and heal. My teen counseling and child counseling experience and approach can help uncover the source of your child or teen’s problems, help them heal, and help them reach their inherent potential.

Children and teens sometimes experience grief and loss issues. Counseling can be beneficial for children and teens who are coping with grief and loss. Children and teens can also undergo traumatic events, which can affect them in many different ways. Research has shown that early intervention, especially TF-CBT, is very effective in treating Trauma and PTSD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence based therapy that is a proven treatment for anxiety, chronic worry, depression, trauma, and self-harming behaviors (cutting).

My specialties in counseling children and teens include:

  • Anxiety Disorders: Generalized Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Phobias, and Social Anxiety
  • Perfectionism and Self-Esteem
  • Depression and Mood Disorders
  • Grief and Loss Issues
  • Trauma

In addition to being a Marriage and Family Therapist, I am also a Credentialed Art Therapist (ATR).        Art Therapy can be particularly useful with children because they may have difficulty verbalizing their thoughts and feelings. Young children naturally express themselves through drawing, playing, pretending, and talking. You can see this when they draw pictures, and play with dolls or action figures. Their ability to express and identify feelings paves the way for healing and resolving problems.

I have after school and evening appointments available in my Palo Alto office. Saturday appointments are sometimes available upon request.

Please call me for a free telephone consultation at (650) 529-5188 or through my contact page.

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Teen Counseling Palo Alto