The perfectionist… The kid that sees things in black and white, all or nothing. They push themselves hard and have a harsh inner critic that judges themself hard when things don’t go as planned. Often times we see behaviors such as shutting down, getting extremely irritable, or intense proclamations and emotional displays. Therapy typically revolves around helping them soften that inner critic and learn how to operate in the gray area rather than the black and white extremes.

Defiance. No matter how you approach your child, there is a negotiation to be made, or an argument that ensues, or flat out refusal to complete the requested task. Therapy goals will often focus on finding the underlying cause of the defiance and shifting that into independence, as well as helping the family system work toward collaborative joint goals.

High school students that are experiencing high anxiety around carrying intense loads to keep up with the demands of college applicant requirements, often times including: high academic demands (AP and honors classes), extra-curricular activities (sports, arts, clubs), work, volunteering, SAT preparation, and social engagements. The therapy work tends to focus on how to balance all of these demands while maintaining balance between responsibilities and relationships. In other words, how to stay regulated enough to thrive and nurture friendships and family relationships throughout this process.

Children, preteens, and teens with ADHD all struggling with emotion dysregulation and executive functioning skills. Behaviors can present in many varying forms, such as emotional outbursts, missed assignments, learning disabilities, difficulties in social relationships, impulsive behaviors, lying, and defiance. Therapy often includes regular and consistent parent sessions to help the family learn how to support and achieve lasting results.