Nicole L. LaRocco, Psy.D.
Children, adolescent and family specialist
Nicole L. LaRocco is a specialist with children and adolescents, as well as working with families and adults. She works in both the St. Charles and Oak Brook offices, and is a graduate of the American School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University (previously the Illinois School of Professional Psychology). “I use a wide range of therapeutic techniques, uniquely tailored to meet the needs of each person or family that engages in counseling with me.”
Her experience includes a multiplicity of eating disorders, self-injury, anxiety, depression and mood, conduct, and pervasive developmental disorders, including Asperger’s. She has a collaborative approach and likes to include family and school as part of the team, as needed.
“People considering counseling for the first time often have questions about how counseling works and whether or not it will be helpful to them. It is important to feel comfortable and have a sense of confidence and trust in my ability to help. An initial consultation session is important in establishing what you are looking for and what I can do for you. During your first meeting, you are strongly encouraged to ask questions about the nature of therapy, what you can expect from counseling, and how therapy works.”
“I work closely with girls and boys who don’t get along with their peers because of shyness, lack of social skills, or lack of confidence. I like to give parents, children and family members real feedback about how their behavior is impacting those around them. I will collaborate with family members, physicians, and school staff and use a variety of approaches that emphasize different strategies and build off new ideas.”
She strongly believes in the small group experience to help clients discover they are not alone and that there are others one’s own age with whom they can share their concerns. Her goal is to work together to develop and practice new skills.
She offers the following groups:
Social Skills Clinic to assist children and adolescents in developing more appropriate and successful approaches to building friendships with their peers. Children and adolescents also develop better communication skills, and learn the differences between being assertive, aggressive or unfriendly.
Anxiety Management to assist children in recognizing triggers for anxious feelings and in learning new ways to cope with those difficult feelings through relaxation training and problem solving. The goal of this class is to decrease the negative experiences associated with anxious moments.
Parenting Class, “How to Raise a Responsible Child” to support parents in the development of their “parent power” by identifying parenting strengths and developing more effective behavior management strategies, improving the parent-child relationship.
