If your child’s behavior feels out of control and you don’t know what to do, it may be time to seek professional help. Our child therapists have extensive experience working with children exhibiting volatile, argumentative, or oppositional behaviors. Our goal is to understand what’s at the root of the problem so we can design the best behavioral therapy approach for the situation. One size doesn’t fit all, so we customize a treatment plan and recommendations to fit your child and your family’s values and priorities.
Depending on the situation specifics, relevant services we offer include:
We see children, parents, and families in person in our Midtown Manhattan offices and via telehealth across New York State.
It’s developmentally normal behavior for children and teens to question rules and push back against authority figures. Adolescents especially are figuring out who they are as individuals separate from their parents, which involves a certain amount of challenge and conflict. However, when behavioral issues go beyond adolescent moodiness and developmentally appropriate boundary testing, there may be more going on. Persistent behavior problems can indicate an underlying anxiety or mood disorder, family dysfunction, or issue outside the home at the root of the behavior. In this case, age-appropriate behavioral therapies and expert coaching for parents can help.
For many parents the big question is, why is my child behaving this way?
When our therapists begin meeting with a child and their parents, their aim is to learn the primary causes of the behavior issues. We find potential contributing factors through separate interviews with the parent(s), child, and potentially other authority figures in the child’s life. If the behavior issues extend to the school setting, for instance, we may ask permission to speak with one or more of the child’s teachers to gain more perspective.
We approach this process with an open mind, knowing there is often more than one thing contributing to the behavioral problems. Here are some of the avenues we explore:
Sometimes problematic behaviors link back to a neurodevelopmental condition or physical health issue. ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and sensory processing disorders can cause a child to act in ways that seem overly reactive, aggressive, or antisocial. If our therapists see strong indicators of a biological cause, they may suggest neuropsychological testing or other types of evaluations to investigate further.
We’ll examine the child’s developmental history and, as available, immediate and extended family health history. Genetics play a role in both neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD and predisposition to mood disorders. Uncovering biological or neurodevelopmental factors helps us understand what specific therapy strategies are likely to be most effective.
Behavioral problems can indicate an underlying mood disorder such as depression or anxiety. Mood disorders can manifest very differently in different people; for instance, some children may withdraw socially while others lash out. Childhood depression or anxiety can also stem from a variety of factors, so we seek to understand any life disruptions or difficult adjustments the child has experienced. This could include moving, switching schools, death of a loved one, other traumatic circumstances, or evolutions in family structure such as a new child, divorce, remarriage, or changes to custody arrangements.
Another puzzle piece we investigate is the child’s relationships with peers. Do they have close friends? Do they feel comfortable interacting with other kids? Do they display developmentally appropriate social skills? Do they bully other children, or are they being bullied? Are their interpersonal conflicts mainly limited to relationships with authority figures? Do their close peer relationships contribute to their oppositional or disruptive behavior? The child’s greater social context offers important clues to their behavior.
In addition to family and peer relationships, we want to know how the child relates to authority figures outside the home. Are they generally oppositional, or do they exhibit positive behavior in specific settings? Do they perform well or badly across subjects in school, or is it a mixture? Understanding the ups and downs of their relationships across educational and extracurricular activities offers more clues to the primary causes of behavior issues.
Every household has its unique personality and relational dynamics. How we live and interact at home feels normal to us, since it’s just the background of our everyday life. When tensions rise and conflict becomes more frequent, parents may be too deep inside to understand what’s happening or how to change things. Therapy brings an expert third-party perspective to family dynamics, identifying patterns that trap everyone in dysfunctional cycles in order to pinpoint effective intervention strategies.
Every set of treatment recommendations at Union Square Practice is designed for the individual client and situation. Since behavioral issues can originate in so many ways, we bring together a wealth of expert knowledge and work collaboratively to offer the best evidence-based care. Our clinicians communicate regularly, exchange information, and help each other strategize how best to navigate complex situations. By leading with curiosity, compassion, and genuine care for your child, we take a systematic approach to behavior problems while staying present and responsive.
Depending on what your therapist learns from you, your child, and other relevant people, treatments for behavioral issues can take many forms. Our priority is finding effective solutions that are a good fit for your family. Our child and adolescent therapists use aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and a range of other psychotherapy modalities, fine-tuning your child’s therapy as we proceed. This can include:
We also train parents to carry behavior therapy into the home. Through expert coaching, parents learn to read and interpret their child’s behavior, set clear and consistent expectations, discourage negative behavior, and reward positive behavior.
Union Square Practice is a group of psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists who empower individuals to be the best versions of themselves using the latest science has to offer.
If your child’s behavioral problems are causing issues at home or school, there’s help available. At Union Square Practice, we offer expert care for children and families facing complex behavior issues. We approach each situation without judgment, seeking to piece together a puzzle and develop solutions that work. Our integrated approach to mental health services offers you the best evidence-based care in psychology, psychiatry, and neuropsychology, all under one roof. We offer all services at our offices near Midtown Manhattan, and most by telehealth as well, serving clients across the state. Contact us today to speak confidentially with one of our clinical coordinators and learn more about our comprehensive mental health services for children and families.
Reach out to us using any of the contacts below or our general contact form.
