Services for Young Children
(Ages 0-5)

A woman with two young girls and a young boy outdoors, one girl appears upset while the woman comforts the girls, the other girl looks calm with her eyes closed, and the boy covers his face with his hands.

IS THIS YOU OR YOUR CHILD?

You’re a parent doing everything you can to help your child — but something still feels off. You may feel:

  • Unsure of what your child needs or how to respond to their emotions.

  • Disconnected in your relationship with your child.

  • Exhausted from trying everything but still struggling with tantrums, big emotions, or communication difficulties.

  • Wondering if your child’s development is on track.

  • “Is parenting supposed to feel this hard?”

You may notice:

  • Frequent meltdowns or emotional outbursts

  • Difficulty calming down or following rules

  • Concerns about speech, play, or social skills

  • Ongoing sleep, eating, toileting, or developmental challenges

You are not alone. Parenting young children can be incredibly challenging — especially when social-emotional or developmental concerns arise. We’re here to help.

A woman and a young boy are touching foreheads, smiling, with their eyes closed in a close-up outdoor setting.

What Is Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (I/ECMH)?

Infant and early childhood mental health focuses on a child’s ability to experience, regulate, and express emotions; form secure relationships; and explore their environment successfully.

Young children may struggle with:

  • Emotional dysregulation and difficulty calming down

  • Sleep and feeding challenges

  • Toileting delays

  • Excessive crying or tantrums

  • Aggression, hitting, or running away (elopement)

  • Social and developmental delays

As a caregiver, you are central to your child’s emotional wellness. Our approach includes you actively in the therapy process to strengthen your connection, support your child’s development, and build skills for long-term success.

Learn more about Why Infant Mental Health Matters.

How We Can Help

At Mensink Counseling & Consulting, we specialize in working with young children and their caregivers using evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches that focus on both the child’s needs and the parent-child relationship.

We help you:

  • Understand your child’s behaviors and emotions

  • Build your child’s coping and calming skills

  • Strengthen emotional regulation and communication

  • Support age-appropriate developmental milestones

  • Improve parent-child attachment and connection

Together, we’ll collaborate on a plan tailored to your child’s unique needs.

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)

An evidence-based trauma-informed therapy for children under age 6 who have experienced stressful or traumatic events. CPP helps:

  • Children manage and process big feelings.

  • Caregivers learn how to support emotional regulation.

  • Families make sense of difficult experiences together.

  • Incorporates cultural and family values into treatment.

Learn more about What is CPP?.

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Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

A highly effective, research-supported therapy for young children (ages 2–9) with behavioral challenges. PCIT helps:

  • Improve emotional regulation and attention.

  • Reduce behavioral outbursts, defiance, and aggression.

  • Increase compliance with rules and routines.

  • Strengthen positive parent-child interactions at home, school, and in the community.

Learn more about What is PCIT?.

A child is sitting on the floor, holding a soft doll with a round face, big eyes, and a small smile. The child is wearing a light-colored T-shirt and dark pants with patterns. There are other plush toys and objects visible in the background.
A young boy is hugging an adult, possibly his mother, on the beach during sunset. The boy looks thoughtful and is resting his head on the person's shoulder as the ocean and sunset are in the background.

Circle of Security-Informed Intervention (COS-IT)

An attachment-based parent coaching intervention that focuses on the parent-child relationship. In COS-IT:

  • Parents meet individually with the therapist (without the child present).

  • Learn to better understand and respond to your child’s emotional needs.

  • Strengthen security, trust, and emotional safety in the relationship.

Learn more about The Circle of Security Network.

Concerned about Developmental Delays?

You may have questions about whether your child is meeting developmental milestones for:

  • Speech and language development

  • Crawling, walking, or physical coordination

  • Toilet training or feeding independence

  • Cognitive, emotional, or social development

We offer comprehensive Developmental Wellness Checks and Diagnostic Evaluations specifically designed to assess your child’s developmental progress and emotional well-being.

Learn more about Developmental Wellness Checks and Diagnostic Evaluations for more information.

Early Intervention Matters.

Early Intervention Matters.


If you have concerns about your child’s emotional or developmental well-being, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation. We’re here to help you find clarity, support, and a path forward.