Child, Adolescent, and Family Counseling and Therapy Services

Pathways Psychology Services offers a variety of counseling services for children and adolescents including individual, family, and group therapy services to address a wide range of concerns and symptoms identified in children. We understand that counseling a child or teen requires a relatable and comfortable approach to ensure cooperation and engagement. Our philosophy is to unite the child, family, and therapist toward working together to reach common goals.
Counseling can help children and teens:
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More effectively cope with stressors and problems |
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Improve relationships at home with family |
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Increase social effectiveness and improve peer relations |
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Feel more self-confident and comfortable |
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Feel less depressed and anxious and experience more happiness |
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Improve academic functioning and pursue goals |
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Learn anger management strategies |
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Stop making poor choices with harmful or potentially harmful consequences |
Our therapists and counselors combine research-proven strategies of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with a personal and supportive approach in addressing mental health and emotional problems. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a type of counseling that involves helping the child or teen to explore how their thinking and beliefs affect their problems as well as strategies to effectively manage and change thinking and behavior. This type of counseling can also involve behavioral strategies to increase emotional control and help families provide rewards and consequences to change behaviors and increse cooperation. Therapy can help children and adolescents implement more effective approaches to interpersonal relationships, academics, family life, and overall physical and emotional health. Our counselors and therapists are knowledgeable in specific therapy strategies that are effective with unique problems and combine knowledge and experience in providing the most effective treatments for children, teens, and families.
Click on a selected link to view more information regarding problems addressed. Areas of specialization include:
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Depression, Irritability, and Low Self-Esteem |
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Anxiety: Social Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety |
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Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD) |
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Behavior Problems, Defiance, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Anger Management |
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Asperger’s Disorder, Spectrum Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder NOS (PDD) |
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Bipolar Disorder |
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Self-Harm and Cutting |
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Adoption Issues and Attachment Disorder |
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Activity Counseling Social Skills and Coping Skills Groups for Boys |
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Journeys Self-Esteem and Social Skills Groups for Girls |
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Psychological Testing/ADHD Assessment |
Family Therapy

Family therapy can be a useful approach to addressing various emotional
and behavioral problems with individuals in a family or addressing
overall problems in family functioning. Goals in family therapy can
include improving communication, developing effective behavior plans to
help change behavior in children or teens, and helping families to more
effectively support one another. The family counselor works to provide a
framework for more effective communication and problem-solving within
the family unit. Family counseling is sometimes included in addition to
individual therapy with a child or adolescent or can be a primary mode
of treatment for many types of problems. Family therapy has been shown to be effective in treating a number of emotional and mental health problems.
Typical goals in family therapy include:
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Improve communication and cooperation among family members |
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Develop strategies to avoid power struggles and emotional outbursts |
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Learn to effectively deal with and prevent tantrums and defiance in children and adolescents
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Reduce emotional and behavioral symptoms of mental illness and develop strategies to support one another |
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Decrease overall stress and create a more positive atmosphere within the family
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Cultivate a more loving and supportive atmosphere in the home |
Family counseling can also include
strategies to help parents become more effective with their children.
Children with emotional, behavioral, or developmental disorders can
present unique challenges for parents. Traditional parenting strategies
that have worked on other children or even with siblings may not be as
effective with children with other issues or temperaments. A family
therapist can provide objective feedback from a professional perspective
outside of the family. This can allow for parents and family members to
gain increased insight and make adjustments to improve communication
and relations within the family. A family therapist may also assist and
support parents in creating behavior plans to increase compliance and
reduce conflict in the home. Family therapy also works to restore
cooperation and create a mutually supportive environment within the
family.
If you are looking for a psychologist or counselor proficient in providing child counseling, teen counseling,
family therapy, marriage counseling, or psychological testing, click on our staff page to learn more about our psychologists and therapists or click on services for more details regarding treatment for different problems.
TO CONTACT US WITH A QUESTION REGARDING A PROBLEM YOUR CHILD IS EXPERIENCING, FOR INQUIRIES REGARDING OUR SERVICES, OR TO SET AN INITIAL CONSULTATION, CALL (630) 588-8490 OR CLICK BELOW.
Serving: Naperville • Wheaton • Glen Ellyn • Winfield • West Chicago • Geneva • Bloomingdale • Elmhurst • Villa Park • Lombard • Aurora • Carol Stream • Elgin • Bartlett • Plainfield • Batavia • Lisle • Downers Grove • St. Charles • Dupage County • Kane County • Will County • Cook County • Illinois
Office Contact and Location:
Pathways Psychology Services
Phone: 630-588-8490
Fax: 630-588-8491
E-mail: drjoe@pathways-psychology.com
27W130 Roosevelt Road, Suite 203
Winfield, IL 60190