Children & Adolescents
Anxiety
I work with many children, adolescents, and college students who experience high levels of anxiety. Whether the anxiety is in specific situations, such as test-taking, or occurs throughout the day, I employ scientifically supported treatments that give clients specific and practical tools to manage and overcome the anxiety that interferes with school, friendships, and family life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most helpful non-medication treatment for anxiety in children and adults. In particular, Exposure Therapy is the most effective technique for all types of anxiety. I am an expert in the use of exposure therapy. Here’s a short video on how it works.
Independence Therapy for Child Anxiety (as featured in the New York Times)
While cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective for treating child anxiety, there may be a more straightforward and quicker solution. I have pioneered a treatment for child anxiety based on increasing Independence in kids and adolescents. Here is an article in the New York Times I co-wrote about it, and here is a longer one in Profectus magazine.
It involves meeting with kids and parents and finding out what sorts of fun and exciting activities they are interested in doing without adults. We then plan at least one such activity per day. This is what I call a “mega-dose” of independence. Independence Activities (IAs) give kids wonderful opportunities to learn resilience, social skills, self-confidence, and persistence, and quite possibly reduce and even prevent anxiety.
Invited Lecture at NYU
To book me as a speaker, please email
drcamilo.ortiz@gmail.com or text 9173249503
Behavior Issues/Parent-Child Conflict
Does your child have “big feelings" and difficult-to-manage behavior? I work with many parents who find their child's behavior frustrating and unmanageable. They end up yelling and scolding more than they want to.
Some parents who see me have children who are doing quite well and just need a "parenting tune-up", which often entails just a few sessions to get some mild behavior under control. Other parents have children who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional-Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder (CD), or School Refusal and need more intensive assistance.
Parents are also increasingly indicating that they have noticed a lack of motivation and persistence in children. Many children only seem to want to play video games and they melt down when limits are imposed. Help for this cluster of behaviors is also available. Here is a helpful article on how much screen time is too much.
We will come up with an individualized plan to not only reduce misbehavior but also improve your relationship with your child so that the good times far outweigh the times that you feel overwhelmed and angry. If you are tired of yelling and using discipline techniques that don't work, I can help.
Have a preschooler who might have ADHD? Read this great post about the correct way to assess and treat ADHD in preschoolers.
Depression
Depression in both boys and girls has increased alarmingly in the past ten years. Depression in children and adolescents can confuse and frustrate every family member. Sometimes depression begins in response to a particular event, and sometimes it seems to come out of nowhere. Left untreated, depression can worsen and even lead to thoughts of suicide. I am trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), both of which are thoroughly supported by science as effective treatments for depression. One of the techniques that is most helpful for depression is called Behavioral Activation. Here’s a short video on behavioral activation.
Nighttime and Daytime wetting
I have expertise with children who wet their beds at night (nocturnal enuresis) or during the day (diurnal enuresis). Treatment is often straightforward and can greatly impact a child's self-confidence and peer relations. If your child is older than five and having wetting problems, don't wait for him or her to "grow out of it." Only about 15% of children per year do so.
Soiling Problems
Accidental soiling (encopresis) is more common than many realize and incredibly disruptive to families. Most families are told to give their child laxatives without guidance about the next steps. Encopresis almost always has a behavioral component, so a psychologist can be incredibly helpful. Unfortunately, almost no psychologists have expertise with encopresis, but I can help you develop an individualized, science-based treatment plan for successfully treating this condition. Very often, withholding plays an important role in encopresis, and behavioral strategies can be highly effective. Behavioral treatment for encopresis has been shown to have a higher than 80% success rate. I not only treat encopresis in my clinical practice but am one of the few psychology professors who conduct research on the topic, so you can be sure you are getting cutting-edge help. I’ve been treating encopresis successfully for almost 30 years, so you will be in experienced hands.
Sleep & Bedtime Problems
I have expertise in helping parents whose children experience insomnia or simply won't go to sleep when asked to do so. Children may protest, stall, tantrum, and repeatedly come out of their room. These behaviors can disrupt many aspects of a family's functioning. We can come up with an effective approach that works for your family. I have published a number of peer-reviewed research studies and professional scientific presentations in this area, so you can be sure to receive the latest and most effective help.
Picky Eating
Up to 10% of parents report that their children are picky eaters, often turning every mealtime into a battle or into a routine of providing a very limited roster of foods (for example, chicken nuggets, pancakes, and tater tots). Behavioral treatment for picky eating is quite effective and can be accomplished in 5-10 sessions.
Disorganization and Planning Problems
Many children with ADHD and even some who do not have ADHD have problems organizing their school materials and planning ahead. This can lead to disengagement from school and constant frustration from parents. ADHD treatments have not traditionally helped with organization and planning problems. New research has shown that a program aimed at building children and adolescent planning and organization skills can make a huge difference in school performance and family frustration. Few psychologists are trained in this new treatment but I have been trained by the developers of the program and can help your child with these problems.