Child & Adolescent Therapy

play therapy
Growing confident kids

Being a child and adolescent is not easy. Expectations are increasing at school and they are beginning to learn more about the world. Alexa Wernick Psychotherapy is here to provide support to you and your child during these difficult times. Therapy can help to build confidence, teach skills to regulate and understand emotions, and provide a safe space for self reflection. 

As children are in the process of growing and learning, their emotions are often communicated through externalized behaviors. Children display anger, anxiety, sadness, stress, and other feelings through tantrums, screaming, and other behaviors. Here at Alexa Wernick Psychotherapy, I provide child therapy to support your child in gaining access to their emotions and learn how to regulate them. Therapy can support your child in building confidence, learning problem solving skills, social skills, coping skills, and much more. I specialize in working with children experiencing ADHD through teaching impulse control techniques, emotional regulation skills, executive functioning tools, and partnering with outside providers and school staff.

All child therapy requires the participation of families in order to see the most progress. Alexa Wernick Psychotherapy emphasizes actively communicating with families regarding skills being taught in sessions and ways to support your child at home. I will often check in with families at the end of sessions or schedule a separate session to meet with families to discuss more ways to reinforce skills at home.

Adolescents are given more independence at school, learning to navigate social situations with peers and beginning the process of puberty which can all become overwhelming. We often see a decrease in self esteem, an increase in seeking peer approval, and a rise in irritability.  Adolescent therapy provides 1:1 support with problem solving, confidence building, self reflection, emotional regulation and more. Although family involvement is important in the treatment process for adolescents, it is not as often. Adolescents developmentally are able to apply more of the skills taught in session without adult support and place a different value on their privacy.

  • Session length: 45 minutes

    • A 60 minute parent intake session will be scheduled at the beginning of treatment.

    • We specialize in working with children experiencing ADHD through teaching impulse control techniques, emotional regulation skills, executive functioning tools, and partnering with outside providers and school staff.

  • Duration of treatment: varies depending on the needs of the client; tailored to meet each child or adolescent age, level of development, and individual needs

  • Skills taught in session:

    • Anxiety: Feeling identification, Emotional regulation/coping skills, Body/mind awareness, Self reflection, Confidence building, Decrease negative self talk, Build awareness of thoughts. Problem solving skills

    • ADHD: Impulse control, Body awareness, Emotional regulation, Tools for focusing, Organization, Build self awareness, Perspective taking

    • Social Skills: Navigating peer relationships, Communication tools, Emotional regulation, Increase confidence, Problem solving skills, Perspective taking