Therapy for Children and Adolescents
For children and teens, Dr. Vanegas provides individual therapy with a family component. Dr. Vanegas typically meets with parents (without their child) for the first meeting. This allows her to learn about the child’s developmental history, to understand the current difficulty, and to collaboratively develop a provisional treatment plan.
During the second session, she'll meet individually with the child to establish rapport, to assess their understanding of their challenge, to create investment in their treatment, and to set treatment goals.
Going forward, session time is divided so children and parents each have time with the Dr. Vanegas to learn new skills each week. Dr. Vanegas is diligent about using evidenced-based practices, demonstrated by research to be effective in alleviating distress. She works with children and families using cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure response prevention, CBT-E (cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders), and mindfulness techniques. Children and caregivers leave with a clear plan on what strategies to practice together at home, and how these activities link with their overall treatment goals.
Diagnoses Treated
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness marked by obsessions (thoughts) and compulsions (behaviors or mental acts) that are both, time consuming and have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life. At A Secure Base, Dr. Vanegas can help provide relief from this debilitating disorder by delivering effective treatment that helps children manage and control their symptoms. Dr. Vanegas has garnered significant experience in ERP (Exposure Response Prevention), which is the evidence-based treatment for OCD.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are varied, as their symptoms can range from restrictive behavior, binging, to a combination of the two. Body image concerns often co-occur with eating disorders and can cause significant distress. Dr. Vanegas can help your child or adolescent challenge the thoughts and feelings that keep the eating disorder in place and that contribute to a negative body image.
Anxiety
Coping with anxiety at an early age can be a struggle. The good news: Research has found that children and adolescents who learn to manage anxiety at an early age tend to enjoy a better quality of life. It's never too early to learn the coping skills that will last your child a lifetime.
Depression
Depression presents itself differently in children than it does in adults. It takes a trained eye to spot depressive symptoms in children. During this difficult time, it is now more important than ever to address depressive symptoms when they start.
Behavioral Concerns
Parenting techniques are not equally effective among all children. Your child may respond well to verbal commands, while your neighbor's child may benefit from a more structured reinforcement system that uses rewards to motivate behavioral change. Together we can work on finding what is most effective for your child as we target the behaviors that you'll like to see your child improve upon.
Parenting Guidance / Parent Coaching
Sometimes having a place to consult and bounce off ideas is essential for a fulfilling parenting experience. Want to discuss how to improve compliance with chores? Frustrated by your child's oppositional behavior? Want to encourage your child to be assertive and not aggressive? Let's discuss.
Early Parenthood Support
Sometimes having a place to consult and bounce off ideas is essential for a fulfilling parenting experience. Want to discuss how to improve compliance with chores? Frustrated by your child's oppositional behavior? Want to encourage your child to be assertive and not aggressive? Let's discuss.
Perinatal (Pregnancy and Postpartum) Mental Health Concerns
One of Dr. Vanegas' passions is helping soon to be parents and moms with the many ups and downs of being a new parent. Parenthood is a journey that often takes a village, and Dr. Vanegas can help you by offering clinical support, strategies, and a safe place to discuss the beautiful yet often challenging world of all-things motherhood. Dr. Vanegas is a certified perinatal mental health psychologist and has experience treating postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, and fertility challenges. If you are struggling and would like to discuss how Dr. Vanegas can help you, please feel free to reach out for a 10-minute consultation.
Other Diagnoses
Dr. Vanegas also treats children diagnosed with ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, separation anxiety, school refusal, and more. Want to learn more about what Dr. Vanegas treats? Send us a message.