Bringing your child to a psychologist doesn't mean you've failed at being a parent. Rather,  it means you recognize that your child is challenged or hurting and needs to get some type of assistance.  At Smoot Psych, we believe that every child and family wants to succeed, but perhaps has become stuck in negative patterns, has become discouraged, or just has not yet found the most effective solutions to their problems.  You may recognize one of the common problems illustrated below:  

"There's too much tension at home.  We're always fighting over homework and chores."

"She has always gone through ups and downs, but lately she hasn't been able to snap out of this down period.  She's been withdrawn for weeks."

"I just want him to feel more hopeful and happy about school.  If there is some obstacle holding him back I want to find out what it is."

There are many ways a psychologist can assist you or your child.  We advise you to consider talking with a psychologist when your child or adolescent is . . .

*  Depressed

*  Anxious

*  Having problems controlling anger

*  Getting into trouble at school or at home

*  Having problems with friends or

*  Dealing with a major life change such as separation, divorce, death, or relocation

 All children go through short period of sadness, irritability, or difficulties with family, friends, or school.  However, when problems persist, it's time to get help.

 How We Can Help

 We describe ourselves as "coaches."  Just as a coach would help a team do the best it can, we help kids and families be more successful.  At Smoot Psych, we use a variety of approaches to help children and families overcome obstacles and reach their goals. 

             Individual Therapy - Meeting one-on-one with your child to identify strategies and work on skills that will lead to improvement

             Family Therapy - Meeting with all or a subset of family members to minimize relationship patterns that interfere with family goals and to maximize  strong, positive behaviors and relationships.

             Group Therapy - Meeting with same-age peers who are dealing with similar problems.  The group therapist helps them identify and practice important behavioral and emotional skills in the group as well as between group sessions.

             Parent Groups - Meeting with several sets of parents to learn more about the obstacles your child might experience and to learn more effective ways of parenting your youngster.

Contact Smoot Psych to learn more about this service.