Therapy for Young Children (2–6)

Laughing adult giving their child a piggy back ride.

Like the rest of us, young children also experience stress, anxiety, depression, and difficulty coping with everyday life. Here at RRA, we understand that little ones need more than ‘co-regulating’ to learn how to cope!

Often, those self-regulations difficulties show up in children’s behavior. Intense feelings can be tough for little people to manage, and highly stressful for parents too. Early interventions that focus on skills training have been shown to be very effective for young children. We can help them learn to self-regulate so your family can get back on track.

For our youngest patients, the key to treatment is to work closely with the family as a team. Parents are important partners if a child is to meet his/her treatment goals. Therapy with a young child may look like games (and yes, it is fun!) but play-based techniques teach the child critical skills like managing frustration or coping with stress.

We can also provide evidence-based parent coaching designed to help children at home and school. Our personalized support is custom designed through listening to you. We want to understand your little one as a whole person, but also to fully understand your goals as a parent.

Importantly, we also help when a little one is struggling to cope with the demands of school. It is actually very common for younger children to have adjustment difficulties. Many are even ‘counseled out’ due to these struggles. Much of the time, a skilled therapist can intervene, both by helping the child develop lagging skills and working collaboratively with school/childcare professionals to provide the right supports. We love to consult with preschools and daycare centers to help identify and implement the child’s support needs.

Therapy helps young children with:

  • Coping with strong feelings (anxiety, stress, sadness, frustration)
  • Reducing meltdowns, tantrums, or aggressive behaviors
  • Socializing—to play, enjoy social events, and make and keep friends
  • Learning coping skills, including how to be flexible and resilient
  • Coping during stressful situations (e.g. tolerating medical/dental treatments, going to school, divorce, adoption, family stress)
  • Connecting with others and increasing positivity in relationships

In-person therapy and teletherapy available.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help or to schedule an appointment.

301-581-1120