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Early Childhood Therapy
(Infant Through Preschool, Ages 0-5)

Early childhood therapy for people throughout Illinois and beyond

There are few things as precious as a newborn child. Each stage of growth is an amazing sight to behold.

Yet, there are times when parenting in the early years can feel like a never-ending guessing game.

We try to understand our child’s behaviors and emotions, and we can’t make sense of it. There is no user’s manual for raising a young child and at this age, and our child does not have the words to explain what they are doing and how they are feeling. When this happens, parents and caregivers can feel a sense of frustration, exhaustion, and helplessness.

At The Marriage and Family Clinic (The MFT Clinic), our therapists are trained to help families throughout the early years of raising children. A central goal of early childhood therapy is to provide parents and caregivers with a place to learn about themselves and their child so that they can create healthy bonds that can last a lifetime. 

 


 

How can early childhood therapy help us?

There are many ways that early childhood therapy can help parents and caregivers who need support with caring for their infants and toddlers. Some examples are listed below:

  • Screening for developmental concerns
  • Improving the parent/child relationships
  • Understanding attachment and bonding
  • Developing healthy sibling and peer relationships
  • Trauma and abuse recovery
  • Reducing aggression and defiance behaviors
  • Navigating fostering and adoption
  • Working through transitions
  • Nurturing blended families/Non-traditional families
  • Receiving parental support
  • Treatment for social and emotional delays

What can I expect from early childhood therapy?

First, you can expect your therapist to provide a safe, non-judgmental space for you to share your concerns.

When reaching out for help, it can be hard not to worry about being judged or blamed for the problems you and your child are experiencing. At The MFT Clinic, our primary goal is to help you feel welcomed and encouraged; we want to instill a sense of confidence in you as you raise your child.

First, you will first meet with your therapist for a consultation. During this meeting, your therapist will ask questions to explore your concerns and to gather a thorough history for your child.

Next, your therapist will create an individualized plan for you and your child. This may include therapy, further assessments, medical doctor referrals, or other recommendations, depending on the needs of your child.

Early childhood therapy at The MFT Clinic will include you because your connection with your child is essential. We recognize that you take care of almost everything for your young child and you may be feeling overwhelmed. We are here to support you, as well as your child, so that you can feel more confident and secure as a parent for your little one.

What type of early childhood therapy will work for us?

Our typical approach for this age group is play therapy because play is your child’s primary language and vehicle for learning. Play therapy is an evidence-based practice that may include approaches such as child-parent psychotherapy, bibliotherapy, experiential family therapy, trauma-informed therapy, faith-integrated therapy, and more.

As we work with your child, we include you in the journey, explaining what we are doing and why. We will coach you in the process so you can use your new skills at home.

The MFT Clinic at Wheaton College

The MFT Clinic is an Academic Care Center, like a teaching hospital. We provide essential mental health care to people in Illinois (and beyond) while training therapy interns who attend the MFT master’s program at Wheaton College. Our small cohort of intern therapists receive intensive training academically and clinically.

Many clients work directly with an intern therapist. Meanwhile, the therapist receives close supervision by dedicated faculty experts behind the scenes. Together, your intern and faculty provide you with state-of-the art, insightful care.

At The MFT Clinic, you will have a seasoned expert who is carefully thinking through the latest interventions to determine the approach that fits best for you and your loved ones.

We have found this to be an effective and deeply meaningful process. While your therapy intern brings energy, compassion and eagerness to therapy, your seasoned faculty therapist is behind the scenes, infusing insight and expertise into your care, tailoring treatment to meet your unique needs. 

Contact Us Today

You can reach us through our inquiry page here, by telephone at 630-733-8161 or email to begin on your transformative journey of couple’s, family, or individual therapy.