Working With Children and Adolescents (age 3 to 18)

Modality includes individual, family, and/or play therapy.

"There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding." Erik Erickson

Childhood and adolescence are important developmental stages in one's life. In each stage, a person has the opportunity to explore, learn and master developmental skills and tasks. Essentially, children, learn to trust and bond emotionally with parents/primary caretakers and family. Teenagers learn to discover and define their own identity, develop independence, and build significant relationships outside the family, with friends and peers.

Although all children and teenagers go through transitions with normal challenges and struggles, many of them function adaptively in their daily life. However, sometimes children or teenagers feel distressed due to difficult events in their lives such as family transition, parental conflicts, separation or divorce, peer relations, parent-child relationship, trauma or abuse, or grief and loss. Subsequently, they may experience: fears; anxiety; sadness or depression; anger or temper tantrums; mood swings; defiance, separation anxiety; low self-esteem; regressed behaviors; self-abusive behaviors; or academic problems.

How Can I Help?
I provide a safe, nurturing environment for them to express feelings, learn coping and problem-solving skills, and recognize and build on their strengths and resilience. Through therapy, they can master their developmental tasks and move on to their next developmental stages with self-confidence, self-assurance and good adjustment. I’m also experienced in working with parents and their adopted children who have adjustment and emotional bonding issues, and children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Family therapy: I help family understand family dynamics and interactions and family roles, and communication patterns. The treatment goals are to reduce stress, resolve conflict, and improve relationship, and maintain family harmony.

I use Play Therapy (toys, arts, games, and story-telling) for preschoolers and younger children to help facilitate their expression of feelings and thoughts, and for working through issues.

I provide Co-Parenting Education and Support for separated or divorced parents who are dedicated to helping their child(ren) to adjust to custody or visitation issues and family issues.

I often meet with the parents for feedback and parenting skills discussion, either individually or as a family. However, I respectfully request the parents to respect the child's confidentiality based on the appropriateness of the child's age and clinical issues. With your permission, I also consult with the school and physician to coordinate care.

Psychological Evaluations
To assess emotional and social functioning of a child/adolescent.