Book published! Anxiety and the Gift of Imagination is now available from amazon.com or read the story behind the book

I have been working as a psychologist for over 35 years, first in Florida as the only psychologist working with children and families in a rural mental health centre and then in Toronto, Ontario as a consultant to two children's mental health centres, teaching part-time at York University courses in psychology, providing fetal alcohol assessments and consultation to a Native Canadian Mental Health Centre, and managing a private practice in Thornhill, Ontario.

About Dr. Robin Alter

I provide treatment for children and adolescents with a broad range of psychological and behaviour problems, ranging from severe anxieties to conduct disorders, learning disabilities, problems with bullying, ADHD, etc. In my private practice and as a consulting psychologist at a large children's mental health centre in Toronto I have met with more than 10,000 children and families over the span of 24 years, many of whom have suffered from anxiety. This has led me to develop the Creative Anxiety Model, which I have personally used successfully to resolve anxiety disorders for hundreds of my private practice clients. Look for my book “Taming the Anxiety Monster” which is in progress.

I am fairly active in my work and I communicate with children in a manner which is effective and engaging. I like to work with kids in the presence of at least one parent so that parents can reinforce the process at home. Generally, after just a few sessions, parents typically feel they have a better understanding of their child and a new set of tools to deal with unwanted behaviour. I work collaboratively with people deciding how long and how often they need to be seen. Finding a therapist that matches everyone's needs- the parents, the child's and/or children's, can be difficult. Usually people know, after a few sessions whether they've come to the right place.

I have dedicated my professional life to children’s happiness and well-being and I have worked as an advocate for children and youth in the community. To ensure that children’s needs are addressed I ran for public office in the Province of Ontario in 2003 and spoke at many public meetings on the plight of children and youth in our time.

• 5 Strategies for Preventing the Development of Childhood Separation Anxiety - Guest article by Ryan Rivera
• The role of imagination in children with anxiety
• New book: Anxiety and the Gift of Imagination
• Creating quality time with your kids when there’s so little time
• Is my child's anxiety a sign of serious trouble?
• How to help our children in case of war or acts of terrorism
• The difference between raising boys and girls
• Teaching children anger management and self-control
• How to prevent children from being bored
• Why do children lie and refuse to accept responsibility for misbehaviour?
• Why does my child get teased and what can I do about it?
• What the children say
• What we really know about ADHD and what we can do about it