Child
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an evidence-based therapy for children and teens to meet life challenges. The focus of treatment is on how thinking and behaving impact emotions. Our child experts will help your child identify their automatic negative ‘thinking traps,’ provide guidance on changing their thinking, and provide practice opportunities to develop mastery. We also provide homework assignments between sessions to help your child learn self-help skills with negative thinking patterns and behaviors.

We encourage children to test out ways to challenge their ‘thinking traps’ between sessions, so they can learn self-help skills to increase their self-efficacy in dealing with emotional issues. An important goal of therapy is to prepare children to expect challenges and emphasize the continued practice of these skills to assist in stressful times. Our child clinicians are trained in CBT, trauma-focused CBT, parent skills training, and family therapy.

Greenwich Psychology Group provides pediatric CBT therapy in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Manhattan, New York.

What Does CBT Do for Kids?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques help kids understand how anxiety impacts their feelings and behaviors. Untreated anxiety usually worsens because children learn to avoid anxiety-provoking situations, which is helpful in the short term. However, as the child avoids the situation, the stress worsens and can take hold of your child. One of the most effective treatments is CBT is to recognize that the anxiety is separate from them. At GPG, we encourage kids to name their anxiety. Some children call it the ‘bully brain,’ whereas others call it Mr. Scary. A child clinician will help your child learn skills to handle Mr. Scary, helping your child conceptualize that they control the anxiety rather than the other way around. Through consistent sessions and at-home exercises, children begin learning how to respond to situations differently to lessen stress. CBT can improve your child’s anxiety, mood, and behavior.

Children will develop habits to help them control:

• Self-defeating thoughts.
• Tantrums.
• Defiance.
• Impulsivity

Your child will instead learn how to replace negative thoughts with alternative ways of thinking, learn new coping skills, increase self-control, and improve self-esteem. The therapist will provide tangible ways for your child to feel empowered and take control over their responses, feelings, and behaviors.