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In Home Therapy and Coaching

I help parents and children in the New York City, NY area embrace behavior and emotional challenges in real time as they happen in the home.

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Rikki Shanberg

LCSW PLLC

Your Home Is Where

The Challenges Are

Office based therapy has been around for as long as there has been therapy.  It works great and we encourage anyone that needs counseling to look into therapy.  However, there are times that you just need a more hands on approach.  Whether it is bath time, dinner time, doing homework, or interacting with other children on a play date, you and your child may have 'that moment' you both dread.  Tempers flare, the screaming starts, and what was already hard seems impossible.

 

Then a few days pass and things seem normal again.  At your next therapy session in the office, you try to remember every detail the day the last incident occurred.  But you cannot remember everything...and you probably don't want to remember.  The critical details of what led up to the incident are gone.  The moment has passed.     

Therapy...in the Moment.

Being able to deal with a situation at the moment it occurs is why I started Rikki Shanberg LCSW PLLC.  I work with families in New York City, NY and the suburbs to create plans on how to deal with troubling behavior when it happens.  I come to your home at the times you need me the most.  We spend hours with families in their home before, during, and after the toughest times of a daily routine.

Why It Works

The reason this approach is so successful is because it isn't just about the child.  It is about the world the child lives in.  When we are immersed in the world that you and your child are in, we can assess all aspects of a problem and provide help for both parents and children.  We can put together therapy programs and training not only for the child, but for the parents as well to help them head off troubling situations and better cope when things happen.  This program can be a mix of highly customized exercises for your family as well as standard therapy that you would receive in any office.  Click the button below to get started now or scroll down and look at the different services I offer.

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What We Do For You

CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

We believe in getting a total understanding of a child's environment.  This includes school, home, activities, and even play dates.  We firmly believe that treatment and therapy has as much to do with what goes on around a child as inside a child.  Here are the ways we execute our in-home, on premise therapy with children and adolescents:

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  • School and home-based support services

    • Executive function

    • Behavioral/emotional support

 

  • Psychotherapy (both play and talk) to assistant with behavioral, emotional, relationship problems, and life transitions 

    • Anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc.


 

  • Facilitated play dates (with family or peers)

    • Social skills.

    • How child interacts with peers and family members.

    • Help them implement and practice skills.

    • Compromise, problem solving, taking turns, how to be a friend and maintain a social relationship.  Or sometimes, they give into peer pressure or are not assertive and then do not get what they want.

    • Dates with family members.  Learn what sets people off and teach them how to appropriately act among one another.      

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PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS

One of our key differentiators of the in-home therapy model is that we work just as closely with parents as we do with the children.  Children see how parents react.  How parents handle a situation is critical to the emotional and psychological health of the child AND the parents.  Here are examples of how we engage parents in the home:

 

  • Parent/caregiver education and training

    • Teaching them about development, diagnoses, behavior support training.  Positive discipline, reward charts.

    • Standalone service by itself.  

    • In home, 3 session minimum.  

    • Work with the child at hardest time of day.

    • Can add additional sessions.

    • Deeper dive assessment.

    • Parent therapy to help them change behaviors that are triggering their kids 

    • Strategies for positive discipline

  • Behavioral and Emotional skills support​

  • Education Advocacy/school support 

    • Parent and teacher session to help develop better understanding of child's needs.

    • Helping them getting services they need.

    • Supporting IEP meeting 

    • Collaborating with school staff

    • Classroom observation.  

    • Behavior and learning support

  • Case collaboration​

  • Referrals to providers and resources

    • Speech therapists,  Neuropsychologists, Occupation Therapist,  and any other necessary providers

  • Ongoing family support (specifically designed to families needs)

    • If additional support is needed, we can develop a plan tailored to the needs of each family

We Have a Plan For You

Once we spend time with you and your children, we can prescribe several different services for your child, you, or the whole family.  This is all part of a comprehensive plan to make sure your therapy is the most effective.

Children with learning disabilities are far more likely to experience emotional and social problems. They dred going to school and school work in general can create anxiety. Just the thought of having to do something they know they are not good at can make a child depressed. If your child has a diagnosed learning disability and they are having a hard time adjusting, we can help. We know there are a lot of emotions not only with the child, but the parent as well. We can work with both you and your child to help you work through how you feel and what you are thinking when trying to learn. The more frustration we can remove, the easier it will be to tackle the learning. Contact us today, don't wait! The frustration and emotions don't go away. We can help you live a better life today.
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Emotional and Learning Disabilities

Learning should be fun...but sometimes it isn't. We can help.

Having an intellectual disability is already difficult to deal with not only as a child but as a parent as well. Children do not understand why they are sad, and sometimes parents have trouble coping as well. While these feelings are perfectly normal, they should not be ignored. These feelings need to be treated before they turn into depression or anxiety, making things worse for your or your child. If you have a child with intellectual disabilities and they are struggling with their emotions, contact us today. If you are depressed or feel anxious about your child's condition, schedule some time now. Don't wait. Studies show that early intervention can make the biggest difference. Start improving how you feel now.
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Emotional and Developmental Disabilities

Children with autism, down syndrome, or other disorders may have a hard time understanding their feelings. We can help.

It is not surprising that a child's behavior has a lot to do with how parents act and react. When a parent knows what to do and how to deal with children OUTSIDE of therapy, we see children achieveing ideal behavior more quickly and maintaining this ideal state. But the parent training also benefits the parent's emotional well being as well. When a parent feels confident that they know what to do when a situation arises, they feel less anxious in the moment and far less depressed later when they don't feel they were successful handling the problem. When parents can master themselves, they quickly see that their children will follow them. Contact us today to learn more about our parent training programs. Don't wait to be empowered. Improve your skills today and see how much happier your life with your child can be.
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Parent Training

What happens when we are not there is just as important as the therapy itself.

