![Sandra Dupont, MA, MS, MFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/sandra-dupont.jpg)
Child Therapist
Sandra Dupont, MA, MS, MFT
Adolescent & Emerging Adulthood Specialist
In 90401 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
The teen years can be challenging, and it is not uncommon for teens to experience emotional imbalance and upheavals during adolescence. As an experienced teen therapist, I can help families address any adolescent phase of life issue you may be experiencing. I have extensive experience working with shy and sensitive teens, as well as diverse, multi-cultural families. If your teen is struggling, I can help you to discover the cause of the problem and address it. I support teens and their parents in finding alternative ways of responding to adolescent phase of life challenges. Schedule a free consultation and allow me to demonstrate the support I can offer your family.
![Christian Holmes, AMFT, EMDR, CSAT-C](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/christian-holmes.jpg)
Child Therapist
Christian Holmes, AMFT, EMDR, CSAT-C
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate
In 90210 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Studies show that our most important years of development are between the ages of 1 and 5 years old. Often what is learned here shapes us the rest of our lives. As any parent knows, a lot can happen in one year with a child, much less five. Fear, trauma, abuse and bullying can have a lasting effect on a child if it goes unaddressed. In my work with your child I will not only help them overcome tough moments but also build resilience for future challenges. If your child is suffering from in emotional or behavioral problems, I'd love to help. You don't have to go it alone.
![Schwarz and Associates, Rebecca L Schwarz, LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/schwarz-and-associates.jpg)
Child Therapist
Schwarz and Associates, Rebecca L Schwarz, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 90240 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Many times parents are at a loss on how to help their young children. Sometimes the parents are worn out from trying to deal with a "Strong Willed Child" and so either become too strict or become too passive. Neither approach helps to raise a child to be a grown adult that you are proud to claim as you child. In our work here at Schwarz and Associates we strive to take a balanced approach to helping parents to learn skills to parent in a way that truly helps them become the adults God wants them to be and you will be proud of!
![Mark Baker, Ph.D.](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/mark-baker.jpg)
Child Therapist
Mark Baker, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
In 91107 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Very few therapists specialize in therapy with young children. Fortunately, we have several on staff at the La Vie Center. Because we have over 25 therapists on staff, we have counselors that specialize in many different areas and working with young children is a particular area of expertise for us. Give us a call and we will find just the right child therapist for you.
![Kristen Caron, MA, MFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/kristen-caron.jpg)
Child Therapist
Kristen Caron, MA, MFT
Licensed Psychotherapist, Eating Disorder Specialist
In 90212 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Adolescents age 12-18. For over 20 years, I have worked with adolescents/teens. Navigating adolescence can be extremely challenging. Some areas of treatment are ( but not limited to) exploration of developmental issues, self-esteem, managing academic stress, understanding relationships with family and friends, developing a healthy sense of self and communication skills in a social media age.
![Elizabeth Celaya, M.A., AMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/elizabeth-celaya.jpg)
Child Therapist
Elizabeth Celaya, M.A., AMFT
Registered Associate MFT
Available for Online Therapy
Having worked in the elementary schools as well as raising six young children myself, I have extensive experience in working with this group. I use a family systems approach to therapy and prefer to partner with parents in the treatment of their children. If family therapy is not a possibility, I will see children on their own, also creating a strong collaborative alliance with their parents.
![Parisa Zivari, M.A. LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/parisa-zivari.jpg)
Child Therapist
Parisa Zivari, M.A. LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 91364 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Every behavior is a way of communication. Children communicate with their caregivers through their behaviors such as (hitting, throwing, kicking, having nightmares, screaming eating too much, not getting along with others, not doing homework, having anxiety thoughts) and so on. In therapy with children I use play and art therapy interventions in order to reduce behavior. I work closely with parents to increase communication and strength the child-parent relationship. I teach and practice reward system, time out, positive communication, boundaries with parents. I attend IEP meetings when necessary.
![Diane Thorp, MSW, LCSW](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/diane-thorp.jpg)
Child Therapist
Diane Thorp, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Psychotherapist
In 91106 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Young children greatly benefit from play therapy, which is a professional form of psychotherapy. I work with children ages 3 puberty and up that will significantly restructure behaviors that will provide relief to parents and caregivers. Structure & consistency is key and disclipline needn't be cruel or overly harsh as many parents have questioned to me through the 30+ years that I have worked with their children. My techniques are based on research with what is called in psychotherapy, evidenced-based-practices; this allows relief knowing that your child will receive help from procedures & practices that have been proven to work, as long as parents or caretakers are invested towards change.
![Dustin Vander Haar, MA, LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/dustin-vander-haar.jpg)
Child Therapist
Dustin Vander Haar, MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 91106 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
My practice is specifically focused on children, adolescents, and young adults. Working with younger children requires a playful insight and I frequently employ play therapy and games to challenge anger, anxiety, and frustrations. Further, through play I am able to work with children on managing social situations, dissapointments, and develop problem solving techniques. Following these sessions I work closely with parents to train on these behavioral interventions in order to further reinforce in the home environment. This consistency and collaboration allows us to more effectively shape behaviors and booste self esteem beyond the therapy session.
