Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy

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 Philosophy

Dr. Will believes that making a connection with an individual is  the single most important factor in therapy. His style is honest and  dynamic, while trying to get to the heart of the issue. Dr. Will works  to guide clients in finding the avenues that are needed to achieve  insight, awareness, and overall well-being. 

When working with children, Dr. Will takes an interactive approach.  Through different activities, Dr. Will cultivates a comfortable  environment for clients to thrive in. Being a father himself, Dr. Will  is able to empathically understand the perspective of both his  child/adolescent clients as well as their parents. With this ability,  Dr. Will tries to make a deeper connection with all aspects of the case.

Through a variation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dr. Will  assists clients in understanding the connection between thoughts,  emotions, and the behaviors that follow. Dr. Will is a believer in the  power of thought and teaches clients to try to understand the patterns  of our thinking. When this awareness is achieved, clients are able to  manage emotions, make clear decisions, and be in control of their  behaviors. 

Although making an official diagnosis has important significance in  the therapeutic world, Dr. Will prefers to save diagnoses for the  entities that require them. His approach is to understand and describe  his clients as individuals rather than to place labels on them. By  understanding who a person is at their core, Dr. Will can then help the  client see how they are functioning and what changes may need to occur.

When Does a Child Need Therapy? 

Children may need therapy for a variety of reasons. Pressures at  school or home can lead to anxiety, depression, or other symptoms. Some  difficulties have been there since birth. If your child is acting far out of his/her regular behavior or is obviously struggling, they may  need therapy.  If you have concerns, please call for an assessment and  Dr. Will can help you take the next step.

Preschoolers & Beyond

There are a variety of reasons in which a young child may need  therapeutic services. These reasons may include, but are not limited to:

• Developmental Delays
• Social Struggles
• Anxiety Concerns (separation, generalized, school refusal, social)
• Low Self-Esteem
• Anger Management/ Overall Emotional Regulation
• Adjustment to Life Changes or Transitions
• Enuresis/ Encopresis

For the younger children (ages 3-7), play therapy is usually the most  effective. Play therapy is a developmental intervention designed to  empower children to use their own abilities to heal and grow. Play  therapy services include:

• Child-Centered Play Therapy
• Parent-Child Play Therapy
• Social Skill Building
• Parent Consultation

Elementary-High Schoolers

As children grow, their needs change and different challenges may  arise. Interactive individual, group, and family therapy are available  to address difficulties with:

• Peer Interactions
• Family Relationships
• Self-Esteem Struggles
• Social Skill Deficits
• Anxiety Disorders (separation, generalized, school refusal, social)
• Depression and other Mood Disorders
• Anger Management
• Disruptive Behavioral Concerns
• Impulse Control
• Adjustment to Major Life Changes and Transitions
• Asperger's and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
• Academic Underachievement
• Learning Disabilities
• ADD and ADHD
• Other Childhood Disorders

Help for Parents

One of the greatest joys of life is becoming a parent. At the same  time, raising children can present its own challenges. Dr. Will provides  parent consultations and support for the following issues and more:

• Raising Resilient Children
• Establishing clear expectations 
• Setting limits
• Creating strategies for behavioral change
• Strategies for ADD/ADHD 
• Sibling Rivalry
• Coping with divorce
• Liaison for school communication
• Referrals to other professional services.