Anxiety is characterized by feelings of tension, worry thoughts, and physical changes. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented response focused on a perceived threat, Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, for many children, teens and young adults, the anxiety does not quickly go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms of anxiety can interfere with daily activities such as family relationships, school, social life and/or extracurricular activities. There are several types of anxiety disorders, including separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. At the CBT Tools for Life Center, we are all experts in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT),a scientifically proven treatment for anxiety, that helps children, teens and young adults learn calming strategies, mindfulness tools, tolerating and managing intense emotions, how to identify and change negative thought patterns and unhelpful behaviors. We also work closely with parents to help them support their children and teens as they learn new ways to manage their own difficulties. Through learning CBT tools, children, teens and young adults are able to challenge irrational fears, develop healthy thinking habits, and build coping strategies. This approach not only reduces anxiety symptoms but also equips them with lasting tools to manage anxiety independently throughout their lives.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts, images or urges (obsessions), engages in undesired, repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both. People with OCD can have time-consuming symptoms that may cause significant distress or interfere with many aspects of daily life. Fortunately, treatment is available to help people manage their symptoms and significantly improve their quality of life. We specialize in treating OCD in young people, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Strong scientific evidence supports this powerful approach that helps children and youth gradually face their fears and resist the urge to engage in compulsive behaviors. We also work closely with parents to educate them about OCD and how they can support their child or teen through reducing accommodations and reinforcing new, more effective coping strategies. Through CBT and ERP, children, teens, and young adults  learn to challenge obsessive thoughts, break the cycle of compulsions, and develop effective coping strategies, empowering them to manage OCD symptoms and live their lives according to their values and priorities rather than being controlled by their OCD symptoms.

A phobia is an intense, irrational, persistent fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. Even fears of dangerous things such as snakes can be a phobia if the fear is extreme and uncontrollable and interferes in a child’s or teen’s life. Although children and youth with phobias may realize that these fears are irrational or exaggerated, even thinking about facing the feared object or situation often brings on severe anxiety symptoms. We treat phobias and fears using evidence based treatments including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE). These approaches focus on teaching coping tools and strategies and gradual exposure to feared situations in a safe and controlled manner. We use humor and playful strategies to help children and youth confront and reduce their fears, while developing healthier thought patterns and coping strategies and learning to tolerate some level of uncertainty. We work closely with parents to help them understand phobias and fears, and how they can support their child’s or teen’s new coping strategies. Through CBT, children, youth and young adults gain confidence, decrease their anxiety, and learn to manage their phobias effectively, leading to lasting relief and enhanced quality of life.

Examples of phobias we treat include:

• Needles

• Blood

• Insects

• Animals/Dogs

• The Dark

• Getting Sick

• Heights

Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) include any repetitive self-grooming behavior that involves biting, pulling, and/or picking, one’s own hair, skin, or nails, potentially leading to physical damage to the body, with multiple attempts to stop or decrease the behavior. Hair-pulling and skin-picking are among the common forms of BFRBs that we treat at the CBT Tools for Life Center.  We treat these challenging behaviors with evidence-based strategies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Habit Reversal Training (HRT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness Training, Self-Compassion and other empirically supported approaches. These therapies help children, teens and young adults identify triggers, increase awareness of their initial physiological, cognitive, and emotional responses, develop alternative coping strategies, and reduce harmful behaviors. By addressing all of these elements of their habits, children and youth learn to manage these urges effectively, leading to healthier behaviors and improved emotional well-being. In addition, we work closely with parents to offer parents much needed tools on how to manage their own anxiety around their child’s/teen’s BFRBs and tools to support their child’s/teen’s efforts to learn to manage these challenging habits.

A chronic illness is a long-term health condition that lasts at least one year and requires ongoing medical attention or limits daily activities. Chronic illnesses can't usually be cured, but they can often be controlled. Some examples of chronic illnesses include: Asthma, Diabetes, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA), and Crohn’s Disease. Coping with a chronic illness can be challenging for a child, teen or young adult and for their parents.  We help young people cope with the stressors of managing a chronic illness through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), focusing on managing the emotional and psychological challenges that can accompany long-term health conditions. Our approach teaches evidence-based tools including stress management, relaxation strategies, mindfulness, adaptive coping strategies, and effective communication, empowering young people to manage their illness with greater confidence and build resilience to navigate the challenges they face throughout their lives.  In addition, we work closely with parents to offer parents much needed tools on how to manage their own anxiety around their child’s/teen’s illness and tools to support their child’s/teen’s efforts to learn to manage illness-related challenges more effectively.

Includes:

ADHD

Tics and Tic Disorders

Emotion Regulation Challenges 

School Refusal

Depression