![Jeanne Clevenger, PsyD](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/jeanne-clevenger.jpg)
Child Therapist
Jeanne Clevenger, PsyD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
In 91106 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
The inner world of a child is rich with emotion and depth. It can be difficult to watch your child struggle, whether it is socially, academically, or in the home. Child therapy can be beneficial in not only providing current support and problem-solving, but can also serve to be preventative for potential longer-term issues. Young children in particular have a language of their own -- play! I will work with your child using play and art therapy techniques to communicate and develop more effective coping tools to thrive in his or her environment and family.
![Eris Huemer, PsyD, MFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/eris-huemer.jpg)
Child Therapist
Eris Huemer, PsyD, MFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 90048 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
We offer a range of services for young children including those who are going through their parents divorce to being at risk for developmental delays, children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and individuals with adaptive functioning needs and behavioral challenges. Our approach integrates meeting the child where they are at with a mixture of play therapy and evidence-based practices from the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) depeing on the needs of each client and family.
![Audrey Johnson, Psy. D.](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/audrey-johnson.jpg)
Child Therapist
Audrey Johnson, Psy. D.
Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
In 91423 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Does you child have uncontrollable anger? Social skills not up to par? Being bullied or the bully? Having anxiety or depression? An addiction to drugs, gambling or gaming? Often, children and adolescents find it hard to cope and deal with things without professional help. Working with children/adolescents is my specialty. I provide a safe, understanding, and fun environment for a child to disclose how they are feeling through the means of games, art, and talk therapy. Call now for help. Your child is worth it.
![Cristy Pareti, PsyD, MFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/cristy-pareti.jpg)
Child Therapist
Cristy Pareti, PsyD, MFT
Marriage & Family Therapist
In 90266 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Too often therapies are not targeted at children's age levels. I specialize in play therapy with young children. Play therapy is an opportunity for children to express feelings, emotions or trauma in a safe environment. Developmentally, children are not able to adequately express their feelings or experiences in words. Through play therapy, the therapist can interact and help the child to express and heal important feelings related to their experiences. I have specialized doctoral clinical training in play therapy and child therapy. I have found play therapy, combined with family therapy, to be an effective technique to help children with anxiety, trauma, depression, and behavioral problems.
![Michelle Harwell, LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/michelle-harwell.jpg)
Child Therapist
Michelle Harwell, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 90041 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
In my work with children, I utilize play therapy, which creates a secure environment where children can express themselves, try new things, learn more about how the world works, learn about social rules and boundaries, and work through their problems. The process of spontaneous play allows children to resolve the psychological tensions created by stressful events in a child’s life. Children are able to face difficult events because they are using familiar language and reactions where they have control of the play. The new scripts and schema that children create in the Play Therapy room are then generalized to their external environments.
![Kevin Fleming, Ph.D.](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/kevin-fleming,-ph.d..jpg)
Child Therapist
Kevin Fleming, Ph.D.
Coach/Change Agent/Consultant
In 90049 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Many times, child therapists overdo the family system in their quest to seek effective solutions for emotional, learning or behavioral concerns with young children. And many times doctors overpathologize issues that shouldn’t be medicated necessarily. This leaves parents wondering what is the best route for their child? Introducing brainwave optimization technology. A fast, effective, natural, and less expensive way to allow your child's brain to make the optimizing changes it desires to make---on its own! Without any external force, opinion, medication, diagnostic, etc. Contact kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.
![Yeshiva Davis, LMFT, MA, MBA](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/yeshiva-davis.jpg)
Child Therapist
Yeshiva Davis, LMFT, MA, MBA
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
In 90008 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
One of the ways children improve behavior & make positive change is through play. Some of the ways I help kids make change is through: games, storytelling & artwork. I set clear expectations, & create a supportive, fun-loving atmosphere. I focus on strengths: I identify & address problems and then focus on what’s right & how to do more of it. I work with your family, teachers & others to make sure the improvements made are reinforced in all areas of life. Family members are taught tools to ensure your child continues using new, positive behaviors. I help with: Managing upsetting feelings & tantrums; using effective discipline; managing opposition & aggression; school challenges & more.
![Amie Lowery-Luyties, MFT, PPS, MS](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/amie-lowery-luyties.jpg)
Child Therapist
Amie Lowery-Luyties, MFT, PPS, MS
Marriage and Family Therapist
In 90807 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
For about 7 years I only worked with children in my practice. The rest of my practice has been split working with adults and with kids. With kids, its all about their instinct and comfort. If they sense that the therapist isn't comfortable or experienced with kids, they won't engage in the therapy process. I use a variety of techniques working with children, depending on their age. For smaller children, art therapy and play therapy can be very successful for a variety of reasons. The main reason is that it takes the focus off of them and they feel more at ease to talk and be open. For older children who can handle "talk therapy", using simpler language can be effective.
