Psychologists in Westport, CT

Child & Adolescent Therapy

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Child & Adolescent Therapy in westport

Child & Adolescent Therapy

We provide individual cognitive behavioral therapy for children and adolescents. In addition, treatment may be informed by aspects of other evidence-based treatments such as DBT, ACT, and other mindfulness based therapies. We also provide consultation to parents as both a part of their child’s individual therapy or as a separate service. Research has shown that parental involvement in CBT therapy improves child outcomes. The degree and frequency of parental involvement will be discussed during the intake session and will vary based on the age of the child, and the type and degree of psychological difficulty.

Diagnoses and Areas of Therapy Expertise

Anxiety Disorders● Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).● Worry.● Social Anxiety.● Separation Anxiety.● Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks.● Specific Phobias.● Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Mood Disorders● Depression.● Bipolar Disorder.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Related Disorders● OCD.● Trichotillomania.● Body Dysmorphic Disorder.● Skin Picking.
Behavior and Attention Disorders● Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).● Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).● Non Compliance.
Eating Disorders● Anorexia Nervosa (with medical clearance for outpatient treatment).● Bulimia Nervosa.● Binge Eating Disorder.● Avoidant or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Health Behavior Change● Behavioral Weight Management.● Stress Management.● Medication Compliance for Pediatric Health Problems (Diabetes, Crohn's Disease, Asthma).
InsomniaSchool RefusalParent-Child Relationship Concerns
Life Stressors● Adjustment to Divorce and Loss.● Procrastination and Perfectionism.● School Change.● Mental Health related to Medical Conditions.● Assertiveness and Self-esteem.
Parenting Consultation

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or “CBT” is an evidence-based, time-limited, and solution-focused therapy based on the premise that much of the pain and suffering children experience comes from negative thinking patterns and associated unhelpful behaviors, which work together to maintain kids’ psychological distress. These patterns of thinking and acting are so automatic that children are not even aware of them, and can affect entire families. CBT is a collaborative approach that teaches children and their parents new ways of thinking (i.e., the “cognitive” part) and acting (i.e., the “behavioral part”) which are more balanced (i.e., less negative) and lead to improvements in psychological well being. CBT empowers kids to problem-solve and cope with their own difficulties while supporting parents with strategies to help their children achieve success.

CBT has a strong evidence base through extensive clinical trials for a variety of mental health concerns, including generalized anxiety and worry, social anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anger, disruptive behavior disorders, and parent-child relationship problems.

Parenting Consultation

We offer parenting consultation and support. This can be provided in conjunction with ongoing individual child/adolescent CBT or be provided just to the parent(s) without their child’s participation in therapy. We empower parents with the knowledge required to be more effective when interacting with their children and adolescents. Parents will learn how to better understand their child’s behavior and emotional difficulties, examine the impact of their own behavior and its origins, enhance parent-child communication, use effective behavior management techniques, learn techniques to help relieve their child’s emotional distress, practice mindfulness, and distress tolerance strategies to help in successfully implementing new parenting strategies, and most importantly help to build the parent-child relationship through perspective-taking, greater understanding, and presence with their child or adolescent.