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Child & Teen Therapy

Understanding and validating the unique needs of children and teens

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Children and teenagers face unique challenges and pressures that can be difficult for parents and caregivers to understand. I provide specialized individual therapy services for children and teenagers (12 years old+), offering them a safe space to understand and navigate these challenges as individuals.
 
Children and teens are coping with numerous changes, including hormonal, social and emotional changes, while also trying to understand who they are and their place in the world. Additionally, they face pressures from school, family life, relationships, social media and more.

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Why Children and Teens Might Seek Therapy:

  • School pressure/stress 

  • Bullying 

  • Behavioural issues

  • Societal pressures 

  • Relationship challenges 

  • Emotional Regulation 

  • Neurodivergence 

  • Isolation

  • Perfectionism 

  • Self-criticism 

  • Anxiety

  • Depression 

  • Social media/screen issues 

  • Trauma

Benefits of Child & Teen Therapy:

Many young individuals struggle with understanding and managing emotions. One key benefit of therapy is the development of enhanced emotional regulation. Through therapy, children and teens learn to recognize and understand their own emotions as well as those of others. This emotional understanding leads to improved behaviour, resilience and self-esteem. The skills they learn in therapy equip them with a toolkit of positive coping strategies to draw on when faced with challenges. 

 

Therapy helps build stronger relationships by promoting healthier interactions with family and peers. This supportive environment contributes to the development of resilience, enabling young individuals to bounce back from challenges and setbacks with greater ease. It can also help youth to cope more effectively with academic and social pressures by reducing stress and anxiety.

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Creating Stronger Family Relationships 

Children and teens can benefit from their family members being involved in the therapeutic process. When working with youth on their own, I draw from various therapeutic modalities, such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). When involving parents/caregivers in therapy, I mainly use Emotion-Focused Skills Training (EFST), a family therapy model, to address family dynamics and relationships. 

 

EFST offers a structured yet flexible approach to addressing family conflict, communication problems, and life transitions such as a new sibling or divorce. It supports parents in navigating their own and their children’s emotions and becoming aware of, understanding, and working with the emotions that drive challenging behaviours. Parents also learn to create healthy boundaries, set effective limits and expectations, and strengthen relationships within their family. 

Therapy provides a safe, caring, and nonjudgmental environment for children and teens to work through their struggles and develop coping skills,  individually and/or with their parents. Working with a specialized professional, children and teens can receive support to express their thoughts and feelings and learn to navigate life's challenges.

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Book your online appointment now!

Book your in-person appointment now!

©2023 by Cathy Dubrofsky Psychotherapy

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