Children & Adolescents
Nokdu Therapy is a place where young people and their caregivers can find support to get through difficult situations. Children and teens may respond to mental health distress differently from adults. Depression might look like increased tantrums or irritability, and anxiety might look like more stomach aches or difficulty focusing in school. Some things to look out for might include:
Increased interpersonal conflict (with you or with others)
Less motivation in school
Difficulty sleeping
Changed appetite
Different sleep patterns
Social withdrawal
Heightened irritability
Increased frustration with self and/or others
Tearfulness
There’s nothing to lose to see if there is something going on in the young person’s life, and to identify what might be contributing to their distress. We can support you and the young person in navigating issues such as:
Anxiety + stress
Depression
Angry outbursts
Tantrums
Difficulty in school
Selective mutism
Trauma
Wetting the bed
Identity crises
Interpersonal conflict
Feeling like an outsider or feeling misunderstood
Changes in their environment like moving, parental separation, etc
Neurodiversity (ADHD, Autism Spectrum)
When working with children 5-10 years old, we require a combination of individual sessions with the child, collateral sessions with the caregiver(s), and family sessions with both. Research indicates for this age group that this is the most effective way to support the young child in achieving positive change. For young people 12 years old and up, we collaborate with the young person to determine what is the most appropriate combination of individual, collateral and family sessions. In addition to the evidence-based treatment detailed in on our “Methods” page which you can locate at the top of this page, we also use a combination of relational strategies, creative exploration, play, and environmental approaches to support the young person in obtaining their goals.