I have been working with children and teenagers as well as family members for over 15 years . I also coach children in sports and have done so for over 25 years. My approach is a unique approach in that I do not label children and teens and my approach is to create a win win situation for parents and for children and teenagers.

Many parents arrive at my office and simply do not have the time to read 10 books on behavior modification and various techniques. Also most parents do not work with behavior modification daily at work for the past fifteen years and this is where I come in to assist.

The first step I take is an initial assessment. The initial assessment looks at all aspects of your child’s life from birth till present. This may include and is not limited to: Medical history, Birth issues, School issues, Family dynamics , Emotional issues, events that are significant be it bullying or trauma or a history of mental health issues. The initial assessment looks at: anxiety, ADHD, Conduct issues, Defiance, respect, listening, sleep, diet, interpersonal skills, communication skills, self esteem, thinking process, behaviors with family members, behaviors at school, behaviors with peers, extracurricular activities, activities at home and much more.

Many times there are a number of issues that are contributing to behavioral issues however sometimes it can be very simple. Many children need to break negative thinking that is not logical nor accurate this is small part of Cognitive Behavioral therapy. CBT is evidence based and is more than talk therapy or play therapy it looks a negative and stressful events and the thoughts that go with them . CBT teaches your child how to recognize unhealthy thoughts and learn how they negatively impact feelings and behaviors at home and elsewhere.

Teaching children and teens how to manage stress in their life is vital . We all have stress and if we do not address our stress it will ooze out potentially into unhealthy behaviors like: substance and drug abuse, Vaping, Stuffing feelings, Poor relationships, poor communication skills, anger outbursts, Behavioral issues, Acting out at school and at home, Depressed mood or depression, Rage, Anxiety, Panic attacks, Bullying, being bullied. Many youth today rarely communicate with parents and spend a majority of their free time on: snap Chat, Instagram, Netflix, You tube, Internet , Smart Phones, and video games. Research shows that this is very unhealthy and I have research to support the above. If they are on electronics constantly then many other vital skills are out of balance and need to be moved back into balance to create improved behavior and grades and family unity.

I help youth learn to manage: stress, anxiety, depression, panic, social skills, self esteem and much more to create health and success in their lives. Humans are complex and if one just works on one area the child or teen will still be in pain or out of balance and behavior and happiness will be a life long struggle.

I work with the child and teenager so they can learn tools to empower themselves and use those tools for a life time. Keep in mind a medication does not change a child’s thoughts nor an adults on a daily basis. The pediatric and America medical Journals state the best approach if your child or teen is on medication is to obtain counseling services for best results. This opinion is research based.

I also work with the parents to create a program that will work for your family and involves parents so they can also create desired change in their homes. A team approach and systematic approach is best and there is a lot of research to support behavior modification working with both parents and children and Teens.

You can read testimonials from Parents, Adults, and Professional on my web site at  lifeworksaz.com

Finding balance in our lives can be extremely challenging. We are on the go go go. We have work and family and obligations we are compelled to attend. There is a famous saying ” If I am not for myself who will be for me” and another ” if not know when’? If you are exhausted and in pain it may be time for radical change in your life or just a few tips for change.

Many women do not find this balance and it is impacting their health : sleep, stress, diet, physical health, mood, anxiety, depression and more.

I was working with a client years ago that recently came to my mind. The woman was so sweet and kind and compassionate and she was thoughtful and intelligent and well educated. However, her husband was the opposite , He was selfish and inconsiderate. He was angry all the time and egocentric. He was thoughtless instead of compassionate. He lacked empathy and had very limited emotional IQ. He was controlling and verbally abusive as well as emotionally abusive. As positive and happy as the woman was and she always smiled and was  very happy he would try and rain on her parade. His not stop interrogating and inconsideration built up to the point where she was emotionally fatigued and exhausted. Exercise and good diet was not re charging her batteries.

