Our Child & Family Program

The symptoms of ADHD can vary, but typically include the following:

• Consistent fidgeting
• Difficulty waiting for their turn with toys, devices, food, etc.
• Acting on impulse rather than thought or instruction
• "Stream of consciousness" when describing ideas

If you think your child may have ADHD, you should visit a pediatrician, pediatric psychiatrist, or psychologist for an official diagnosis through ADHD testing 

ADHD treatment for children can involve therapy, which is an effective treatment sometimes used in lieu of, or in conjunction with, medication.

Williamsburg Therapy Group also provides assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental conditions to children as young as two years old. ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition more common in boys than in girls, affecting communication and behavior.

Key indicators used to diagnose children with Autism Spectrum Disorder include:

• Difficulty in communicating and interacting with people
• Restricted interests and repetitive behaviors
• Symptoms that interfere with the individual ability to function properly in school, work, and other areas of life
• Difficulty with self-control and disruptive behavior
• Because ASD can be identified at an early age, evaluating the child's development is essential. At Williamsburg Therapy Group, we use comprehensive autism testing that looks at the child's early development, strengths, and concerns.

A child psychologist works explicitly with children and adolescents and studies children's mental, social, and emotional development. They help children cope with life situations such as divorce, death, and family or school transitions.

The children they treat may also have a variety of developmental or learning disabilities. No matter the age, the goal of our child psychologists is to understand, prevent, and help cognitive, behavioral, and social issues in each individual child.

Under the scope of child psychologists, a school psychologist works specifically within a school or educational environment. Their responsibilities include assessing and developing educational plans and programs for individual students under consultative care.

A child can enter therapy at any age, though the therapy will look different depending on age and level of development. The youngest therapy patients are toddlers who have behavioral issues, or who have been through trauma.

At this very young age, therapy always includes the parents, and teaches them new methods for comforting and guiding their child. Therapy at this age will also be very play-focused, and will be centralized on the child's learning and mapping of the world around them.

Children aged 7 to 9 are generally ready for some one-on-one time with their therapist, and may be able to understand and benefit from standard practices like cognitive-behavior therapy. The parents may receive notes or visit with the therapist in order to learn new parenting methods to complement the therapy.

Teenagers can attend therapy that is more similar to standard adult therapy, though it usually involves additional guidance and some differing techniques. 

It’s important to find the right child therapist on the first try. While NYC is home to hundreds of well-qualified child therapists, it never hurts to be sure that you’re picking the one that’s right for your child.

Before choosing a therapist for your child, ask yourself the following questions:

• What kind of behavioral issues would I like to examine?
• What are my goals for my child?
• What are my child’s own goals?
• What are my pricing constraints for a child therapist?
• Which organization near me is the most respected in regard to child counseling?
• Which has the most experienced therapists?

The process of a child counseling or therapy session will vary depending on what the child is experiencing. Some professionals walk the patient through therapeutic situations while other psychologists will try to understand aspects of child psychology like mental health or developmental difficulties.

During each session, our therapists build understanding and connection with the child bringing their vast experience and the highest therapeutic standard.

Some tasks and duties of a child psychologist include:

• Administering neuropsychological testing
• Conducting scientific research on childhood development
• Diagnosing and treating learning or developmental disabilities
• Working with a healthcare team to create a unique treatment plan for a client
• Working with clients to manage behavioral issues