🧠 Individual Therapy for Children (8–12)

• Anxiety & Stress Management: Helping athletes manage pre-game nerves, competition pressure, and performance-related stress.

• Emotional Regulation: Teaching kids how to recognize and manage emotions like frustration, disappointment, or anger.

• Confidence & Self-Esteem Building: Supporting young athletes to develop a positive self-image and belief in their abilities.

• Injury & Setback Support: Guidance through coping with injuries, fear of reinjury, or time away from sport.

• Trauma Support: Addressing experiences of accidents, falls, or emotionally difficult events in a safe environment.

Sessions are interactive, using play therapy, storytelling, role-playing, and games to teach coping strategies in ways kids can understand and apply.

🎯 Building Emotional Regulation & Coping Skills in Youth Athletes

As a sports social worker and therapist for children, I help young athletes learn how to:

• Identify and express emotions in healthy ways

• Use age-appropriate coping strategies during sports and school

• Calm their bodies and minds under pressure

• Improve impulse control and emotional awareness

Strong emotional regulation improves focus, behavior, confidence, and enjoyment of sports..

Confidence Building & Self-Esteem Support for Young Athletes

Many young athletes begin to link their self-worth to performance. Through child-centered sports therapy, I support children in:

• Building confidence beyond wins and losses

• Developing a growth mindset and resilience

• Reducing fear of failure or comparison

• Strengthening self-esteem in sports and daily activities

Our goal is to help young athletes feel capable, confident, and emotionally secure.

Managing Sports Pressure & Anxiety in Children

Even youth athletes experience pressure. Mental health counseling for young athletes helps children manage:

• Game-day nerves and performance anxiety

• Pressure from competition, coaches, or expectations

• Stress balancing sports, school, and family life

• Emotional overwhelm related to team dynamics

Support focuses on making sports a positive and developmentally healthy experience.

Behavioral & Attention Support Through Sports Therapy

Some children show emotional stress through behavior. Sports social work for children supports:

• Emotional regulation during games and practices

• Focus and attention challenges

• Difficulty following directions or handling transitions

• Emotional reactions to mistakes, benching, or feedback

Therapy is strengths-based and developmentally appropriate.

Injury, Setbacks & Emotional Support for Young Athletes

Injuries or reduced playing time can be emotionally difficult for children. Youth athlete mental health therapy helps children:

• Process sadness, fear, or frustration after injuries

• Cope with changes in routine or team roles

• Build patience during recovery

• Return to sports with emotional readiness and confidence

👥 Group Programs & Peer Support

• Team Workshops: Helping young athletes build teamwork, communication, and coping skills.

• Peer Support Groups: Allowing kids to share experiences and feel less isolated.

👨‍👩‍👧 Parent & Family Support in Youth Sports Mental Health

As part of sports social work practice, family involvement is essential. We work with parents to:

• Provide parent education on youth athlete mental health

• Improve communication around emotions and sports expectations

• Support healthy routines for sleep, nutrition, and balance

• Promote positive parent-child relationships in sports

Parents receive practical tools to reinforce emotional skills at home and during games.

Therapeutic Approach

Our mental health services for young athletes are grounded in:

• Evidence-based and trauma-informed care

• Strengths-based counseling

• Play-based and activity-based therapy

• Emotional coaching and social-emotional learning

• Sports-based language children understand

Services are tailored to each child’s developmental needs.

📱 Flexible Access & Child-Friendly Approach

• Telehealth sessions for busy families or traveling athletes

• Child-focused, safe, and confidential care

• Sessions designed to engage children while teaching practical life skills

  Signs & Symptoms to Watch For

  Parents and coaches should be aware of behaviors that may indicate a young athlete needs support:

  • Changes in appetite or sleep patterns

  • Frequent tummy aches or headaches

  • Increased fidgeting or difficulty focusing

  • Clinginess or withdrawal from teammates or coaches

  • Heightened emotional reactions around sport or mistakes

  • Refusal to attend practice, games, or school

  • Temper tantrums or angry outbursts

  • Fears or worries about getting hurt