Child therapists in Hidden Valley Lake, California CA
We are proud to feature top rated Child therapists in Hidden Valley Lake, CA. We encourage you to review each profile to find your best match.
Child or Adolescent Issues
Dr. Shawn V Giammattei
Psychologist, PhD
Most of our clientele are families with children or adolescents, many of whom are experiencing gender diversity.
15 Years Experience
In-Person Near Hidden Valley Lake, CA
Online in Hidden Valley Lake, California
Child or Adolescent Issues
Misty Johnson
Counselor/Therapist, LCSW
I work with adults and young adults.
6 Years Experience
Online in Hidden Valley Lake, California
Child or Adolescent Issues
Jonathan Kruger Therapy
Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT
Your child is the most precious vessel in your life, and finding a trusted therapist to address your child’s emotional challenges is one of the toughest decisions a parent can face. Engaging with children in a safe, supportive way has been a lifelong passion of mine. I was blessed to be raised in a household that was joyous, accepting, filled with music, and also filled with children. My mother was a music therapist for children with special needs and disabilities, and observing her connect through music to deeply impaired youth had a profound impact on my life. Her example taught me to understand and engage children at their level, and I have taken those lessons into my therapeutic process, whether it be working closely with troubled children and teens throughout the Los Angeles County Unified Schools district, or engaging with children in my private practice.
My approach to child therapy is two-pronged. First, I seek to engage the child as an active participant in the therapeutic process. Deploying imagination, play, art, music, breathing, dancing, and energy work, the purpose is to build deep trust and communication at a level the child can embrace and that feels authentic to the child’s experience. Since children clearly do not have the communication skills of adults, building this connectivity, sense of safety, and environment of trust is vital. This is often accomplished through transitional objects, such as toys, dolls, and musical instruments. This signals to the child that our communication will take place at a level which is understandable to them, as well as comfortable and trusting. Once this attachment has taken place, it then becomes possible to infuse and suggest different thought and behavior patterns that address the child’s underlying issues.
Building this foundation of trust with the child is vital, but it is often just the first step. The second element of my child therapy practice is to fully enlist the family in understanding, supporting, and resolving the child’s emotional challenges. Clearly, the family and parenting dynamic is critical to the child’s behavior. Yet truly understanding that family dynamic is a sensitive process, especially given the enormous pressure parents are under in today’s world to be, simply put, perfect. My approach with parents is to, first, actively defuse this “perfection pressure.” No parent is perfect, and a key step is to uncover and explore the internal parenting dynamic absent the external pressures parents face today. Another key step is active “re-parenting” where I work closely with parents to identify different parenting techniques that will help support the child’s therapeutic process.
A holistic approach to child and family therapy is critical to long term healing and opening new, positive behaviors. Crafting a trusting, safe, and child-centric environment is a lifelong passion and a key part of my overall practice.
11 Years Experience
Online in Hidden Valley Lake, California
Child or Adolescent Issues
Brad Gilmore
Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, MA
I work with kids and teens ages 8 and up. Depending on age and development level, we use play therapy and talk therapy to help develop an emotional awareness and vocabulary so things don't seem so out of control and scary. As well, I work extensively with parents throughout the process to ensure treatment is most effective. With teens, we tackle common struggles such as screen addictions, social isolation, sexual development, parental struggles, difficulties at school and self individuation.
5 Years Experience
Online in Hidden Valley Lake, California
Child or Adolescent Issues
Baya Mebarek, In-Office Couple Therapy & Online Therapy
Marriage and Family Therapist, Psy.D., LMFT
So many children/teenagers are stressed and overwlemed today ! They often are dealing with numbers of stressors and pressures and lack the soothing skills and problem solving skills/behaviors to overcome them. I take children's emotions seriously, and with empathy, keen listening skills, and a willingness to see things from their perspectives teach them soothing and problem solving skills.
23 Years Experience
Online in Hidden Valley Lake, California