Katya Chizhova, LCSW - Psychotherapy

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Support group for parents of kids with developmental disorders

Katya Chizhova, MSW, LCSW - a licensed psychotherapist - takes special interest in helping families raise children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum disorders. As a mother of such child, Mrs. Chizhova can relate to emotional, educational and social challenges of these children and their parents. If you have kids with Autistic or other developmental disorders, she invites you to her support group:

“More and more, in doctors’ offices, on TV, from neighbors and friends, we hear about children with developmental disorders. More and more articles and web sites are dedicated to this issue that seems to grow more widespread every year.

Autism, Asperger syndrome, childhood bipolar disorder, AD/HD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, Tourette, epilepsy. The list goes on. Many of us know personally these kids. For many, these kids are their children. Questions abound on just how to raise such children: was the diagnosis right, is it really IT or maybe, just maybe, the doctor made a mistake? How do we help them, what’s the right approach, how do we protect them from peer and system abuse, how do we explain to relatives and friends that our kids are not freaks and we are not failed parents? HOW DO WE LIVE WITH THEM?

In my parenting support group I help moms and dads deal with these problems and learn to fight for their kids’ place in this world that is not known for welcoming the different. As a mother of an Asperger child I strongly believe that the starting point is home. If we never loose sight of the humanity of our children, if we work hard every day to come closer to really knowing them, we become more immune to the funny looks of strangers, we get more proactive in advocating for our kids’ rights in school and healthcare systems, and ultimately we achieve peace with ourselves that, in its turn, enables us to give more of ourselves to them.

In his book “Freaks, Geeks & Asperger Syndrome,” a 13-year old Asperger boy Luke Jackson said “The best advice I would give to parents that have found out that their child has AS” – or any of the other problems for that matter– “is just to accept them as they are… Yours and your child’s life may now take a different course than you would have expected, but it is just as important and may even be more fascinating and enlightening… Your kid is still your kid regardless of his or her label.”

And this is my son:

“I wanna be just a normal guy,
But never was, and I’ll never be,
For I have somethin’ in my life,
That has a purpose.
In my life!!!”

I invite you to my group. Let us try helping our kids and ourselves.”

If you would like to participate in the group you can call the Center of Revitalizing Psychiatry at 201-488-5161 and schedule an appointment with Mrs. Chizhova and please mention that you want to become a group member.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Yekaterina (Katya) Chizhova, MSW, LCSW - Psychotherapist

Katya Chizhova, MSW, LCSW is a New Jersey and New York State licensed psychotherapist with over 12 years of experience, currently working for The Center of Revitalizing Psychiatry in Hackensack, NJ.
Born and raised in Russia and educated in the United States, Mrs. Chizhova has a strong understanding of cultural diversity, immigration issues, and hard challenges of integrating into a new society. She has worked in a variety of settings dealing with child, adult and family issues, crisis intervention, loss and bereavement and geriatric help.
Mrs. Chizhova has counseled people afflicted with temporary or permanent physical, neurological and mental disabilities, helping them through all phases from the coming to terms with their problem to making necessary and often difficult adjustments to the genuine acceptance of a new lifestyle.
Mrs. Chizhova is an active member of ASPEN, a non-profit organization that provides education, support and advocacy for high-functioning autistic people. She is professionally and personally involved in helping families raise children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum disorders. Herself a mother of such child, Mrs. Chizhova can relate to emotional, educational and social challenges of these children and their parents.
As a clinician, Mrs. Chizhova seeks to help parents understand the unique needs of the “spectrum” children and develop the therapy and support framework essential for healthy bonding with such children and helping them realize their full potential.
Mrs. Chizhova strongly believes that people struggling with manifold stresses of modern life need to learn to pause and reflect, getting in touch with themselves and their life. For many, the first step is to call for an appointment with a therapist.

Katya Chizhova is an adult and child psychotherapist at The Center of Revitalizing Psychiatry, P.C., Hackensack, NJ. She is in the process of crating a support group for autistic people and their relatives.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

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