My client was not receiving the rest she needed because her husband was up late and he would turn the lights on and make noise and set his alarm and watch tv. He would also snore and have headaches and would moan at night keeping her up for most of the night. She kindly explained to her partner that she could not sleep due to his behavior however he never changed his behavior. Guess what? She was living with a narcissist. Not just a narcissist but one with a pervasive personality disorder we came to find out. Explaining feelings or emotions to a Narcissist is like talking to a wall and expecting the wall to talk back it will never happen.

My client wanted to stay with her partner due to her love for the children believing that sticking it out would be best however her health was being compromised by the stress. Like a leech sucking someone blood.

She had to learn to create strong boundaries. She learned to take care of her emotional health. She learned skills to interact with a narcissist so she could survive. She would sleep in the other room at night when he was loud or making noises and was completely inconsiderate to her needs. The woman learned to get away and find people that filled her emotional bank up instead of spending so much time having her partner drain her emotional bank. Diet, exercise and tools to deal with the Narcissist helped her greatly.

Learning not to spoil her children was important as well. She learned to say NO when she was not feeling well and this taught her children the concept of team work and compassion. Many other children become entitled, selfish, and narcissistic when parents give them everything and do not say NO.

Finding a  balance for this woman saved her life. A balance physically, mentally and emotionally as well as finding her own spirituality be it church or affirmations or whatever she found spiritually enlighten helped her go from depression and misery back to joy and happiness and health.

Depression and anxiety have risen among teenagers in the UK with more than thirty three percent reporting distress. Depression and anxiety is on the rise among college students and adolescents and children in Phoenix and Scottsdale Arizona and the whole USA.

Rates of depression and anxiety among teenagers have increased by 70 per cent in the past 25 years.

Many adolescent teens are feeling worthless, unhappy, inability to focus or concentrate.

Teens are reporting more problems sleeping and are not receiving adequate sleep.

Children and teens are slow to talk about their distress to parents and parents tend to be slow to respond once finding out their child or teen is suffering.

Parents are not to blame for a child’s mental health issues. Children can have excellent parenting and still suffer from mental health issues.

In colleges and universities throughout the United States the following research was done and this was the mental health results :

The American College Health Association surveyed 100,000 college students at 53 US campuses and found that 84 per cent of US students feel unable to cope, 79 per cent are exhausted, 60 per cent feel very sad and more than half are experiencing overwhelming anxiety.

Obviously teens and college students need to learn coping and stress management tools to address : school, peers, family, work, grades, social situations and much more.

Many teenagers and adolescents as well as college students fear failure and are fearful of their future and need a direction and support to reach their goals. Children as young as 10 are worried about finding a job in many homes and are stressed and anxious.

Cyberbullying and social media can be a stressor and many teens are concerned about their body image with such a huge emphasis on waif models being the norm when most adults know this is not reality. Technology does not create the bully or the poor body image it may magnify the problem. Removing all media may not solve the issue because it is the negative distorted and unhealthy thoughts inside your child or adolescents head that is feeding the negative behaviors and mood. Media can affect our moods however it is up to parents and children and teens to set limits on use and be able to turn it off and find a balance in other activities above and beyond social media and or video games and technology.

There are many things children and parents can do to create health and balance for their child and teen or college student. Finding a healthy balance is key to your youths success. Lifeworks AZ has worked with youth and families over fifteen years in: building self esteem, parenting tips, mood regulation, goal setting, anger management, healthy social skills, reaching goals, behavior modification for youth, autistic youth, highly gifted, learning disabled children and more.

