Individual Therapy

Individual Therapy

Child Counseling

Many parents seek out child counseling due to concerns about:

 

  • defiant behavior at school or home,
  • aggression,
  • anxiety or worry,

  • getting frustrated or angry easily,
  • and tantrums or difficulty controlling their emotions.

 

Counseling for children looks different than traditional counseling for adults. Many children are not yet developmentally ready for traditional talk therapy, and do better learning and processing through play or art. At Family Roots, we believe that parents ultimately are the most important people in their child’s life and have the opportunity to make the biggest difference. We only meet with your child once a week, while changes you make at home every day will have a more lasting impact. For that reason, individual therapy with children still involves meeting with parents regularly and getting updates on progress at home. Depending on the age and needs of the child, that may involve you joining for part of each session, or having parent meetings once every month or couple months as needed.

Child counseling sessions with your child will be tailored to meet your child’s needs and developmental level. With younger children, therapists will use play as a way to communicate and understand how your child is feeling. With older children, therapists may teach some skills or practice emotional regulation in session. Art and drawing are also excellent ways to encourage children to express themselves and to teach feelings identification, emotional regulation, and expression of needs and emotions.

Our counselors have years of experience working with children and families and will use evidence-based approaches that are tailored to your child’s needs.

Teen Counseling

Teens often come to therapy for issues of:

  • anxiety,
  • depression,
  • school avoidance,
  • defiance,
  • self-harm,
  • aggression,
  • or coping with life change.

For teens, therapy looks a little different than therapy for either adults or children. Teens are able to participate in more traditional “talk therapy” and usually come in with their own goals and needs in mind. Teens often need more control over the process and more privacy than younger children. Sessions are typically more individual counseling one-on-one with the teen.

At Family Roots, we still believe in involving parents in treatment even in the teen years. You will still be provided regular updates on treatment and general themes of how counseling is going, though all of the details may not be shared in order to give your teen a safe space to talk with a trusted adult. You will also have input on your teen’s goals and treatment, and our therapists encourage regular communication between parents, teens, and therapists as part of treatment.

With teens, we take a solution-focused, strengths-based approach. We look for the areas your teen is doing well and the skills they already have and look to build on those. In sessions, we may teach skills for controlling emotions and learning to cope with frustration or overwhelming emotions, or identify thought patterns and beliefs that are keeping your teen stuck. We focus on building trust and creating a supportive relationship where teens can feel safe and open up.

If you have a teen who is struggling, please reach out and schedule an appointment.

Postpartum Counseling

Parenthood is a huge adjustment, and many people experience postpartum depression or anxiety after the birth of a new baby. Postpartum depression can occur anytime in the first year after a baby is born, and can last even beyond that. Postpartum depression/anxiety isn’t always obvious.

  • It can look like anger, irritability, or feeling disconnected from the baby or your partner.
  • It can involve persistent thoughts and worry of harm coming to the baby.

When parents need individual counseling to address postpartum depression or anxiety, we can provide a safe, welcoming space. You are welcome to bring the baby with you to sessions, if needed.

Counseling for postpartum depression or anxiety typically involves learning to identify, challenge, and control anxious thoughts, learning to seek and ask for support from those around you, and having a safe space to talk with a professional. Kaleigh is trained in perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International and is continuing to receive additional training in this area. If you are struggling with feeling depressed or anxious, or just not feeling like yourself after having a baby, reach out and schedule an appointment.

Additional resources for postpartum parents:

  • Our therapists are highly trained in counseling for young children, new mothers, and couples.
  • Our treatment rooms are designed for children to feel comfortable and have fun, with plenty of toys and art supplies.
  • New parents are welcome to bring babies to sessions.
  • We believe that there is no one right way to parent or to be a family, and we respect and honor your family’s values and beliefs.

7346 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97213

1235 SE Morrison St Suite 200
Portland, OR 97213

family counseling