![Dana Fogel-Stark, LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/dana-fogel-stark.jpg)
Child Therapist
Dana Fogel-Stark, LMFT
Marriage & Family Therapist
In 91302 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
As a Marriage & Family Therapist, I have extensive experience working with children and adolescents. I have worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health providing crisis intervention and assessment services to children and their families. It is my clinical approach to conduct an assessment to determine clarity and understanding of the specific clinical issues. It is my belief that treatment should consist of the therapist working closely with the parents and any other professionals working with the child to enhance their growth and improvement in treatment. My goal is to assist the child in improving their emotional, social and academic functioning.
![Olga Aguilar, M.A. LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/olga-aguilar.jpg)
Child Therapist
Olga Aguilar, M.A. LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 90041 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Most of my work has been done with high schoolers and adolecents; however, I do have experience using play therapy and small groups with K-8th graders. As a mother of a child on the spectrum, I was trained in Greenspan's Floortime Approach. This later helped me with working with children of all ages. Play therapy helps children recreate the worlds they live in and helps me, the therapist, understand where they're coming from.
![Rich Painter, M.S., LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/rich-painter.jpg)
Child Therapist
Rich Painter, M.S., LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 91101 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Is your child going through a difficult time or life transition? They may be stuck in a cycle of mood swings or behavioral reactions. It sounds like your child or adolescent would benefit from counseling, and you have the heart and motivation to get them the help they need. I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and offer professional counseling for children, teens, and families. I'm also a certified Family Wellness Instructor. Additionally, I have experience as a student director and teacher and enjoy working with children, adolescents, and young adults in issues relating to identity and development. If you are ready for your child to begin the healing journey, I am here to help.
![Suzanne Greene, JD, MA, LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/suzanne-greene.jpg)
Child Therapist
Suzanne Greene, JD, MA, LMFT
Psychotherapist, LMFT
Available for Online Therapy
Today it is more complicated than ever to be a teen. With so much going on, it’s common for teens and children feel anxiety, irritability, isolation, low self esteem, and sadness. Teens just need someone to talk to, that isn’t a family member about difficult topics they are experiencing. It’s not that they don’t trust their family, but many times teens need a private, non-judge mental space of their own to gain insight. I have extensive experience working with teens and children, even those resistant to therapy. I specialize with teens managing high academic & athletic achievement. Through therapy teens will learn to manage their emotions, reach goals, and grow into healthy young adults.
![Joelle Allman, LCSW](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/joelle-allman.jpg)
Child Therapist
Joelle Allman, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
In 90713 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Young families today have a lot of challenges living in Southern California due to the high cost of living, pressures of family life, and the demands of working. All of these responsibilities can contribute to a high level of stress and anxiety for parents. Many parents also deal with additional issues as having a special needs child, a family member experiencing trauma, divorce and blended families, a defiant child, and possibly marital problems. These circumstances can be overwhelming and difficult to deal with. You may feel alone and hopeless regarding your situation. Isolating, avoiding the problem, and repeating old arguments will not change the circumstance.
![Karine Echighian, M.S., LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/karine-echighian.jpg)
Child Therapist
Karine Echighian, M.S., LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 91364 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Here to help young children have a voice and learn how to best express their feelings and thoughts. Using games, art, storytelling and other tools to help explore and teach your child how to understand and cope with their feelings. Parents are included in sessions, as needed, in order to help the child feel comfortable and safe in the new environment; and also to have parents help facilitate child's progress.
![Parshaw Barati-Marnani, LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/parshaw-barati-marnani.jpg)
Child Therapist
Parshaw Barati-Marnani, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In 91356 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
Best said by Garry Landreth, a renowned child therapist, "Toys are children's words and play is their language". Play therapy is a way of working with kids using their language of play as a means to express or communicate feelings to work through childhood wounds (trauma, anxiety, depression, divorce, grief/loss, etc). Child centered play therapy believes that in a therapeutic setting, children allowed to play freely will resolve their own problems and reach their own solutions. Because this can be a long process, I practice a prescriptive approach, meaning the play is child driven with introduction of clinically appropriate interventions for the individual child and their particular issues.
![Seema Sharma, SEP, MA, MBA, LMFT](https://www.theravive.com/images/counsellors/seema-sharma.jpg)
Child Therapist
Seema Sharma, SEP, MA, MBA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
In 91101 - Nearby to Westwood Los Angeles.
(For Children 12+) Is your child struggling to express themselves or facing emotional challenges? Are you worried about their behavior or sudden mood changes? Look no further! Our dedicated team of experienced child therapists is here to support your child on their journey to emotional well-being and personal growth. I understand the unique needs of children and adolescents. My compassionate approach creates a nurturing and safe environment where your child can freely express their feelings, thoughts, and concerns. Through a variety of evidence-based techniques and play therapy approaches, I tailor each session to meet your child's specific needs and developmental stage