Why does psychotherapy work with young children?

As a psychotherapist and analyst I can at times get a response of disbelief when I say that I work with children that are sometimes as young as 2 years old. Some of my colleagues work even with new borns, infants... The puzzlement seems to connect with a certain disbelief that 'talking' with such a young child could be helpful. And is there even need for help? Are children not resilient? Psychotherapy is  often, and rightfully understood as addressing some kind of 'trauma.' Are children that young already truly 'traumatized?' They can be, and even if there is no immediate trauma in the typical sense we are used to understand that word - a traumatic birth, a medical issue, there is the trauma that every human child is confronted with when he comes in the world: language. From the moment the child comes into the world he is immersed in a bath of language. The 'talking cure' can help even very young children for what can be truly traumatic for a child is exactly language. In spite of the best intentions of the people who speak them, words that surround the child can hurt and pain the child, can make it difficult for the child to speak, express himself.  It is this inability to put what hurts into words  that is the basis for appearing symptoms. Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy can  help deliver that what is said beyond the speakers intention, and what might be connected with the child's symptoms. Once this unspoken truth is delivered, the symptom can disappear. 

To schedule an appointment with An, call (530) 321-2970