Understand Your Child's Behavior

The first five years of life are among the most important years in a child's development. During this time, children are developing the emotional, social, relational, and regulatory skills that will serve as the foundation for later learning, relationships, and mental health.

Children communicate through behavior before they can explain what they are feeling, needing, fearing, or struggling with their words. A child who refuses to separate from a parent, begins having toileting accidents, becomes aggressive, withdraws socially, struggles with sleep, or suddenly changes their behavior is often communicating something important about their internal experience. Sometimes that experience is developmental. Sometimes it reflects stress, anxiety, sensory differences, family transitions, attachment disruptions, or trauma. The challenge for many parents is that behavior tells us something is happening, but it does not always tell us what is happening. Understanding the meaning behind a child's behavior is often the first step toward helping them.

Parents often contact me because they have concerns about a behavior they are seeing in their child. Their child may be struggling with separation anxiety, emotional regulation, aggression, toileting difficulties, social challenges, developmental concerns, adjustment to a new school, family transitions, trauma, or other behavioral and emotional difficulties.

Sometimes parents are told to wait and see, while others receive conflicting advice from teachers, pediatricians, family members, and friends.

Often what parents are looking for is not another parenting strategy but rather to better understand what is happening and what their child may be communicating through their behavior.

My consultation process is designed to help parents better understand their child's developmental, emotional, behavioral, and relational needs. Rather than focusing solely on stopping a behavior, we work to understand what may be contributing to it and identify practical ways to support the child moving forward.

My approach is informed by Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, attachment theory, developmental psychology, trauma-informed care, Somatic Experiencing®, the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), and over twenty years of experience working with children and families.

Who This Service Is For

Parents often contact me because they are concerned about a child's emotional, behavioral, social, or developmental functioning. They may be worried about separation anxiety, emotional regulation, aggression, toileting difficulties, developmental concerns, social challenges, sleep difficulties, adjustment to a new school, family transitions, trauma exposure, or changes in behavior that do not make sense to them. Many families arrive after receiving conflicting advice from teachers, pediatricians, family members, or other professionals and are looking for a clearer understanding of what may be contributing to their child's struggles.

The Parent-Child Relationship Matters

At Centering Healing, the health of the parent-child relationship is one of the primary areas of focus. Children develop within relationships. Through thousands of interactions with caregivers, children learn whether they are understood, whether their needs matter, whether they can rely on others when they are distressed, and what to expect from relationships. Consultation therefore focuses not only on the child, but also on strengthening the relationships that support the child's development. When caregivers better understand what a child is communicating and how to respond, children often experience greater regulation, increased emotional security, and stronger attachment relationships.

How It Works

The consultation process focuses on understanding the child within the context of their relationships, developmental history, environment, and current concerns.

The consultation may include:

• Parent interview and developmental history

• Review of pregnancy, birth, developmental milestones, medical history, attachment experiences, family stressors, and current concerns

• Observation of the child in their natural environment when available

• Consultation with teachers, caregivers, childcare providers, or other professionals involved in the child's life

• Review of behavioral, developmental, emotional, attachment, and regulatory functioning

• Individualized recommendations and written summary

• Follow-up consultation to review findings and discuss next steps

Throughout the process I am gathering information not only about the child, but also about the relationships and environments that support the child's development.

What Parents Receive

By the end of the consultation process, parents leave with a clearer understanding of their child's strengths, challenges, developmental needs, and the factors contributing to the concerns that brought them in. They receive individualized recommendations that can be implemented at home and, when appropriate, shared with schools, childcare providers, and other professionals involved in the child's care. The goal is to move parents from uncertainty and confusion toward a clearer understanding of what their child may need and how best to support them.

Common Reasons Families Seek Consultation

• Separation anxiety

• Emotional regulation difficulties

• Aggression and challenging behaviors

• Toileting concerns

• Preschool and school adjustment difficulties

• Developmental concerns

• Social difficulties

• Anxiety

• Sleep challenges

• Trauma exposure

• Adoption and foster care concerns

• Divorce and family transitions

• Parent-child relationship concerns

Consultation Services

Virtual Consultation

Available worldwide.

