Child & Adolescent Therapy

Just like adults, children and teenagers can experience stress, self-esteem issues, and mental illness. Children and adolescents build social skills and emotional intelligence as they grow, which often leads to healthy, happy lives. But some kids have emotions or experiences that get in the way.

Each phase of development brings specific challenges. Mental health conditions can make it harder for children to work through challenges on their own, and mental health concerns may arise due to events or experiences in a child’s life. These could have been traumatic events, such as being bullied. They can also be routine, like moving to a new home. Every child responds differently to life changes. However, some events that may impact a child or teen’s mental health include:

New sibling(s)
Death of a loved one, including family members, friends, and pets
Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
Poverty or homelessness
Natural disasters
Domestic violence (even if the child was sleeping or didn’t witness it)
Moving to a new place or attending a new school
Being bullied
Taking on more responsibility than is age-appropriate
Parental divorce or separation

Playing, drawing, building, pretending, and talking are important ways of sharing feelings and resolving problems. Children, like adults, want to feel comfortable, safe, and understood. Children and teens can get emotional support, learn to resolve conflicts, understand their feelings and problems, and try new solutions.