Child Therapist in Chapel Hill and Online
For children and teens dealing with anxiety and painful past experiences.
You want what’s best for your child but don’t know where to start.
Seeing your child struggle is difficult and heartbreaking. When your child is happy and joyful, you light up and feel like you’re succeeding in your role as a parent. But on difficult days, you feel powerless and overwhelmed. You want a relationship that is peaceful and connected, but things have been getting in the way.
Maybe your child or teen is struggling with...
Handling big emotions they shut down, withdraw, stomp around, yell, overthink, or meltdown
Navigating a new diagnosis of ADHD or autism
A difficult experience they’ve been through divorce, bullying, moving, death, abuse, or loss of a pet
An unexpected change a friend moved away, they got a new teacher, or family dynamics have changed
Challenging behaviors slamming doors, throwing things, skipping school, lying, or self harm
Conflict with friends at school or struggles to fit in bullying, cliques, being left out, or struggling with connection
Whatever your child is going through, it feels like it is impacting your entire family and you worry about their future.
You no longer feel like you can attend family events or stores without a possible meltdown happening. You constantly feel anxious that the school is going to call or that your child will come home crying about issues with a friend. You are tired of hearing unhelpful advice from family members and friends and it seems as though none of the parenting books, podcasts, and self help articles have worked.
You didn’t picture their childhood looking like this.
What can therapy for children and teens achieve?
Move from:
Feeling disconnected to your child
Meltdowns at bedtime, homework, school, and family events
Your child struggling with uncertainty and change
Big emotions and excessive worry
Poor communication
To:
Connection and a stronger relationship
Ease and joy throughout the day
Witnessing your child radiate confidence
Ability to handle life’s ups and downs
Age appropriate expression on what they need
Every child, teen, and family we work with is different.
Depending on your child or teen’s age and what brings them to therapy, we will craft an approach that works best for them. Regardless of the approach, we ensure it’s both comfortable and tailored to your child.
Some of the things we will work on will be:
Understanding and accepting feelings
Tolerating change and uncertainty
Improving communication
Preparing for what’s ahead
Restoring joy and a sense of safety
While working with your child in therapy, we see parents as a crucial component in the journey toward positive transformation.
Our aim is for both you and your child to graduate therapy with increased confidence, a robust relationship, and a strong sense of connection. We can’t prevent the ups and downs in life but we can build a solid foundation so that when they do come, you’re both prepared and stay grounded in feeling connected to each other.
You seek a strong bond with your child now, and we aim to help you foster a relationship that will last into their adulthood.
Therapy for children and teens can help your child....
Heal past hurts
Develop coping skills
Build emotion vocabulary
Grow confidence
Connect to family and friends
Improve social skills
It is possible to have days filled with laughter and fun again.
FAQs
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Click this link to schedule your initial consultation with me and I’ll reach out within 2 business days!
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The extent of your involvement varies based on your child's age and the unique needs of your family. Typically, we'll have a check-in at the start and close of each session. Additionally, we may arrange parent sessions, often conducted virtually, to accommodate parents' preferences. Contact me to learn more.
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Yes. I work with many autistic and ADHD children and teens, as well as those who are exploring their neurodivergence. I practice through a neurodivergent-affirming lens, meaning I support clients in understanding themselves without shame, pathologizing, or pressure to mask. I also work to help children and teens recognize “my brain works differently… what can I do to feel empowered living in this world?” Contact me to learn more.
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Anxiety can manifest uniquely in children and teens. Some potential signs include:
Excessive worries
Overthinking situations
Unusual irritability or anger
Avoidance of friends or family
Physical symptoms such as stomachaches, nausea, or headaches
Sleep difficulties
Shifts in focus and attention
Decline in school grades
Behavioral challenges at home or school
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Absolutely, this is an area where I possess specialized training. I have successfully worked with children to navigate distressing events, cope with the loss of family members or pets, and address issues like anxiety and phobias. Contact me to hear more.
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Absolutely! My approach centers around you, your child, and your family. I make it a priority to stay informed about evidence-based practices and also value insights from individuals who are neurodivergent. I will listen and respect your priorities, preferences, and strengths. Contact me to hear more.
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I have training and experience working with children 4+ but am now most often working with children 8+. If you have questions about if your child and I would be a good fit please contact me.
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Absolutely. I firmly believe that for one individual to thrive, the entire 'unit' must also be supported. I offer children and teens a space to process their emotions and develop skills, while also collaborating with parents to create new strategies and enhance their confidence in their parenting approach.Contact me to hear more.
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Certainly. With your permission, I can directly communicate with the teacher or school counselor and align our efforts with the work we're undertaking in therapy. Furthermore, I'm committed to empowering parents to become strong advocates for their children at school. I can guide you in building confidence to collaborate effectively with the school and advocate for the additional support your child may require. Contact me to hear more.
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I think these are both things that are critical elements of working with children. I do not charge for phone calls that are 10 minutes or less. This is usually enough time to answer straight forward questions and solve any schedule challenges.
For coordinating that last longer than 10 minutes, I charge my typical fee - $160 for 30 minutes and $200 for 50 minutes. I will always be upfront about billing so there are no surprises.
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Don't worry, it's totally normal to feel that way when you're starting out! I'll help break the ice and lead the session if you're not sure where to start or what to talk about. And guess what? If you don't feel like talking, we can do something fun instead. We could play a game, draw, jam out to your favorite song, or even watch a funny TikTok. My job is to be flexible and make sure you feel comfy, so we'll figure it out together!