Child Psychologists and Child Therapists in Reading, PA.

In meeting with young children, I believe it is absolutely crucial to take time to develop trust and a relationship in the counseling room for them to benefit from the counseling process. I also collaborate with the parents in providing care that the child needs, as I believe the parents play the most important part in their child's healing and growth.

I see children from the age of four years and up, many of whom are referred for behavioral and emotional difficulties such as frequent and long-lasting tantrums, poor emotional regulation, defiance, physical aggression toward parents or siblings, and/or high degrees of anxiety. In these situations I meet with the child and his or her parent(s), so that I can see the interactions and better discern whether this is a strictly behavioral or a developmental problem. Treatment options may include parent coaching, family counseling, individual counseling (for older kids), referral for psychological or neurological testing, and referral to a developmental pediatrician, among others.

Young children require speciality care. Traditional talk therapy is usually not approach. Most often when working with young children and sometimes even pre-teens and teens, physical interaction is required. This can be accomplished through games or special modalities such as Sand Tray therapy. The clinicians at CHRIS who work with young children infuse play and arts/crafts in the work they do as they help children tell the stories of what is bothering them.

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.

Our approach to helping and counseling young children is focused on establishing positive rapport and trust. We accomplish this through validation of a child's feelings and emotions. We also believe in creating a very warm and caring environment, and work through the use of art and music to make a child feel comfortable. Counseling children requires time and patience, as each child is unique. Most importantly, we work closely with parents, as change is families occurs in a system, requiring all family members to work together on change.

Children communicate in many ways. I use therapeutic play, art and music to support children's self worth and to encourage secure attachments with nurturing care givers. I provide a safe, trusting holding space for each child's unique identity, and also support families in negotiating the sometimes terrifying shoals of parenting so that all family members feel respected and loved.

Children act out on how they feel; if they are having behavioral issues, it is usually because there is something off-kilter with them, or with their situation. If you are able to identify the cause, many times the behavior will significantly subside. Thus, it pays to explore, with the child, what they are experiencing and what might be causing them to feel stressed.