Social skills are exactly that...skills. They can and should be developed just like any other skill. Children can learn to work and play with other children if they are struggling to do so. We do this through a number of methods to help improve social thinking and social awareness. Your child may benefit from social skills development if you are seeing the following behavior: -- They find it hard to make friends -- They feel awkward and typically withdraw in social settings -- They often miss or misunderstand other’s body language (e.g. not knowing when someone is angry, or bored, or not being able to tell when someone else is upset) -- Often responding in socially inappropriate ways (e.g. ignoring or not engaging with others) -- Not able to see things from someone else's point of view (e.g. not understanding why something would upset someone else) -- They do not work or play well in a group -- They have meltdowns and have a hard time dealing with their emotions. If your child is having any of these issues, we can help. This is not a 'phase' that your child is going through. If social skills are not worked on early, they develop into different social problems later in life. Get help today. Contact us and let us help!
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Social Skill Development

When children can interact with other children effectively, they are healthier emotionally.

Sometimes just seeing a therapist can be stressful for a child. This stress can often be counter productive. In order to have a productive session, a child needs to feel comfortable. This is why we use play therapy. Playing has often been referred to as the 'language' of the child. Play therapy will help children get comfortable so they can open up more about their feelings. This is often more effective than a typical session because we can not only involve the children but the parents as well. Play therapy has been proven effective for all ages and genders. It is also effective for: -- Behavioral problems, such as anger management, grief and loss, divorce and abandonment as well as crisis and trauma. -- Behavioral disorders, such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), autism, pervasive developmental disorder, learning disabilities, conduct disorders, and dual diagnosis. Contact us today and see what a difference our play therapy makes for your child.
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Play Therapy

Children need to be comfortable before they open up. This is why we use play therapy.

Extremely disturbing or distressing events can happen. We don't have control over these things, and when they occur, they can cause long term emotional and psychological distress. However, these events do not have to ruin our lives. The emotional and psychological effects of trauma such as PTSD can and should be treated by a mental health professional. Let us show you how to become stronger and more resilient and not let your trauma define the rest of your days. Contact us today.
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Trauma

The worst day of your life should not dictate the rest of your life

Depression? Anxiety? Marital problems? Weight problems? All of these can be treated with Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications. CBT works well on both children and adults. CBT is based on several core principles, including: -- Psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking. -- Psychological problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior. -- People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives. (apa.org) If you or your loved one are experiencing any psychological disorders, contact us today. We have effectively used CBT to help people live a better, more full life. Don't wait! Contact us now and start living the life you want.
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Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Changing how you feel often starts with changing how you think.

Anger is a normal human reaction and can be effective and beneficial in certain situations, like responding to threats of injury or harm to yourself or others. Not being able to control anger, however, can turn destructive and cause problems in your life, as well as negatively affect personal and professional relationships. So how do you know when you or your loved one have anger issues? Here are some signs that you or your child may have anger management problems: -- You are hurting others either verbally or physically -- You always find yourself feeling angry -- You feel that your anger is out of control -- You Frequently regret something you’ve said or done when angry -- You notice that small or petty things make you angry -- Your anger has cost you your friendships or other relationships We help both children and adults with anger management. We can teach you techniques to deal with your anger before it happens and while it happens so it does not escalate. Do not let your anger destroy your relationships. Contact us now and let us help.
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Anger Management

Anger is normal, but it should not be hurtful or destructive.

While it seems like ADHD is something that was discovered in the recent decades, it has actually been around for quite some time. ADHD became an official diagnosis in 1968. As of 2016, the CDC estimates that 6.1 million children between the ages of 2-17 suffer from ADHD. What all of these statistics show is that your child is not 'different' or is 'a problem'. This is a common diagnosis and is easily treatable. However, you need to get treatment right away. ADHD, left untreated, can affect all aspects of a child's life. Their ability to make friends and social skills suffer. Their performance in the classroom will be greatly impacted. Their life at home (and yours) will suffer as well. Contact us today to make an appointment.
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ADHD is common in children and easily treatable if detected and treated early.

We are all sad from time to time. No one leads a life where there are not moments that make us upset. This is normal. However, sadness should not be constant. Here are a few signs that you might be depressed: -- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Do you feel that nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation? If so, you may be depressed. -- Loss of interest in daily activities. You don’t care anymore about former hobbies, pastimes, social activities. You’ve lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure. -- Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain can occur when you are depressed. Have you gained or lossed more than five percent of your body weight in the last month? -- Sleep changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping. -- Anger or irritability. From time to time, the sadness can give way to anger and a short temper with those around you. -- Loss of energy. Are you tired all the time? Do you tell people you are tired as a way of covering up the sadness you feel? -- Feeling worthless. If you have these feelings along with the sadness, you are most likely depressed. If you feel that you or your loved one may be depressed, do not wait! Contact us right now and we can help. If you feel suicidal, please call the suicide hotline at 800-273-8255.
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Depression

Sadness should pass. If you feel miserable most of the time, we can help.

Anxiety is an emotion that involves worry, apprehension, and stress. It is a natural feeling that we all feel from time to time. Both adults and children can feel anxiety. Anxiety can come with physical symptoms, such as increased adrenaline and heart rate. These can be helpful in focusing your attention on perceived dangers so you can respond appropriately. Anxiety becomes a problem when it interferes with your day to day activities. When you are so filled with anxiety that you think you are going to die or cannot function, you have an anxiety disorder that requires treatment. Do not leave anxiety untreated. Your physical symptoms can become worse and make you sick. If you our your child are experiencing anxiety, call us today.
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Anxiety

We are all anxious from time to time, but it should interfere with our ability to function

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