Child Therapy for Anxiety, ADHD, Emotional Regulation & Behavior Challenges

When your child is struggling, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or unsure what to do next. Together, we'll uncover what's driving the behavior and help your child build the skills they need to thrive.

Schedule A Free Parent Consultation

You Know Something Isn’t Quite Right

Maybe your child worries constantly. Maybe emotions seem to go from 0 -100. Maybe school has become a daily battle.

Or perhaps you're exhausted from repeating the same consequences, reminders, and conversations without seeing lasting change.

Many parents come to therapy feeling confused because the behavior they're seeing doesn't seem to match the child they know.

Often, the behavior is a signal that something deeper needs attention.

Common Reasons Parents Reach Out

Anxiety

Excessive worrying
Separation anxiety
School anxiety
Perfectionism

ADHD

Impulsivity
Focus difficulties
Organization struggles
Difficulty managing emotions

Emotional Regulation

Big feelings
Frequent meltdowns
Frustration tolerance
Self-control

Behavior Challenges

Defiance
Power struggles
Sibling conflict
School behavior concerns

Looking Beyond The Behavior

Behavior is rarely the real problem.

Children often communicate stress, anxiety, overwhelm, frustration, or unmet needs through their actions long before they can explain what’s happening with words.

Rather than focusing only on stopping behaviors, I help children understand their emotions, develop coping skills, strengthen confidence, and build healthier ways of responding to challenges.

At the same time, I work closely with parents so everyone is moving toward the same goals.

What To Expect

Step 1

We’ll discuss your concerns, your child’s history, and what you’ve already tried.

Meet With Parents

Step 2

Understand What’s Driving The Behavior

Together, we’ll identify the patterns, stressors, and underlying factors contributing to your child’s struggles.

Step 3

Build Skills & Confidence

Your child learns practical tools while you receive guidance to support progress at home.

Schedule A Consultation

THERAPY + PARENT SUPPORT

Parent Support Is Built Into The Process

While your child is learning new skills in therapy, you'll also have opportunities for guidance, support, and answers to your questions.

✓ Parent check-ins every 4-8 weeks

✓ Additional parent sessions available as needed

✓ Real-life tools for home and school

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Therapy

Answers to common questions from parents seeking support for anxiety, ADHD, emotional regulation, and behavioral challenges.

Many parents contact me because they notice changes in their child's mood, behavior, confidence, or ability to cope with everyday challenges.
Your child may benefit from therapy if they are experiencing:
- Frequent anxiety or worry
- Emotional outbursts or meltdowns
- Difficulty managing frustration
- School-related stress
- Social challenges or friendship difficulties
- Low self-esteem
- ADHD-related struggles
- Behavioral concerns at home or school
You don't have to wait for a crisis to seek support. Often, the earlier we address concerns, the easier it is to help your child build healthy coping skills and confidence.
If you’re not sure, we can talk it through together on a free parent consultation call.
Behavior is communication.
When children struggle with emotional regulation, anxiety, ADHD, stress, or unmet needs, those struggles often show up through behavior.
Rather than focusing only on stopping the behavior, therapy helps uncover what's driving it so we can address the root cause and create lasting change.
I provide child therapy for a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns, including:
- Child anxiety
- ADHD
- Emotional regulation difficulties
- Behavioral challenges
- School stress
- Perfectionism
- Social anxiety
- Friendship struggles
- Low self-esteem
- Parent-child conflict
- Life transitions and family changes
My goal is to help children understand their emotions, develop practical coping skills, and feel more successful at home, school, and in relationships.
Child therapy looks different from therapy for adults.
Children often communicate through play, activities, conversation, creative expression, and age-appropriate therapeutic interventions rather than simply sitting and talking.
Sessions are designed to help children:
- Understand their emotions
- Improve self-regulation
- Build coping skills
- Strengthen confidence
- Practice problem-solving
- Develop healthier ways to express feelings
Therapy is tailored to your child's age, personality, strengths, and specific challenges.
Yes.
Parents play an important role in the therapeutic process.
While the exact level of involvement depends on your child's age and needs, I regularly collaborate with parents to:
- Share observations and progress
- Discuss effective strategies
- Improve communication
- Support skill-building at home
- Strengthen the parent-child relationship
Many parents find that gaining a deeper understanding of what's driving their child's behavior can be just as valuable as the work their child does in session.

Many parents come to therapy feeling exhausted, frustrated, or disconnected from their child.
Therapy can help improve communication, reduce conflict, strengthen trust, and create a more positive parent-child relationship. As children gain emotional skills and parents gain a deeper understanding of what's driving behavior, family interactions often become calmer and more connected.
Absolutely.
Child anxiety often shows up as excessive worry, perfectionism, irritability, avoidance, difficulty sleeping, physical complaints, or emotional outbursts.
Therapy helps children learn:
- How anxiety works
- How to manage worried thoughts
- Emotional regulation skills
- Coping strategies for stressful situations
- Confidence in handling challenges independently
The goal isn't to eliminate anxiety completely - it's to help your child feel capable of managing it successfully.
Yes.
Many children with ADHD struggle with more than attention and focus. They may also experience emotional dysregulation, frustration, low self-esteem, impulsivity, and challenges in relationships.
Therapy can help children with ADHD:
- Develop emotional regulation skills
- Improve frustration tolerance
- Strengthen problem-solving abilities
- Build confidence
- Learn practical coping strategies
- Improve communication and social skills
I also work closely with parents to identify strategies that support success at home and school.
provide therapy for children throughout California via secure telehealth sessions and offer in-person services in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, San Diego. I also offer Child Therapy to those in Utah and Colorado.
Telehealth can be a highly effective option for many children and families, offering convenience and flexibility while still providing meaningful therapeutic support.
The first step is scheduling a free parent consultation.
We'll discuss:
- Your concerns
- Your child's challenges
- What you've tried so far
- Whether therapy feels like the right fit
By the end of the conversation, you'll have a clearer understanding of what's going on and the next steps available to support your child.
Schedule Your Free Parent Consultation Today →

Let's Figure Out What’s Really Going On

Dr. Lindsay O'Shea, Child, Teen, and Parent Psychologist in North County, San Diego

Dr. Lindsay O'Shea, PhD
Licensed Psychologist

✓ Child Therapy
✓ Teen Therapy
✓ Parent Coaching

You don’t have to keep guessing, second-guessing, or handling this along.

Whether your child is struggling with anxiety, ADHD, emotional regulation, or challenging behaviors, we’ll work together to understand what’s beneath the behavior and create a path forward.

Schedule A Free Parent Consultation