Dorothy Richardson, Ph.D., Director

The first five years of life comprise a very important developmental period in a child's life. The relationships formed with parents and other important caregivers during this early period create the basis for emotional growth. The Rice Center for Young Children and Families specializes in this early developmental period.

Our Goal is to:

• Support parents during the transition to parenthood and throughout a child's first five years.
• Support professionals and programs that serve the needs of young children and families.

We offer parent-child therapy, individual therapy, developmental consultations with appropriate referrals, couples therapy, parenting consultations and support groups to address the needs of:

Parents (Expecting, New and Experienced)

• pregnancy and preparing to become a parent
• "Out of the Blue” postpartum adjustment groups for new mothers
• anxiety and/or depression
• step-parenting
• gay and lesbian parenting
• single parenting
• marital stress
• stress with family members
• adoption issues
• coping with infertility and pregnancy loss
• history of miscarriage/death of family member
• adjustment back to work
  

• fussy and difficult to soothe
• difficulties with bonding
• sleeping problems
• feeding problems
• problems during separation
• questions or concerns about your infant’s/toddler’s development

• behavior problems
• frequent tantrums or meltdowns
• parent-child relationships
• sensory integration challenges
• anxiety and depression
• questions or concerns about your child's development
• toileting concerns
• sleeping issues
• eating problems
• anxiety and depression
• adjustment to a difficult transition/life challenge (e.g., school, new sibling, move, divorce, death, witnessing violence)

The Services We Provide:

• A staff of professionals trained in young children's and parent's mental health.
• Parent-child therapy, individual and couples therapy to address the needs of families with children under five years of age.
• Parenting consultations.
• Developmental consultations to programs who serve infants and young children.
• Parent-child groups and parent support groups including: transition to parenthood, postpartum adjustment, single parents, gay and lesbian parents, adoptive parents, infertility, adjusting back to work, parenting challenges.

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