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THerapy for Children

Finding a therapist for mood disorders

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Counseling services are not just for broken people, and there is nothing wrong with your child if you’ve been led here through a frantic search after (another) difficult or confusing day with your kids. Being a human is hard, and sometimes we all need a little support in navigating it in a healthy manner.

It’s a magical time to become a parent and watch these small beings blossom into full-blown people, but like all growth, it can be messy. When the reality of growing up feels heavy or your child requires additional support in expressing or processing their emotions, we are here to help. No matter if your family is navigating trauma, growth, angst, or behavioral concerns, there is healing to be found and we have the tools you need to do exactly that.

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The world within

Even as children, we spend a remarkable amount of time with ourselves. The tone we use and the words we speak to ourselves can shape much of our realities. In even the littlest among us, those inner voices may be difficult to distinguish and balance with the voices of our loved ones and the truths they speak.

If your child is struggling with their inner critic by way of anxiety, depression, or thoughts of ruthless internal judgment, help them create the space now to combat those struggles and support a secure relationship within themselves.

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The world ahead

Anxiety about the what ifs of the future can begin quite early. On scales of a local (in their own lives) or global (the world, universe, life at large) nature, worrying about the future can feel overwhelming to little minds that hold infinite possibility.

Regulating those possibilities may feel difficult. Whether your child is experiencing fear about the potential outcomes of life, or just existential questions that consume their thoughts, we can support their curiosity in a balanced and emotionally aware way- and teach them to do the same.

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The world around

We learn early that sometimes things don’t happen for us, but can happen to us. If there is change or trauma in your child’s world, they deserve the supportive care to work through that.

Receiving that care from a professional in a safe space where the emotions of others become an accessory instead of an addition can help your child to process their own emotions about the things they’re experiencing but cannot control. We would be honored to make that space to question and understand them so that healing and growing can take place.

There is more to therapy than talking

Children do not always have the language to express the difficult things they’re feeling. That’s not a shortcoming, but it can feel like one. Whether your child is experiencing growing pains, uncertainty or more powerful trauma, feeling capable of expression is just as important as feeling heard.

Parents are doing their best to understand their children, but doing so through the lens of adulthood does not accurately convey the experience of childhood. For that reason, the supportive approach in caring for and communicating with children in counseling doesn’t look like adult models.

We spend less time having hard conversations, and more time developing tools and strategies through more familiar routes like play and engagement. Our approach is tailored to your child’s needs upon our first meeting and will continue to evolve as they do.

Experiences we can help with:

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Children feel the same things, differently.

There is no free pass on experiencing the more difficult aspects of life, even for children. While we all hope for childhood to be sunshine soaked and glowing memories to return to for a lifetime, that just isn’t the case for everyone- and even when it is, it doesn’t negate the spectrum of emotions children feel.

Feeling is difficult, and feeling adult feelings with a child’s heart is a complex state of being. There is opportunity in childhood, while the mind is malleable, for rewiring damaging coping mechanisms and turning them into healthy responses.

Making space for your child to normalize their emotions in spaces that emphasize their mental health as a part of their overall health is an empowering way to support a lifelong relationship with their feelings.

You are your child’s most powerful advocate.

Creating space for the needs of your child in response to their expressions and experiences is a powerful gift to offer them. It says, “I see you, I love you and I want to help you love you too.

Asking for the knowledge your children need to thrive does not mean you have failed. In fact it’s just the opposite.

You are showing them profound love.

Children are both resilient and fragile, but we have the power to help them shape a life in which they value their mental health as highly as their physical health. That begins right here.

Frequently asked questions

Childhood is a tricky business.

-Maurice Sendak

FIND A Sacramento THERAPIST WHO WORKS WITH KIDS LIKE YOURS