New Groups for Children and Adults

Group Therapy at NECBT can be effective for all ages.

Here at NECBT are in the midst of some exciting developments in the arena of Group Therapy.

While we have long been holding an ongoing Children’s Group to help our child patients develop Social Skills and work on their Emotional Intelligence, we are now introducing new groups into our repertoire!

Children’s Yoga, while previously incorporated into our Children’s Group, will now be its own separate entity. Children’s Yoga, once only offered every other week, will be offered for patients within our practice on a weekly basis every Monday at 4:45 pm.
Our Yoga Teacher, Mandee Morris, has completed her Children’s Yoga Training with KAY (Kidding Around Yoga), and makes the practice much more than just slow-movement and breathing. The class is fun as well as useful in guiding children toward mindfulness and our I-CBT based rational thinking.

Is your Child or Teen struggling with Anxiety this School Year?

The 2014-2015 school year is now in full swing. Children and teens are working on assignments, preparing for the first tests of the new year, and also trying to balance different extracurricular activities such as sports, music, theater, and scouts, just to name a few. It is important for our young people to be well-rounded and to be exposed to different experiences. However, on occasion, children and teens can become overwhelmed and anxious in the midst of everything going on in their lives.

Here at New England Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Psychiatry, we know that Anxiety comes in all different shapes and sizes. It can emerge in different circumstances, and at different times for every child or teen.

In some cases, a child or teen may have Social Anxiety brought on by the pressures to fit in with their peers at school. Other children may find that their Anxiety is brought on by test-taking and a fear of failure.

There are many different types of Anxiety, and they are each characterized by different symptoms.

National Suicide Prevention Week

There is always hope and beauty on the horizon. Suicide is not the answer.

According to www.preventsuicidect.org, in Connecticut, on average, one person dies from suicide every day of the year. One person a year dying from suicide would be too many. An average of 365 a year is simply tragic. These deaths can be prevented.

When an individual thinks about committing suicide, these thoughts are often brought on by feelings of hopelessness. Perhaps the individual feels as though his or her circumstances are unchangeable and that their lives will never improve. Sometimes suicidal thoughts may be triggered by major life events, such as the break up of a relationship, the loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. In nearly all cases, it can be said that when a person considers suicide, he or she is unable to see past their current situation into a future that undoubtedly can change.

Those who experience thoughts of suicide are often living with Anxiety, Depression, or a combination of the two. Anxiety and Depression are treatable.

Children and Adolescent Programs at NECBT

The 2014-15 school year has begun. At this time of year, children and teens may find themselves feeling anxious or depressed, either from the new added stressors from school, or even from social situations in which they feel uncomfortable. In some cases, families may be discovering for the first time that a child has symptoms associated with ADHD. Others may simply need help learning how to better manage their stress. At NECBT, we can help children, teens, and their families get on the right track this school year.

Treating children can be challenging. In fact, a child’s brain is not fully developed until his or her mid-twenties. At New EnglandCenter for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy our philosophy for treating children and adolescents is to highly involve the parents and/or guardians. We have had a lot of success with this approach to children’s therapy. Parents are taught the same I-CBT used in individual session as well as how to use evidence based reinforcement techniques to encourage preferable behaviors.  Parents are then better equipped to handle their child’s behaviors outside the office setting. 

For more about I-CBT, a hybrid of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotional Intelligence developed by American Psychotherapist Thomas A. Cordier, please see last week’s post here.