Anxiety Program: West Bergen Center for Children & Youth

Who we are…

West Bergen Mental Healthcare, recognizing the growing and unmet need for counseling and psychiatric services specifically for children, established the Center for Children and Youth in 1990. This high quality mental health center offers parents and children meaningful and effective services as they face a changing and challenging society.

When families experience a full range of needs and problems, they turn to the Center for help in managing behavioral issues, developmental concerns, family conflict, school difficulties and serious psychological problems such as major depression and severe anxiety. We provide research-based programs designed to address these needs.

The Center for Children and Youth has served more than 6,000 children, adolescents and their families.

West Bergen is committed to meeting the psychological needs of our clients with sensitivity and responsive, innovative services at the highest possible standard. We strive to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve…one life at a time.

Anxiety Program…

The Center for Children and Youth provides comprehensive evaluations and treatment for children and adolescent ages 4-18, who are experiencing unusual or excessive anxiety.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common illness in America. About 13 percent of children between 9 and 17 years of age have an anxiety disorder.

According to Mental Health America, “All children experience some anxiety; this is normal and expected.  For example, when left along at a preschool for the first time, many children will show distress; a young child with his or her own room may develop a fear of the dark. Such anxiety becomes a problem when it interrupts a child’s normal activities, like attending school and making friends or sleeping. Persistent and intense anxiety that disrupts daily routine is a mental health problem that requires help.”

Signs of Anxiety include:

*Fear of separating from parents or significant others.

*Nighttime fears or unwillingness to sleep alone.

*School refusal

*Intense anxiety attacks or panics

*Fear and/or avoidance of specific animals, objects or situations

*Anticipatory anxiety and/or avoidance of social situations

*Performance anxiety, including fear of talking in class

*Repetitive, compulsive, ritualized behaviors

*Excessive worrying and ruminating (sometimes accompanied by physical complaints)

*Anxiety in the aftermath of traumatic events

The Anxiety Program offers a full spectrum of psycho-therapeutic treatments, which includes:

*Comprehensive Diagnostic Evalution

*Individual, Family and Group Therapy

*Medication Evaluation and Management

The Anxiety Program is lead by a team of Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, Advanced Practice Nurses, Clinical psychologists and Clinical Social Workers. The  West Bergen Center for Children and Youth has a tradition of offering high-quality interventions which include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Family System Therapy.

For Emergencies call: (201) 262-HELP (4357) or Call 911

Service Locations:

West Bergen Mental Healthcare

120 Chestnut Street

Ridgewood, NJ  07450

West Bergen Center for Children and Youth

One Cherry Lane

Ramsey, NJ  07446

West Bergen Counseling Group

860 Wyckoff Avenue, 2nd Floor

Mahwah, NJ  07430

Online@ http://www.westbergen.org

For additional information or to schedule an appointment please contact our ACCESS CENTER at (201) 485-7172.

Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the West Bergen Center for Children & Youth pamphlet on Anxiety Program. Please email or call them directly for more information.