mental health

Trauma is defined as any type of distressing event or experience that can have an impact on a young person’s ability to cope and function. Trauma can affect the innerworkings of a child’s brain. For example, research indicates that traumatic stress can result in…

Sensory integration (SI), also referred to as Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI), is a framework conceptualized by Dr. A. Jean Ayers, Ph.D. in the 1970s, who “was guided by the principle that ‘intersensory integration is foundational to function,’” while dysfunction in sensory integration…

The journey through young adulthood in the diverse communities of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, and Thousand Oaks is filled with unique challenges and opportunities. Amidst the pressures of education, career decisions, and personal relationships, young adults often find themselves navigating…

Anxiety is defined as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” It is the body’s natural response to stress and will manifest differently in everyone. While fleeting anxiety is unavoidable, it…

Erik Erikson, an expert in human growth and development, defines play as a “situation in which a child can work through experiences by creating model situations and master reality through planning and experimentation.” Play is a natural part of childhood and acts…

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines resilience as “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.” Resilient children can bounce back from challenges,…

Animal-assisted therapy, also referred to as pet therapy, uses dogs and other animals, including horses, to help young people as they recover from physical and mental health conditions. Psychology Today further explains that animal-assisted therapy “is used to enhance and compliment the…

Art therapy is a therapeutic technique that is rooted in the notion that creativity and creative expression can foster healing and promote mental well-being. The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the…

Although it is common to use the terms “feelings” and “emotions” interchangeably, both have distinct meanings despite imparting interconnective relativity with one another. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) emotions are complex reaction patterns that arise in an individual due to…

Behavior therapy, as defined by the American Psychological Association (APA), is “a form of psychotherapy that applies the principles of learning, operant conditioning, and classical conditioning to eliminate symptoms and modify ineffective or maladaptive patterns of behavior. The focus of this therapy…