Leslie Baxter
Marriage & Family Therapist - LMFT
Childhood anxiety is one of the issues that is most common in young children and one of the typical reasons that parents bring their children to see me. A young child with anxiety might cry, whine or tantrum more than to be expected, might have trouble separating from you or might even be unable to talk at school or in other social settings. Sometimes children with anxiety even look defiant as they try to control their environment in an effort to avoid their anxious feelings. Some of this might be biologically driven, some of it might be due to life circumstances, but together we can support your child in better managing feelings, and social challenges.
Your child is one of the most important people in your life. We will sort through the valuable information you have as we address your concerns, increase your understanding of the meaning behind your child’s behavior and enhance your ability to respond in ways that will benefit your child, your family and yourself. Bringing your child to therapy takes courage and trust. As a parent myself, I recognize how hard this is and will work with you at whatever pace feels best as we gradually begin this process.
Your child’s primary relationship is with you, so that is where we will begin. Your relationship with your child is the one that will support your child’s relationships with siblings, friends and teachers. Positive social skills are at the heart of school success and your child’s success is a driving force in your family life. Relationship skills are learned through play, so play therapy is at the heart of the work we will do together.
As a team, we can build on your child’s strengths to support healthy social and emotional development, whether your child has emotional struggles, learning differences, social challenges, traumatic experiences or difficult life transitions.
What can you expect to happen when you bring your child to therapy? A play-based assessment is an invaluable place to start. As you are the most important person in your child’s life, your participation in this assessment will give us a great deal of insight into your child’s strengths and needs and the parenting style that works best. Additionally, a developmental history and some sense of circumstances that have occurred over time, will add to our understanding of where to begin our work together. The outcome of this assessment will be a clear action plan, designed specifically for your child and your family.
Skills and Expertise
Child or Adolescent
Parenting
Single Parenting Issues
birth
Blended Family Issues
Behavioral Issues
Trauma
Learning Disablilities
Autism Spectrum
Attention Deficit (ADHD)
Attachment Issues
Asperger's Syndrome
Anxiety
Adjusting to Change / Life Transitions
Treatment Orientation
Developmental
Play Therapy
Psychodynamic
Trauma Focused Therapy
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Modality