How I work with this
In working with children's emotional difficulties, I rely on understanding how the child's internal world is formed in interaction with significant adults. Through the lens of schema therapy, we explore which specific emotional needs of the child (for example, for secure attachment or autonomy) remain unmet and compel them to activate defensive states (coping modes), such as attacking others or avoiding contact.
The analytical approach and elements of TFP allow us to work with how the child perceives themselves and others, helping them overcome black-and-white thinking (splitting) and gradually form the capacity to see the world and relationships more holistically (identity integration). A significant part of our work is dedicated to exploring which specific intolerable feelings the child unconsciously projects onto parents or the therapist (projective identification). My task here is to help adults develop the capacity to tolerate, comprehend, and process these intense child emotions, returning them to the child in a safe and understandable form (containing).
Do you recognise yourself?
- ✓ frequent tears and uncontrolled tantrums without an apparent reason
- ✓ constant protest against rules and ignoring requests of adults
- ✓ aggressive behavior and fighting with other children or siblings
- ✓ severe shyness and refusal to communicate with peers
- ✓ pronounced difficulties with adaptation to kindergarten or school
- ✓ feeling of parental helplessness and deep guilt due to the inability to calm one's own child
If you recognised 3+ points — it is a good reason to talk to a psychologist.
Approach & Methodology
Childhood tantrums, aggression, prolonged conflicts with siblings, or sudden withdrawal often evoke in parents a painful sense of helplessness, fatigue, and guilt. From a psychoanalytic perspective, such child behavior is not merely a "bad attitude" or deliberate disobedience, but a unique language. When a small human lacks the words or internal space to process complex emotions, they begin to act them out (acting out). The symptom becomes the only available way to communicate internal pain, unbearable anxiety, or a certain disruption in family dynamics.
My work consists in translating this behavioral language into the language of feelings. I help parents decipher the hidden conflicts underlying their child's protests, laziness, or fears. Together, we explore how unconscious processes within the family affect the child's emotional state, and look for ways to help them cope with what overwhelms and terrifies them.
Questions & Answers
Why does the child behave perfectly in kindergarten or school, but constantly throws tantrums at home?
Home and relationships with parents are the safest places. It is there that the child feels they can afford to release all the tension and anxiety accumulated during the day, dumping complex feelings on those closest to them (acting out). Paradoxically, such behavior is a sign of deep trust in you, rather than an attempt to deliberately ruin the mood.
How much time is needed for the child's behavior to change?
A child's psyche is highly plastic and sensitive to changes in relationships, but the duration of therapy depends on the depth of the internal conflict. Our goal is not the mechanical "correction" of symptoms or making the child convenient for adults, but the creation of new internal structures (ego strengthening), which will allow the child to better understand themselves and cope with emotions independently in the future. Such a deep process always requires time, patience, and regularity.
Do parents need to be present during sessions with a child?
This depends on the child's age and the specifics of the request. We often start with parent meetings to explore the family system, as children are highly sensitive to unconscious dynamics between adults. Subsequently, sessions are held individually with the child in a play format, but regular meetings with parents to discuss the process and feelings that arise in the relationship with the child (working with parental transference) are a mandatory condition for therapy.
Does a child need medication if they are overly hyperactive or aggressive?
I work exclusively using methods of talk and play psychotherapy. However, if during the initial diagnostic it becomes clear that the child's condition has a pronounced physiological or neurobiological component, I may recommend a parallel consultation with a child psychiatrist or neurologist. This ensures the most comprehensive support for the child.
Process
How the work unfolds
Initial contact
Write in the messenger or leave a request on the site. Do not look for the right words — I will help you carefully start our journey and we will choose a convenient meeting time.
First consultation
A safe space for acquaintance, where you will feel if my approach suits you. This meeting does not oblige you to anything and only helps determine the next steps.
Regular therapy
Meetings are held 1-2 times a week for 50 minutes, online or face-to-face. A stable schedule is necessary for deep transformation and the development of your internal supports.
Payment and booking
The session fee is 50 USD (in hryvnias). Please read the Public Offer. The time is finally reserved and confirmed after payment.
Contact
Book a consultation
I reply on weekdays. If you are in crisis — call me directly.
Or write directly