Children and teenagers do not always have the words to explain what they are feeling.

 

Fear, anxiety, stress, sadness or overwhelm may instead show up through behaviour, withdrawal, difficulties at school, sleep problems, anger, physical complaints or changes in confidence.

 

I work with children from the age of 7, teenagers and parents, offering a supportive and age-appropriate therapeutic space where difficulties can be explored safely and at a pace that feels manageable.

 

My approach is integrative and tailored to the individual child or young person, rather than expecting one type of therapy to suit everyone.

 

Therapy for Children

Children often communicate distress through behaviour before they are able to put their feelings into words.

 

A child who appears angry, challenging, withdrawn or unwilling to engage may be struggling with feelings they do not yet understand or know how to express.

 

Therapy can help children recognise emotions, understand what happens in their mind and body when they feel overwhelmed, and develop practical ways of coping.

 

Depending on the child's age and needs, sessions may include talking, drawing, stories, imagery, games, role-play, relaxation exercises and simple cognitive-behavioural strategies.

 

I may support children experiencing:

 

• anxiety and excessive worry

• low confidence or low self-esteem

• fears and phobias

• sleep difficulties

• anger and emotional outbursts

• challenging behaviour

• difficulty managing emotions

• school-related anxiety

• exam or academic stress

• difficulty concentrating

• low motivation

• grief and loss

• trauma or frightening experiences

• parental separation or divorce

• selective mutism

• nail biting

• hair pulling

• skin picking and other repetitive habits

 

The aim is to help children feel more confident in understanding and communicating their emotions while developing skills they can use outside therapy.

 

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Therapy for Teenagers

The teenage years can bring significant emotional, social and academic pressures.

 

Young people may be managing school expectations, friendships, relationships, identity, body image, social media, family changes and uncertainty about the future at the same time as they are developing greater independence.

 

Some teenagers find it difficult to talk to parents or teachers about what they are experiencing.

 

Therapy can provide a confidential and non-judgemental space where they can begin to make sense of what is happening.

 

I may support teenagers experiencing

 

• anxiety and overthinking

• social anxiety

• low mood

• low confidence or self-esteem

• school or exam stress

• perfectionism

• difficulty concentrating

• sleep difficulties

• anger or emotional overwhelm

• friendship difficulties

• bullying

• grief

• trauma

• fears and phobias

• body-focused repetitive behaviours such as hair pulling, nail biting or skin picking

• difficulty adjusting to change

• family or parental separation

 

Sessions are adapted to the young person's age, needs and preferences.

 

The aim is not to tell teenagers what to do, but to help them understand their thoughts, feelings and behaviour, build coping skills and develop greater confidence in managing difficult situations.

 

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Supporting Parents

When a child or teenager is struggling, parents can understandably feel worried, confused or unsure about how best to help.

 

You may find yourself asking

 

“Should I reassure them?”

“Should I encourage them to face the situation?”

“Am I being too strict or too lenient?”

“Why do they behave differently at home and school?”

“Should I give them space or try to get them to talk?”

 

Parent support can help you understand what may be happening underneath a child's behaviour and identify ways of responding that support emotional development without reinforcing anxiety or avoidance.

 

Depending on the situation, parental involvement may include

 

• understanding anxiety and avoidance

• helping a child regulate emotions

• responding to reassurance-seeking

• supporting confidence

• encouraging gradual independence

• setting appropriate boundaries

• improving communication

• understanding behavioural patterns

• helping children manage school pressures

• supporting therapy strategies at home

 

For younger children, parents may play a more active role in therapy.

 

With teenagers, the balance between parental involvement and the young person's privacy will be discussed carefully.

 

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Anxiety in Children and Teenagers

Anxiety can look different in younger people than it does in adults.

 

A child or teenager may not say “I feel anxious”.

 

Instead, you may notice

 

• stomach aches or headaches

• difficulty sleeping

• reluctance to attend school

• avoiding activities

• repeatedly asking for reassurance

• irritability

• crying

• anger

• perfectionism

• fear of making mistakes

• withdrawing from friends

• difficulty separating from parents

 

Therapy can help the young person understand the anxiety cycle and develop practical skills for managing worries and gradually approaching situations they may have started avoiding.

 

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Confidence and Self-Esteem

Low confidence can affect friendships, schoolwork, hobbies and willingness to try new things.

 

Children and teenagers may compare themselves with others, worry about being judged or become highly self-critical when they make mistakes.

 

Therapy can help them identify strengths, challenge unhelpful beliefs and build confidence through gradual, achievable steps.

 

Fears and Phobias

Children and teenagers can develop fears around many different situations, including

 

• school

• animals

• injections

• vomiting

• travelling

• sleeping alone

• social situations

• speaking in class

• medical appointments

 

Therapy can help them understand the fear response and gradually build confidence through age-appropriate exposure and coping strategies.

 

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School and Exam Stress

Academic pressure can become overwhelming, particularly for young people who place high expectations on themselves.

 

You may notice

 

• procrastination

• difficulty concentrating

• sleep problems

• irritability

• perfectionism

• fear of failure

• panic before exams

• avoidance of revision

• reassurance-seeking

 

Therapy can help young people develop practical strategies for managing pressure, challenging perfectionistic thinking and approaching academic tasks more confidently.

 

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Habits and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours

Some children and teenagers struggle with repetitive behaviours such as

 

• nail biting

• hair pulling

• skin picking

 

These behaviours may happen automatically or become more frequent during stress, boredom or concentration.

 

Where appropriate, I may use behavioural approaches such as Habit Reversal Training to help the young person recognise triggers and develop alternative responses.

 

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Trauma, Grief and Difficult Life Experiences

Children and teenagers can be affected by experiences such as bereavement, parental separation, illness, bullying, accidents or other frightening events.

 

They may not always talk directly about what has happened.

 

Changes may instead appear through sleep, behaviour, anxiety, anger, withdrawal or difficulties at school.

 

Therapy provides a supportive space to help young people understand their emotional responses and develop ways of coping with difficult experiences.

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Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts and Significant Low Mood

Some young people may experience significant emotional distress, including self-harm or thoughts about not wanting to be alive.

 

These concerns require careful assessment and appropriate safeguarding.

 

Therapy may form part of a wider support plan involving parents or carers, the young person's GP, school or other healthcare professionals where appropriate.

 

Therapy sessions are not an emergency service. If a young person is at immediate risk of harming themselves or someone else, call 999 or attend the nearest A&E department.

 

For urgent mental health advice in England, NHS 111 can also provide guidance.

 

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What Happens in the First Session?

The first session provides an opportunity to understand what has been happening, what support is needed and what the child or young person would like to be different.

 

With younger children, parents are usually involved in providing some background information.

 

With teenagers, we will also discuss confidentiality and how information will be shared with parents or carers.

 

The aim is to create a clear and collaborative plan that takes account of the young person's needs, developmental stage and circumstances.

 

Therapy in Harrow and Online

I offer face-to-face therapy for children and teenagers from my practice in Harrow, North West London.

 

Online therapy may also be suitable for some young people depending on their age, needs and ability to engage comfortably through video sessions.

 

If you are concerned about your child or teenager and would like to discuss whether therapy may be helpful, please get in touch.