Child & Adolescent Treatment

Early treatment and intervention can improve a child's long-term mental health prospects.

Helping Children Reach Their Fullest Potential

Anxiety and Mood Disorders are Increasingly Common in Children

Emotional health is just as important as physical health for helping children thrive. Many kids experience anxiety, depression, ADHD, or trauma, and  environmental stressors like school challenges, social pressures, or family conflict can also make it harder to cope.

At The Ross Center, we help children, adolescents, and their family members manage mental health concerns, including:

  • Anxiety, phobias, and social worries
  • Childhood depression
  • Separation anxiety and school refusal
  • Adjustment challenges related to school or life changes
  • ADHD

Our specialized team of child psychologists, therapists, and psychiatrists offer age-appropriate, evidence-based treatment for children as young as 2 years old. We teach behavioral strategies and coping skills that reduce  symptoms and support emotional growth.

Children and adolescents are facing more anxiety and stress than ever before, often relating to family conflict, peer pressure, bullying, social media, or academic demands. While occasional fears and sadness are normal for every child, they can become overwhelming and significantly impact a young person’s life. Up to 12% of children are affected by anxiety disorders, with symptoms often appearing as early as pre-school age.

Anxiety and Mood Disorders are Increasingly Common in Children

Signs and Symptons

When to Seek Treatment

Our clinicians bring deep expertise in clinical mental health, forensic services, parenting support, and psychological testing, offering both skill and compassion to support your child and your family.

When helpful, we collaborate across disciplines to integrate psychological and psychiatric perspectives. Through thoughtful, child-friendly assessments, we help children feel at ease while identifying key insights so they can access the support they need to thrive.

Consider treatment for your child if they exhibit any of the following signs or symptoms: 

Anxiety & Fears

  • Ongoing worry and frequent reassurance-seeking
  • Intense fears or specific phobias (e.g., dogs, storms, illness)
  • Physical complaints linked to anxiety (e.g., headaches, stomachaches)

Social & Independence

  • Withdraws from social situations (e.g., parties, speaking outside the family)
  • Avoids age-appropriate risks or new experiences
  • Difficulty with independence (e.g., refuses sleepovers)

School & Attention

  • School refusal or frequent absences
  • Excessive activity level and difficulty sustaining attention

Sleep & Daily Routine

  • Disrupted or significantly changed sleep patterns

Mood & Engagement

  • Noticeable changes in mood, interests, or engagement with family and peers

How We Help

The Ross Center’s Child and Adolescent program brings together highly trained child psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors and therapists who provide evidence-based assessment and treatment to support both your child and your family. We prioritize collaboration with important figures in your child’s life, working closely with schools, pediatricians, and other providers to insure the most comprehensive and effective care.

Expert Therapies

Our team has advanced training in a range of therapies, including

Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing

Psychological and neuropsychological testing can help identify your child's strengths and challenges. These assessments, often recommended by school and medical professionals, provide a detailed understanding our your child's cognitive, academic, social and emotional strengths and challenges. Testing reports offer tailored interventions and resources to help your child reach their full potential.  

Parent Consultation

We offer Parent Consultation services for families seeking guidance and practical strategies, whether or not your child is in treatment. These services provide tools to enhance communication, strengthen family dynamics, and support your child's growth and well-being.

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Our child and adolescent psychiatrists have specialized training in pediatric mental health, and can prescribe medication when necessary and appropriate. They work closely with families to provide a balanced approach that may combine therapy with medication. Learn more about what to expect when your child meets with a psychiatrist in this video: 


Parent and Family Support

Parents are integral to treatment

Parent and Family Support

A positive treatment outcome is impacted by good family support. Parents are always included in our initial consultations and they are an integral part of a child or teen’s treatment. We recognize how important it is to teach parents and often the entire family the best ways to respond to your child or teen during their times of need

Parent support is often recommended with school age children. Your child’s clinician can teach tools and strategies to support you in responding most effectively when your child becomes anxious or is acting out. Parents can come for their own treatment or as an adjunct to their child’s treatment.

Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)

Specialized Parent Training:

Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)

Clinicians in our New York and Virginia offices are offering a new parent-based treatment to address child and adolescent anxiety called SPACE.

This novel approach was developed at the Yale Child Study Center by Dr. Eli Lebowitz, and is a systematic program that teaches parents how to supportively and appropriately respond to their child’s anxiety through changes in their own behaviors. Learn more about this parent-focused training.

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