Children & Adolescence
As with adults, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis for children and adolescents provide a safe and private space to explore fears, confusion, hopes, questions around gender, interpersonal struggles, trauma or loss.
In psychotherapy and psychoanalysis for children, a child and I often find ways to communicate about more hidden struggles through their play. Children are sometimes able to speak about things in that medium before they are ready to talk more directly. Therapeutic play can provide a powerful way to address a child’s internal world.
During preteen and adolescent years, profound and difficult questions sometimes arise- who am I? How and where do I fit? How do I find a place with others and hold onto a sense of myself? Struggles in these areas can lead to anxiety and depression. Sometimes pain and trauma from earlier years also reemerge powerfully. Sometimes questions around sexuality can also feel confusing.
How I Work
For children and preteens, I meet with parents first, sometimes several times, to get a developmental history and understand their child’s problems more deeply from their perspective. If we decide that I should meet with their child, I will then meet with the child for a consultation of four to five sessions. Then I meet with parents again to give my recommendations. I do work with parents throughout a child’s treatment. However, my work with a child is confidential. I use my deepening understanding of a child to help parents, but I do not disclose what I child has said or expressed in therapy. In order for therapy to work, a child has to trust that what they say and express will be kept private.
With therapy for adolescents, I usually meet with an adolescent several times before meeting with parents. Generally speaking, meetings with parents are less frequent than with those of a younger child. The frequency of parent meetings with an adolescent treatment depends on a number of factors and I determine this cadence collaboratively with all who are involved. As with child therapy, an adolescent’s therapy must be confidential.
I often meet with children and adolescents more than once a week. Greater frequency often makes therapy with children and adolescents much more effective. If I feel more frequency is needed, I help parents to understand why I am making that recommendation. They can then decide, with my help, how to proceed.