Individual Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a structured, short-term treatment that helps children and teens understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. It is one of the most well-researched approaches for treating conditions like anxiety, depression, OCD, and behavior problems. CBT helps kids notice unhelpful patterns in thinking, learn how those thoughts impact their emotions and actions, and build healthier ways of responding.
Children often do not realize that their thoughts may be contributing to how they feel or behave. In CBT, we teach them to identify common thinking traps such as:
Black-and-white thinking (e.g., “If I don’t do it perfectly, I’ve failed”)
Catastrophizing (e.g., “If I mess up, everyone will hate me”)
Fortune-telling (e.g., “I just know this is going to go badly”)
Mind-reading (e.g., “They’re probably thinking I’m annoying”)
Dwelling on worst-case scenarios or ruminating about past mistakes
Harsh self-talk (e.g., “I’m stupid” or “I always ruin everything”)
Once these patterns are recognized, we guide children in practicing more balanced thinking. CBT also includes skill-building in emotion regulation, problem-solving, and changing unhelpful behaviors. Relaxation strategies and body awareness exercises are often included to help manage physical symptoms of stress, such as stomachaches, restlessness, or shutdowns. Parents are typically involved so they can help reinforce these tools at home and support their child’s growth across settings.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is the most effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but it is also used for phobias, social anxiety, panic attacks, and other avoidance-based fears. It helps children and teens gradually face the things they are afraid of, while learning not to rely on safety behaviors or rituals to feel better in the moment. Over time, they become less afraid and more confident in their ability to cope.
In treatment, the therapist works with the child and family to create a step-by-step plan for facing feared situations in a safe and supported way. At the same time, the child practices “response prevention,” which means resisting the urge to perform behaviors like repeated checking, asking for reassurance, or avoiding the situation altogether. As children face fears repeatedly without the usual safety strategies, their distress naturally decreases and their confidence increases.
This process promotes three key areas of growth:
Habituation: The body learns to feel less reactive over time
Distress tolerance: The child learns they can handle discomfort
Inhibitory learning: They begin to see that what they feared is not as dangerous as they once believed
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a modern behavioral therapy that helps children and teens build flexibility in how they handle their thoughts and feelings. Rather than trying to get rid of anxiety or frustration, ACT teaches them to accept uncomfortable emotions, refocus on what matters most to them, and take action toward meaningful goals. This is especially helpful for youth who feel stuck or overwhelmed by their emotions, or who have tried other treatments without full relief.
ACT is particularly well suited for neurodiverse individuals, children with generalized anxiety, and teens who are highly self-critical or avoidant. Instead of labeling thoughts as good or bad, children learn to observe them with curiosity and continue moving forward even when discomfort is present. They become more aware of what they value—whether that is connection, creativity, independence, or kindness—and learn to take steps that align with those values.
Skills developed in ACT often include:
Mindfulness and present-moment awareness
Accepting uncomfortable feelings without becoming overwhelmed
Clarifying personal values
Taking purposeful action even in the face of distress
Reducing avoidance and emotional shutdown
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a therapy model designed to help adolescents who struggle with intense emotions, impulsivity, or relationship conflicts. It combines mindfulness with skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and effective communication. DBT is especially helpful for teens who experience mood swings, meltdowns, frequent arguments, or difficulty maintaining healthy peer or family relationships.
In DBT, teens learn how to notice their emotions before they take over, how to stay grounded in the moment, and how to respond in ways that match their long-term goals. Therapy may include individual work, parent coaching, and skills training to support everyday life challenges.
Key DBT skill areas include:
Understanding and labeling emotions
Reducing impulsive or reactive behaviors
Managing conflict and communicating clearly
Tolerating emotional pain without making things worse
Practicing self-compassion and mindfulness
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a therapy model designed to help adolescents who struggle with intense emotions, impulsivity, or relationship conflicts. It combines mindfulness with skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and effective communication. DBT is especially helpful for teens who experience mood swings, meltdowns, frequent arguments, or difficulty maintaining healthy peer or family relationships.
In DBT, teens learn how to notice their emotions before they take over, how to stay grounded in the moment, and how to respond in ways that match their long-term goals. Therapy may include individual work, parent coaching, and skills training to support everyday life challenges.
Key DBT skill areas include:
Understanding and labeling emotions
Reducing impulsive or reactive behaviors
Managing conflict and communicating clearly
Tolerating emotional pain without making things worse
Practicing self-compassion and mindfulness