Tourette & Tic Treatment
San Diego

Many children go through phases of short-term habits like sniffing, throat-clearing, or blinking, especially when they’re stressed or excited. It’s also very common for kids to have transient tics. These tics may show up suddenly, stick around for a few weeks or months, and then fade away on their own.

Tourette’s and other chronic tic disorders are different. The tics are involuntary and your child often feels a strong urge to do them, even if they try not to. Unlike transient tics, these patterns don’t just disappear in a few months. They usually last for a year or longer and may shift in type or intensity over time. In Tourette’s, both motor tics (movements) and vocal tics (sounds) are present.

If your child’s tics have been around for many months, are hard to control, or are getting in the way of daily life, it’s a good idea to seek an evaluation. Having tics doesn’t always mean a Tourette’s diagnosis, but only a qualified health professional can give you clarity and help you plan the next steps.

Yes. Evidence-based therapies like Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) can significantly reduce the impact of tics. Therapy teaches skills to manage urges, replace tics with competing responses, and cope with stress, which often worsens tics.

Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) is usually a short-term treatment. Most children, teens, and adults complete CBIT in about 8 sessions spread over 8 to 10 weeks. Each session focuses on building awareness, learning strategies to manage urges, and practicing tools to reduce tics in daily life.

For many people, this is enough to see real improvement. Others may need extra sessions, occasional “booster” visits, or a longer course if tics change over time. Sometimes, once progress has been made with tics, the focus shifts to other areas such as child anxiety or OCD struggles that may also need attention. Treatment doesn’t end when tic management improves. It can continue to help your child, teen, or even yourself work through other challenges that arise.

At Resilience Counseling, we provide CBIT, an evidence based treatment for tics. Traditional talk therapy has not been shown to be effective for tic reduction, but CBIT is backed by strong research. Unfortunately, very few therapists in the United States are trained in this approach. Our team is CBIT trained and here to help children, teens, and adults learn tools to manage tics and live more fully.

CBIT is an updated and improved version of Habit reversal therapy (HRT). It includes elements of HRT but adds a more comprehensive approach to treating TICs and Tourette’s.  CBIT includes:

• Education and information about Tics

• Training to be more aware of Tics

• Training to do a behavior that makes the tic more difficult to do

• Learning coping skills to reduce stress and anxiety that can increase tics

CBIT’s goal is to to help your child figure out what things in their day-to-day life make their tics worse. CBIT help trains your child to create an environment that is make tics more manageable.

If your child feels distressed, embarrassed, or held back by their tics, treatment can make a real difference. At Resilience Counseling in San Diego, our CBIT trained child therapists specialize in Tourette’s and tic disorder treatment for children, teens, and families. We take time to assess your child’s symptoms and create a personalized plan designed to reduce the impact of tics and improve daily life.

With the right child therapy, many children are able to gain more control over their tics, feel less anxious in social or school settings, and build the confidence to fully enjoy time with friends and family. Effective, evidence based therapy is available both in person in San Diego and virtually throughout California.