Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in South Brunswick, NJ.

Children too need tools for dealing with their feelings. It is important to provide them with what they need to cope with all their feeling. It is also important in helping them with issues around self-esteem, bullying issues, and the development of good communication with peers and parents. Children under the age of 18 require parental consent for counseling.

Young children in particular need to feel safe and have fun to be interested in psychotherapy. If not, they do not relax and open up. Instead, they spend their sessions avoiding and denying their problems. Often, the therapist and parent spend wasted time pleading, prodding, and cajoling the child to participate in an honest thoughtful manner. My child-friendly methods are purposely compelling to young children. Many are so excited to come to therapy they run up the stairs and and through the hallway to my office; necessitating me to accommodate other tenants by posting signs discouraging such behavior.

Children, particularly young children, often do not have the ability to express how they feel in words and as a result, express their feelings through behavior-often inappropriate or undesirable behavior such as hitting, defiance, school refusal, and more. Power struggles over homework, getting up on time for school, complying with parental requests are also common problems of children today. Anxious children frequently complain of stomach aches, dizzy spells, and headaches. Working closely with the child and the child's parents, I implement child behavioral techniques and provide the parents' with tools to successfully manage their child's behavior as well as resolve any emotional distress

As a family therapist, I will work with young children, however, this is always done in the context of family therapy. I try to understand what else is happening in the family, and how it may be impacting the child (children). Is there conflict between the parents? Has there been a loss of a loved one? Young children don't always have the language to express their feelings. Parents may also have unresolved issues from their own childhoods which may emerge. Often, much of the work will end up being with the parents, not because they are "bad parents," but because they are the most important people in their children's lives!

I'm the expert on psychology, in general, but you are the expert on your child and your family. No one has logged more hours or years with your kid! If we work together, we'll put our heads together and collaborate to figure out how to help your particular child move forward at this particular time. Getting help now could enable your child to develop a strong foundation and avoid years of suffering. When kids learn how to understand, cope with, and communicate about their own and others' emotions, they are better equipped to build strong and caring relationships.

Wise parents bring young children in for counseling for both preventative mental health, and early intervention before problems become entrenched. I work successfully with young children and their families with eating disorders, behavioral problems, attention deficit disorder, school avoidance and school phobia, difficulties with peers, siblings, and parental relationships. I also work with children challenged or frightened by medical symptoms and problems, and help families to learn strategies to cope and transform the challenges into experiences that lead to strength and family cohesiveness.

I help with children as young as nine years old learn how to feel their feelings and take personal responsibility for them rather than make others responsible for how they feel. And then how to manage, communicate and release their feelings appropriately. I also help children build higher self worth, be more compassionate with themselves and learn how to make better choices.

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.

Young children often need an emotionally safe environment to thrive. Dr. Spada can support you and your child to explore issues your child is experiencing and teach them positive ways to cope. Dealing with issues that may be coming up for a child right away is critical so that they don't have to struggle as adults. Play therapy and talk therapy can help a child explore and navigate what it is they are feeling.