This option includes parent interviews, developmental history review, review of submitted videos, consultation with caregivers when appropriate, individualized recommendations, and a feedback session to review findings and next steps.

This consultation includes:

• One 60-minute parent intake and developmental history session

• Review of submitted videos, records, and supporting information

• Consultation with teachers, caregivers, or other professionals involved in your child's care when appropriate

• Analysis and integration of all information gathered throughout the consultation process

• Individualized Developmental & Attachment Summary with recommendations

• One 60-minute feedback session where we review findings, discuss recommendations, and develop a plan for moving forward

Throughout the process I am gathering information about your child's development, attachment relationships, emotional functioning, behavior, environment, and current concerns in order to create individualized recommendations tailored to your child and family.

A deposit of 50% is required prior to beginning the consultation process. The remaining balance is due at the feedback session.

Additional consultation, review of records, school meetings, caregiver meetings, or collaboration with outside professionals may be available for an additional fee.

In-Person Consultation

Available throughout the Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Kiryat Ono, Ganei Tikva, and surrounding areas.

This option may include direct observation of the child in their home, preschool, daycare, school, or other relevant setting in addition to the consultation process outlined above.

This consultation includes:

• One 60-minute parent intake and developmental history session

• Direct observation of your child in their home, preschool, daycare, school, or another relevant setting

• Consultation with teachers, caregivers, or other professionals involved in your child's care when appropriate

• Analysis and integration of all information gathered throughout the consultation process

• Individualized Developmental & Attachment Summary with recommendations

• One 60-minute feedback session where we review findings, discuss recommendations, and develop a plan for moving forward

Throughout the process I am gathering information about your child's development, attachment relationships, emotional functioning, behavior, environment, and current concerns in order to create individualized recommendations tailored to your child and family.

A deposit of 50% is required prior to beginning the consultation process. The remaining balance is due at the feedback session.

Travel outside the local service area may incur an additional fee.

The Goal

The goal of this consultation is to better understand your child and what their behavior may be communicating developmentally and relationally. When we understand what a child's behavior is communicating, we are better able to support their development, strengthen relationships, and create environments that help them thrive.

How To Begin An Early Childhood Consultation

An Early Childhood Developmental & Attachment Consultation begins with a written inquiry. This gives me an opportunity to understand your child’s age, what you have been noticing, what you are hoping to better understand, and whether this consultation appears appropriate for your family’s needs.

Because every child and family is different, the consultation structure may vary depending on the concerns being explored, whether observation is helpful, what records or videos may be useful, and whether other caregivers or professionals should be included.

What Happens Next

1. Submit An Early Childhood Consultation Inquiry

   Complete the secure inquiry form with basic information about your child, the concerns that led you here, and what you are hoping to better understand.

2. I Review Your Inquiry

   I personally review the information you provide and determine whether this consultation appears appropriate for the questions you are trying to answer. I may respond with a few additional questions or offer a brief call when clarification is needed.

3. You Receive The Recommended Consultation Structure And Fee

   I explain whether I recommend virtual or in-person consultation, what the process will include, whether observation or additional information may be helpful, the complete fee, and the anticipated timeline.

4. Complete The Agreement And Deposit

   When you decide to proceed, you complete the service agreement and submit the 50% deposit before the consultation process begins.

5. Complete The Consultation Process

   We gather the developmental, relational, behavioral, and environmental information needed to better understand your child and the concerns that brought you in.

6. Receive Your Developmental & Attachment Summary And Recommendations

   We meet to review what I learned, discuss the patterns that may be contributing to your child’s current difficulties, and develop practical recommendations for supporting your child at home and, when appropriate, across other caregiving or educational settings.

Ask About An Early Childhood Consultation

If you are wondering what may be contributing to your child’s behavior, emotions, relationships, or development, begin with the secure inquiry form. Tell me what you have been noticing and what you are hoping to better understand, and I will personally review your inquiry before recommending the next step.