Tykes & Teens was founded in 1996, and has provided mental health services to more than 30,000 local children in need. We are proudly serving Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River & Okeechobee Counties.
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Services Offered
General Mental Health - The General Mental Health program focuses on treating issues including: * Adjustment to parental separation, or blended family issues * Behavioral problems at home, school or within the community * Difficulty managing anger * Depression and anxiety * Parent/child conflict * Bullying
Individual and family counseling with one of our highly qualified therapists is the most common and effective approach in our General Mental Health Program, although group counseling may be utilized when deemed appropriate. Our programs are designed not just to treat the child, but to strengthen and support the family unit so that the child's progress is sustainable. Once an assessment is complete and a child's needs identified, an appropriate treatment plan is devised.
We use a variety of age appropriate treatment strategies during counseling including traditional "talk" therapy, which allows for discussion and processing of events and emotions to gain a better understanding of behavior and to learn new coping skills. Play and art therapy are also used frequently with young children, and allow the child to express himself through guided play or artwork, and issues are processed creatively through that medium.
Family Abuse Treatment Program - The Family Abuse Treatment Program focuses on alleviating the symptoms of sexual abuse and domestic violence. Therapists involved in this program are all licensed and have extensive experience working with the entire family in confronting these issues. Services include individual and family counseling, as well as support groups that address mutual questions and concerns and allow family members to share experiences and connect with others who can relate to the situation.
Youth Enrichment Services (YES) - The YES program gives local pre-teens and adolescents who are struggling with alcohol, drugs, or other dangerous behaviors the chance to make long term change. Through a combination of individual, family, and group counseling, teens learn the coping skills necessary to manage peer pressure, anxiety, depression and other challenges without resorting to unhealthy behavior. For more than 10 years, Tykes & Teens has been offering troubled teens a scientifically based and proven program to help them end destructive behaviors and turn their lives around.
Infant Mental Health - The Certified Tykes & Teens Infant Mental Health Specialists utilize Child Parent Psychotherapy, an evidence based practice for children who have experienced at least one traumatic event and as a result, are having behavior, attachment and /or mental health problems. The primary goal of this program is to support and strengthen the relationship between a child and his or her parent or caregiver, in order to restore the child's sense of safety and attachment, and to improve the child's cognitive, behavioral and social functioning.
With infants, the child is present for treatment, but treatment focuses on helping the parent to understand how the child's and parent's experience may affect the child's behavior and development. With older children the child is a more active participant in treatment, which often includes play as a vehicle for facilitating communication between the child and the parent. When the parent has his or her own history of trauma, the therapist helps the parent understand how this history can affect the child parent relationship, and helps the parent interact with the child in new, developmentally appropriate ways.
Healthy Families - Indian River County - Pregnancy or the recent birth of a child can leave parents feeling nervous, stressed or overwhelmed. Healthy Families provides free, in home support to help expecting and new parents be the best they can be. Parents must enroll before child is two months old. Spanish speaking family support workers are available.
Therapeutic Groups - DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) Skills Group, Body Image Group, HOPE - Health Over Problem Eating Group, LGBTQ Support Group, SAFE (Sexual Abuse Family Education) Group, Adoptive Parenting Group.
Fees and Payment
Counseling services are provided on a sliding scale.
This is a non profit agency.
Services Offered To: Teens Children
Payment: Pro-bono
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Qualifying for assistance from Florida's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to Florida's program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.