play. connect. thrive.
Therapy for children in Oak Park IL
Virtual in Chicago and across Illinois
Child Therapist offering full evaluations as well as ongoing therapy for children with ADHD, anxiety, friendship challenges, meltdowns, big feelings, and sibling conflict.
Parenting can fill your heart when you see your child shine and be heartbreaking when you see them struggle.
Are you concerned that your child…
struggles to to handle day to day expectations
reacts with big feelings to any frustration or disappointment
feels afraid and nervous most of the time
creates a power struggle in almost any situation
resists getting ready for school, mealtimes, bedtimes
feels unhappy and isn’t enjoying things in same the way
struggles at school and you are getting frequent phone calls
You love your child so much, but it is so hard for both of you right now.
You see your friends' families and it just doesn’t look like what happens in your house. You wake up determined to have the day go smoothly and to show your child patience. But by the end of breakfast that feels impossible.
You avoid certain outings because you are worried your child might have a meltdown. Family gatherings are not fun anymore because you receive so many unhelpful suggestions or feel judged when your child is having a hard time.
It feels impossible to balance all of your responsibilities because your child just seems to need so much from you. You have read parenting books, listened to podcasts, talked to friends, but you are more confused than ever. It is affecting your sleep, your relationship with the rest of your family and you feel fear about what the future holds for your child.
What if your child…
Used positive coping skills when they are upset?
Learned to be more flexible?
Took part in your family’s everyday routines?
Helped out with chores around the house?
Developed skills to make friends and do well at school?
What if you…
Knew what to do and say when your child was upset?
Understood your child’s behavior and felt empowered to take action?
Felt warm and loving rather than frustrated and angry?
Went to bed feeling positive and confident about your parenting?
Woke up hopeful about how the day would go?
How therapy works
Your child can learn to manage big feelings.
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We always start with a thorough evaluation that will help us as a parent-child-therapist team create a plan for how to move forward. I want to support your goals as a parent and to help you understand what might be contributing to your child’s difficulties. For example, day to day it might feel as though your child struggles with anger, but through the evaluation we might discover that your child is experiencing a lot of anxiety. Or you might be getting a lot of phone calls from your child’s teacher reporting that your child is disruptive in class. We might discover that there is a possible learning struggle and it is contributing to feelings of frustration and poor self esteem.
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Kids always prioritize fun and do not always want to talk about hard things. Fun and play are a great place to start. Whether it is pretend play or playing a board game, engaging in something they enjoy lets me connect with them. Building a trusting relationship where your children can experience feeling valued for all of who they are is essential. Once we have established this trust, children are more open to talking about what is hard and exploring new ways of handling situations.
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While play will always be a part of a session, I also bring in learning and skills to target areas where they are struggling. A guiding idea for me when working with children is that they do not want to struggle, have friendship conflicts, or behave in ways that angers their parents - so why do children behave the way they do? I believe it is because of child development and a lack of skills. When we teach these skills, children are able to be more successful.
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Family involvement is an essential part of providing therapy for children. Children will typically spend an hour a week in the office with me, but the rest of the time at home and at school. I believe that parents have tremendous power and influence with their children. So, working with parents to modify their parenting approach will help their child to make and sustain change outside of the office.
Therapy for children can help to…
Identify the core difficulties that are getting in the way of your child being their best
Improve your connection with your child so you can be their advocate and biggest support
Improve your child’s ability to label and talk about their feelings so they aren’t acting those feelings out through difficult behavior
Improve your child’s ability to handle the day to day frustrations so meltdowns are less intense and less frequent
Capture time and energy back for work, other relationships and yourself
Rediscover fun and playfulness with your family
Frequently asked questions about therapy for children
FAQs
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Reach out and schedule a free consultation. This will give us an opportunity to see if we are a good fit. From there we can schedule your first appointment. Sessions can be virtual or in person. Learn more.
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I understand that starting therapy for your child is a big decision. It can also be difficult to figure out scheduling and is an added cost. These are the reasons that I begin with a complete evaluation. Once we complete the evaluation I will give you an honest answer about whether therapy (and what kind) is a good fit for your child. Learn More
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I do! I have completed extra training to learn how to treat children with anxiety. I am able to use Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Please see my Anxiety Therapy page for more in depth information if you have a child struggling with anxiety. Learn more.
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This is another area where I have had specialized training. If you suspect your child has ADHD, I offer a full diagnostic evaluation and can provide you with recommendations and referrals. Therapy for children who struggle with impulsiveness, sensitivity to rejection, emotional reactivity, learning and sticking to routines, and difficulty at school. However ADHD shows up for your child and in your family there are many strategies we can implement to help. Learn more.
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This is another area where I have had specialized training. I have seen children living through the loss of a parent, grandparent, pet, home, and community. Please see my Grief Therapy page for more in depth information. Learn more.
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We will likely do a quick check in at the beginning or end of your child’s session. We will also schedule parent sessions. How often we meet will depend on what your child and your family need. Often parents prefer to do these virtually. Learn More
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This is one of the things we can talk about in the evaluation process. Typically the goals of mental health therapy and OT are different. It is also important to have a clear understanding of what is contributing to your child’s difficulties as any intervention should target those areas. If after the evaluation OT seems like a better fit I provide you with referrals. Also as we work together if things come up that could be better addressed by OT, I will be honest about that and we can figure out next steps. Learn More
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Yes. Often progress that is made in therapy and changes you are making at home carries over to school. With your permission, I can also talk directly with the teacher and help problem solve school specific issues. Additionally, I am passionate about helping parents learn to be fierce advocates for their children at school. I can help you understand the school system, what to ask for and how to push for more support at school. Learn More
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This is a hard question to answer in the abstract. It will be something we talk about following the evaluation sessions. In some situations, I can give a good estimate of how many sessions are necessary. But in other situations it is harder to know. Either way we will be in close contact about progress you are seeing at home and we will collaborate on how we will know that it is time to wrap up. I view this as an important part of the conversation during parent sessions. Learn More
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Neuropsych testing is a hot topic right now. Sometimes it is necessary and helpful. It is important to know that neuropsych testing is a big investment - it is costly and usually requires several appointments. It can tremendously helpful in some situations. If this is a question you are wondering about, I think is is helpful to talk it through first. I will ask questions such as, what are the goals for testing? Has someone recommended the testing? What will the results of the testing be used for? I can help you understand the pros and cons. Learn More
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I have a strong preference for seeing kids in person. I offer in person appointments on Sunday to try and accommodate busy family schedules. Occasionally, we might do a virtual session if there is a scheduling challenge or a sick family member. Learn More
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I think that these are both things that are critical elements of working with children. At the same time I want to respect my time and expertise. So, I do not charge for phone calls that are 15 min or less. This is typically enough time to answer straight forward questions, deal with any schedule challenges, etc. For parent sessions or school meetings that will last longer than 15 min, I charge my typical fee - $75 for 30 min and $150 for 60 min. I do not typically charge for paperwork or letters, unless it is a complicated situation that would require significant time. I will always be upfront about billing so there are no surprises. Learn More
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There is some nuance in this question. I do not see people who are struggling with an eating disorder. I can provide appropriate referrals in that situation. However, I have experience in providing feeding evaluations with an occupational therapist and speech and language pathologist. In addition, I have training in a treatment model that have shown to be effective with picky eaters. If this is something you are interested in, please reach out and I can tell you more. Learn More