Mood Disorder Treatment

What is a Mood Disorder?

All children and adolescents experience emotions and express them through their mood. A Mood Disorder is a medical condition that occurs when a child’s emotions are persistent and consistent and affect their ability to function. Children and adolescents with Mood Disorders may struggle to manage their emotions and complete daily tasks. Mood disorders can occur because of biological, genetic or environmental factors. Children with Mood Disorders are more likely to be affected by depression or anxiety as adults.

How We Can Help Children with Mood Disorders

With a multidisciplinary approach to mental health and well-being, The Sutcliffe Clinic focuses on treating the whole child to reduce symptoms, enhance coping strategies, and improve the quality of life of children with Mood Disorders.

Our program can benefit children who consistently display disruptive moods and emotional or behavioral shifts. We nurture physical and emotional well-being while teaching effective management of mood disorders.

We prioritize social skill development and evidence-based therapies to increase emotional resilience for children, promoting harmony at school, at home and with peers.

Psychological Testing
To look deeper into mood regulations and other challenges that might be associated with your child’s mood.
Individual and Family Therapy
To address your concerns as a parent and to offer tools to help your child manage their emotions
Medical Wellness
To determine how your child’s sleep, exercise and nutritional habits affect their mood and to learn how treatment options such as diet changes, increased exercise, mindfulness, and acupuncture can help. If symptoms persist, medication may help address your child’s mood.

How We Diagnose Mood Disorders

Accurately diagnosing pediatric mood disorders like disruptive mood dysregulation disorder and depression can be challenging as emotional and behavioral symptoms often blend with normal childhood phases or other conditions.

We conduct comprehensive psychological assessments using validated rating scales standardized for children to quantify the severity of core symptoms. Detailed clinical interviews elucidate the onset and duration of symptoms in the context of expected milestones and life events.

By integrating biological, psychological and social data, our expert diagnosticians can accurately and reliably differentiate various conditions to guide targeted, effective treatment. Overall, our diagnostic excellence empowers families with knowledge, validation and evidence-based solutions for their child’s path to healing.

How We Treat Mood Disorders

Our treatment approach combines evidence-based therapy with holistic modalities, such as lifestyle adjustments, social skills training, and stress reduction techniques.

At The Sutcliffe Clinic, pharmaceutical therapies are considered thoughtfully as part of an overall Medical Wellness approach. When emotional and behavioral treatment plans stall despite skilled psychotherapy and lifestyle coaching efforts over a reasonable period, medications may be necessary.

This comprehensive, emotionally supportive approach fosters tangible growth in children’s regulation of moods, emotions, and behaviors – learning to apply evidence-based coping strategies with confidence to overcome daily challenges.

Families witness their children gain greater self-assurance, adaptability, positive thinking patterns, and stronger resilience. In time, this leads to expanded academic engagement, social fluency, and the pursuit of fulfilling interests suited to the child’s strengths.

Trenna Sutcliffe, MD MS FRCPC FAAP
Mood Disorders Behavioral Pediatrician
Medical Director, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician
Board Certified Medical Doctor in Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics and General Pediatrics
Scott Lafranconi, MA LMFT
Mood Disorders Therapist
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist