Issues Treated in Child Therapy
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I have worked with children since 1998 in various settlings such as an emergency children's shelter, a preschool, a community clinic, and in private practice. Initially, my focus was working with adolescents. Now I see more children in my practice after having my own children. I also got numerous requests from parents for treatment due to my areas of specialty (especially oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD). Additionally, sometime couples I work with need help with parenting, and we may even add a course of child therapy in addition to our couples therapy.
With children, parents are especially integral in the treatment. I see the therapists' role as helping to access the child's thoughts, feelings, and help them communicate this to parents. We use play, drawing, or other activities to elicit thoughts and feelings, and I teach parents how to use these techniques to continue the treatment at home. |
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When anxiety is an issue, I am using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to externalize the anxiety and help the kids to battle against it so it stops ruining their fun, as well as help them access their super powers to be able to sit with anxiety, and to go towards the things they're afraid of, rather than running away from them (exposure therapy). In situations with ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, I teach parents techniques for helping with emotional escalations, and creating structures for success. The attachment based work helps kids turn to their parents during hard times (e.g., divorce, death, medical issues, trauma), so that they're not alone, leading to decreasing depression and anxiety. Together, I help children to overcome their difficulties, be more successful, and help families to be closer and happier. Early intervention is so important, and as a specialist in teenagers, let me tell you, addressing these issues early is a lot easier when the kids are little.
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To make an appointment for an assessment and/or discuss recommendations for treatment, call (415) 686-9544 or email drkeith@drkeithsutton.com I have offices in San Francisco and Corte Madera and provide phone and/or web sessions for clients who can not come to the office.