Child and Adolescent Mental Health

You say white and they say black? Oppositional defiant children and adolescents have difficult interpersonal relationships. They tend to antagonize others, defy reasonable requests, and live a life of rebellion. Normal parenting methods can fail and leave parents exasperated. They frequently refuse to come to therapy or lead their individual therapists up the primrose path. We have strategies to beat them at their own game. Can’t get them in? Come in without them and block their sabotage.

Is your teenager going down the wrong path? Youth with conduct disorder have antisocial tendencies. They engage in illegal activity, use drugs and may be in a gang. They have high probability of coming into contact with law enforcement. They may have little regards for others and little empathy. Don’t struggle with these problems alone. It won’t go away on its own.

Have an out of control child? Disruptive behavior may be the common tantrum, lying, social problems, or just being spoiled. Let us help you get back in control.

Siblings can’t get along? Whether it is jealousy or outright aggression, sibling rivalry can be overcome. We can help you avoid the common mistakes parents make when faced with this frequent problem.

Is your child throwing fits? Tantrums are the most frequent child behavior problem, and the most annoying. Have you tried all the typical methods and failed to stop the tantrums? We have a strategy for that.

Does your child have difficulty with peers? Whether it is bullying, shyness, or social awkwardness, problems with peers can have a devastating effect on children. If left unaddressed, these problems can snowball into larger problems like academic decline or significant emotional and behavioral problems. It is all to easy to think that things will resolve on their own. If it persists for more than two weeks, let us help.

Is your child hyperactive or has trouble focusing? We have computerized ADHD testing to help diagnose the problem. We can also test to see if medication is having the right effect, speeding up the treatment process.

Something bad happen to your child? Physical abuse, neglect, or sexual abuse can cause long lasting problems in children. Not all therapy is the same. Therapeutic methods need to be adapted to the specific experiences of the child. We can help you know when to try to get your child to talk about it and when to use less direct methods.

Is divorce or separation affecting your child? Children can react in different ways when their parents split. Whether there is a change in behavior, withdrawal, depression, anxiety or alienation, children can heal. Let us help.

Sudden change of behavior or personality in your child? If your child begins acting out of character, it can be a sign that something is wrong. There are many causes to changes in behavior including trauma, social problems, drug use, or the onset of major mental illness. We can assess your child and find the best way to treat them.