Many parents are hesitant to seek outside help when behavior and mental
health are concerned, often for fear of labeling a normal childhood
phase as a problem. A good rule of thumb: but if you are concerned or
overwhelmed and don’t know what to do, ask for advice. Recognizing
symptoms is important so you can get your child help as early as
possible so the behavior can be addressed before it gets more intense
and the problems become larger. Some symptoms are: changes in appetite,
changes in sleep, irritability, social issues, social isolation,
thoughts of self harm or harming others, anger and aggression that is
creating challenges at home or at school, performance issues at school ,
somatic pain, physical complaints( headaches, stomach, etc) of course it
could be a medical issue as well but could be emotional, oppositional
behavior, mood swings, anxiety and fear that is interfering with:
school, family, social activities etc. Self harming behaviors, cutting,
risky behaviors, using illegal substances, stress, divorce, one parent
families, trauma, abuse( emotional, physical, mental, sexual), crying
often, stuffing emotions, isolating, withdrawing from once enjoyable
activities, and there are many more so if you have questions you should
set up an appointment with a mental health professional to do an
assessment. Bullying at school and other behaviors that impact your
child’s mental health must be addressed to prevent additional issues.
There are many behaviors that are red flags however it is important to
seek a professional to address most appropriate treatments.Lifeworks AZ
Pllc can do an assessment and treatment plan catered to the child or
teen’s specific challenges and can help them build confidence to address
their ADD or ADHD challenges and lead productive, positive, successful
lives.

Most parents consult with their child’s pediatrician or family
physician first. While some pediatricians may do the initial ADHD
assessment themselves, parents should always ask for a referral to an
appropriate mental health specialist for treatment. Pediatricians are
not mental health professionals and usually aren’t aware of the range
of non-medication, effective treatments also available. There are many
treatments for ADHD and ADD. Some treatments include: Behavior
Modification, Educational learning and coping skills, Problem solving
skills, Mood and stress management skills, skills to improve social
skills and healthy relationships, motivational skills , and much more.
Counseling, coaching, and psychotherapy combining individual therapy
with family therapy has the most effective outcomes in research studies.

A child psychologist or child therapist who has specific experience and
background in helping children and teens with ADHD or ADD should be
consulted for therapy (psychiatrists don’t usually do much
psychotherapy any longer). This is especially true if the child has
other learning or mental health difficulties, including anxiety
disorders fears, mood disorders, depression , behavioral issues,
oppositional defiance, conduct disorders, adjustment disorders and
social issues, relationship challenges and more. Psychotherapy used to
treat ADHD is usually conducted once-weekly for a 50-minute appointment
with the child or teen alone. Psychotherapy treatment can range from 5
sessions to 3months or longer depending on the child and family
dynamics.

The very nature of ADHD implies that a child or teenager will have
difficulty with self-control, impulsivity, paying attention, listening
to instructions at home and school, and following directions. Some
children seem to be predisposed to develop behavior problems by their
temperament; however, the symptoms of ADHD and ADD including
hyperactivity, impulsivity, or inattention seem to exponentially
exacerbate these negative behaviors. Managing these negative behaviors
often becomes a full-time job for parents. Lifeworks AZ helps parents
create a plan to manage children and family behaviors to create desired
positive outcomes. David R Abrams MAPC, LPC, CAGS has a great deal of
experience working with children, teens and families that have ADHD,
ADD, as well as other behavioral and mental health issues.

Lifeworks Az Therapy and counseling has expertise in: ADHD, behavioral
issues, relationships, motivation, anxiety disorder, Depressive
disorders, anger management, sports peak performance, Asperger Disorder,
social skills, sleep issues,,building self esteem and more using a wide
array of therapies to connect with each unique child and using David
Abrams MAPC, LPC 15 years of experience working with children , teens,
and families.

New research has linked common chemicals and brain disorders in children and teenagers.  Manganese found in water is linked to: lower math scores, hyperactivity, impaired motor skills, and drops in intellectual functioning. Carbamates in pesticides is linked to : deficits in brain development. Polybrominated Biphenyl Ethers found as a flame retardant in furniture and toys is linked to disorders in brain development among kids with high in utero exposure.  Tetrachloroethylene found in dry cleaning solvents is linked to higher rates of mental health disorders and behavioral problems.

The developing brain of children is very vulnerable to the toxic effects of certain chemicals these products mentioned above can cause permanent brain damage and mental health disorders. It took decades for the EPA to limit the amount of lead present in paints and in soil and in homes and chip care facilities due to many cases of lead poisoning.

It is important to exercise caution and keep children away from these toxic chemicals because regardless of the amount of toxicity it can not do your child any good on any level at all.