The Pathway to Better Development
Child, Adolescent, Adult, and Family Therapy
Welcome
To the Clinical Practice of Dr. Kim Vander Dussen Licensed Psychologist and Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor
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The decision to select a therapist for yourself or your family is a serious one. Parents want to find the right clinician for their family. One who will work with them to help insure their children are meeting their full potential, help them thrive, blossom, and reach their full potential. Oftentimes parents blame themselves or feel inadequate or simply want a sounding board to help them work through their parenting decisions. Today's world has become increasingly complex and almost daily parents are confronted with experiences they themselves never had to master.
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Individuals and families from the greater Southern California area and beyond seek out mental health services from Dr. Kim Vander Dussen for assistance with a variety of mental health issues impacting them or their children. Families with complex problems are often challenged to find seasoned and reputable clinicians to address their unique needs. Oftentimes they have sought the services of other mental health professionals with mixed results.
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Dr. Vander Dussen is often saught for her extensive experience in treating children and adolescents and their families with complex and high risk problems.
Child, Adolescent, and Family Therapy
Child Therapy
Research estimates that one in ten children meet criteria for a mental health diagnosis. Unfortunately only about 20% of them actually receive mental health intervention. Psychotherapy has been found an effective intervention for an assortment of issues that impact children.
The decision to bring your child to treatment is an anxiety provoking one for most parents. Dr. Vander Dussen respects your courage in taking that risk and values establishing a collaborative relationship with you.
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Adolescent Therapy
Adolescence has changed. While today's youth struggle with some of the same problems that previous generations have dealt with, the complex world of social media and our struggling educational system has added additional pressure that parents and others struggle with relating to. As with every generation, adolescents are also much maligned. At times their emotional struggles are dismissed as drama of adolescents. While very few adolescents request therapy, many can benefit from the experience and come to appreciate how they grow and develop over the course of their time in treatment.
Adult Therapy
While Dr. Vander Dussen is known for her work with children, adolescents, and their families, she does on occasion agree to work with adult patients. Her expertise lies with treating trauma, anxiety, and relational issues and therefore her adult practice focuses on these concerns. Additionally she works with parents of special needs children or with those who want support around parenting and creating balance in their lives.
Autism Spectrum Disorders & Other Developmental Disorders
Attachment and Trauma Related Disorders
Children, adolescents, and their families face unique challenges when presented with a developmental disorder. Research shows that families of children with special needs rate the highest at parenting stress. In fact no measure exists to adequately measure the variance in stress levels for families with special needs children. This speaks to the needs families face in finding care that is both effective and supportive.
Dr. Vander Dussen has an extensive background working with this population. In doing so she treats the entire family as she recognizes that while special needs children are often a great source of joy and strength in the family, additional support is often needed.
In recent years much has been written about attachment and trauma related problems. If you fear your child is impacted by trauma and/or attachment related problems it can be quite difficult to determine the most effective treatment. Dr. Vander Dussen has worked her entire professional career with children and families recovering from trauma and/or attachment related difficulties. Her treatment is neurologically and systemically informed. Interventions are heavily influenced by the ongoing research and evidence base for treating these children and families.
Dr. Vander Dussen has had training in E.M.D.R., theraplay, and is currently enrolled in Dr. Bruce Perry's certification program for the Neurosequential Theraputics.
Anxiety in Children, Adolescents, & Adults
Rates of anxiety based disorders are at epidemic levels. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the long lasting impacts of early difficulties in this area. It is frequently misdiagnosed as a behavioral problem, when in fact anxiety or other mood problems account much more clearly for what is going on. Dr. Vander Dussen has training in mindfulness based practices, one of the most contemporary models for treating anxiety today.
