Difficult Conversations: “Mommy, will there be another Boom?”
This is how to help children make sense of difficult times - A note from Lebanon.
Dr Pia Tohme Khalaf
Child Psychotherapist
“I am a Mentalization Based Therapist working with children, adolescents and their parents.”
About Me
I am a child psychotherapist in Dbayeh, Lebanon. I offer child and adolescent therapy and diagnostic assessment for anxiety, relationship and family issues, and behaviour problems.
Approach
In Dbayeh and online, sessions move slowly enough to notice small shifts in thought and feeling while staying practical for parents and busy teens. I alternate playful curiosity with children, reflective questioning with adolescents, and collaborative planning with parents, sometimes sharing brief observations between meetings to keep progress grounded. Therapy becomes a series of together moments—mapping misunderstandings, testing new perspectives, and rehearsing different responses under stress. Those seeking a thoughtful, language-flexible approach in Arabic, English or French often find this helpful.
Services
I am trained in the Approach to Parenting Teenagers from the Open Door Young People’s consultation services and in Mentalization Based Therapy for Children and Adolescents, as well as its application in a school setting, from the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London.
I currently work in private practice with children, adolescents and their parents, based on attachment and mentalizing principles and am a preschool consultant psychotherapist. I am involved in the setting up of fun and accessible activities for toddlers and preschoolers, focusing on emotion expression and emotion regulation.
I regularly give parenting workshops discussing creative hands-on ideas promoting healthy development throughout childhood and communication skills in adolescence. I also volunteer in various NGOs working with children in need.
Services Offered:
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Child / Adolescent Therapy
Therapy for children and teenagers using age-appropriate methods, such as play, art, or adapted talk therapy, to address emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Learn more about Child / Adolescent Therapy
Works With:
- •Adolescents
- •Children
- •Parents
Area of Expertise
Scope of Practice:
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Anxiety
Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about Anxiety - •
Relationship Issues
Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.
Learn more about Relationship Issues - •
Behaviour or Conduct Issues
Persistent patterns of defiant, aggressive, or rule-breaking behaviour in children or adolescents that significantly disrupt home, school, or social life.
- •
Child Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal assessment of a child's psychological, cognitive, or emotional functioning to identify conditions and guide appropriate support.
- •
Child Behaviour
Behavioural difficulties in children, such as tantrums, aggression, withdrawal, or defiance, that signal emotional distress or developmental needs.
- •
Family Issues
Difficulties within the family system, including conflict, communication breakdown, blended family tensions, or intergenerational patterns, that affect individual and collective well-being.
Professional Title:
- •
Child Psychotherapist
A psychotherapist specialising in the emotional and psychological needs of children, often using play and creative techniques.
Qualifications
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
University College London
