HELPING OUR FUTURE

Child and Teen Therapy to Help Your Child Navigate Life’s Challenges

does my child need therapy?

We understand being a parent can be hard work!

It’s okay to seek professional help to support your child in navigating the challenges of today’s world.

child and teen therapy in Berkeley California and Online

Many parents make the mistake of believing that children have nothing to worry about. But while they may have not matured quite yet in responsibilities like going to college, starting a career, buying their first home, or dealing with marriage or divorce - kids still hurt just like adults, even very little ones.

So, parents: when does your child need to go to therapy? The answer is that it's different for every child.

Children in distress may show many or few signs of their emotions. Like adults, they may withdraw from activities they used to enjoy, become tearful or emotional, or even seem irritable or angry. Or, they may regress to behaviors they previously outgrew, such as bed-wetting or throwing temper tantrums.

Sometimes children need therapy for circumstances where healing is involved. For example, in the event of an unexpected loss, a child may have trouble dealing with grief and sorrow for the first time.

On other occasions, holistic and somatic psychotherapy is extremely helpful in helping build social skills and coping mechanisms for major events or transitions in their life. For example, therapy can help your child deal with a bully at school the next time they are threatened.

How can therapy support teens?

child and teen therapy in Berkeley California and Online

Many teens are dealing with increased pressures to perform at school or the college admissions process, navigating heartbreak and sexuality for the first time, and experiencing community trauma in the form of school shootings, teen suicides, and, most recently, school closures due to COVID-19.

From ages 13-18, it's normal to feel like you aren't reaching your child like you once did. Holistic therapy offers an alternative for helping your teens grow through challenging experiences without subjecting them to parental lectures.

Teens need a voice and a platform, and therapy can provide that platform -- often for the very first time.

Therapy offers numerous benefits for children and teens, providing them with the tools to navigate life’s challenges in a healthy and productive way. Our teen and child therapists specialize in addressing the unique needs of young people through tailored therapeutic approaches. Whether dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, or behavioral issues, therapy can significantly improve their emotional and psychological well-being.

some of the key benefits of therapy for children and teens:

  • Emotional Regulation: Helps children and teens understand and manage their emotions, leading to healthier responses to stress and conflict.

  • Improved Communication: Enhances their ability to express thoughts and feelings clearly and effectively.

  • Boosted Self-Esteem: Builds confidence and self-worth, empowering them to face challenges with resilience.

  • Social Skills Development: Teaches valuable interpersonal skills, aiding in the formation of positive relationships.

  • Coping Strategies: Provides practical tools for dealing with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

  • Behavioral Improvements: Addresses and modifies problematic behaviors, leading to better outcomes at home and school.

  • Trauma Recovery: Supports healing from past traumas, helping them to move forward in a healthy way.

  • Academic Performance: Reduces stress and anxiety related to school, potentially improving focus and performance.

COMMON TEEN STRUGGLES

  • Increased pressure and performance anxiety

  • Dealing with betrayal or heartbreak for the first time

  • Navigating physical and emotional changes in their body

  • Changes in family dynamics or structure

  • Depression and teen suicide

  • Impacts of COVID, domestic abuse, violence and cyberbullying

  • Sex and sexuality

  • Identity and self-esteem

  • Navigating loss

  • Balancing personal needs with family/school expectations and more

OUR SPECIALTIES

  • Child and Teen Anxiety

  • Child and Teen Depression

  • Trauma and traumatic experiences

  • Low self-esteem

  • Lack of motivation

  • Major life transitions, including moving, change in school, divorce, separation, and blended families

  • Identity exploration

  • Panic attacks and test anxiety

  • Anger

  • Grief and loss

  • Communication challenges

  • Personal Empowerment

  • Stress management

  • Shame and guilt

  • Body image

  • Sexuality and gender exploration

By investing in therapy for your child or teen, you’re giving them
the foundation for a healthier, happier future

 

meet our child & Teen therapists

 

Click on the images below to learn more about our therapist!

 

**All psychotherapy services are provided by Life by Design Therapy, a holistic and somatic psychotherapy center founded by Melody Wright, LMFT. Life by Design Therapy welcomes the diversity of all ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, family configurations, sexual orientations, and gender identities.