Your baby's earliest experiences shape everything.
We're here from the very beginning.
The first five years of life are the most critical window for brain development — and the most overlooked when it comes to mental health support. Gateway Family Services offers specialized infant and early childhood mental health services across Central Illinois, from newborn behavioral observations to therapeutic support for children ages 0–5 and their families.
Gateway's lead clinician holds the Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (I/ECHMHC) credential — one of the few professionals with this specialized certification in Central Illinois.
THE FIRST FIVE YEARS DON'T JUST MATTER. THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION.
What happens in a child's earliest years — before they can talk, before they start school, before most people think of "mental health" — shapes how their brain organizes stress, relationships, and learning for the rest of their life.
When those early experiences include trauma, loss, neglect, or a caregiver struggling with their own mental health, the effects don't wait until kindergarten to show up. They show up in feeding difficulties, sleep disruption, attachment challenges, behavioral dysregulation, and developmental delays.
The good news: early intervention works. The earlier a child and family receive support, the more the brain can reorganize and heal. That's not just clinical wisdom — it's neuroscience.
Gateway Family Services specializes in the earliest and most critical window of development. If you have a concern about your infant, toddler, or young child — or about yourself as a parent during this season — we want to hear from you.
Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO)
Understanding your baby from the very first weeks.
The Newborn Behavioral Observation is a relationship-based tool used in the first weeks of life to help parents understand their newborn's unique communication style, behavioral states, and early capacities. Conducted by a certified Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, the NBO is not a diagnostic assessment — it's an invitation into relationship.
During the observation, a clinician sits with you and your baby and helps you see what your newborn is already telling you — about what calms them, what overwhelms them, and what they need from you to feel safe. For many parents, it's the first time they've felt truly seen as a parent.
The NBO is appropriate for:
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Newborns from birth through 3 months
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Parents with concerns about feeding, sleeping, or soothing
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Families navigating postpartum depression, anxiety, or adjustment
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Parents who experienced trauma during pregnancy or delivery
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Foster or adoptive families welcoming a newborn
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (0–5)
When something feels off and you don't know where to turn.
Infant and early childhood mental health consultation is specialized support for children from birth through age 5 and their caregiving systems — parents, grandparents, foster families, childcare providers, and early intervention teams.
This isn't traditional "sit and talk" therapy. For very young children, healing happens through play, through co-regulation with a trusted adult, and through strengthening the relationships that surround the child. Our I/ECHMHC-credentialed clinician works alongside the whole family system to understand what the child is communicating through their behavior and what they need to feel safe enough to grow.
Common reasons families seek early childhood mental health support:
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Significant behavioral challenges in children under 5
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Attachment concerns or difficulty bonding
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Developmental trauma or early adverse experiences
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Parental mental health challenges affecting the parent-child relationship
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Transitions — new siblings, divorce, foster placement, loss
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Concerns about developmental delays or sensory processing
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Postpartum depression or anxiety affecting the caregiving relationship
Parent-Child Relationship Support
The relationship is the intervention.
For very young children, the most powerful therapeutic tool isn't a technique — it's the parent. Parent-child relationship therapy focuses on strengthening the bond between caregiver and child, helping parents understand their child's behavior through a developmental and trauma-informed lens, and building the kind of safe, responsive connection that allows young children to thrive.
This approach is appropriate for children from birth through age 5 and their primary caregivers.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN CRISIS TO REACH OUT
Families come to us at all points on the spectrum — from "something feels off and I can't name it" to "we're in full crisis and we don't know what to do." Both are welcome here. Early childhood mental health support isn't only for families in acute distress. It's for any parent who wants to understand their child better, support their child's development more intentionally, or get ahead of challenges before they become crises.
We serve:
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Expectant parents preparing for a new baby
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Parents of newborns navigating the fourth trimester
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Families with infants and toddlers (0–3) with behavioral or developmental concerns
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Parents of preschool-age children (3–5) struggling with dysregulation, aggression, withdrawal, or attachment challenges
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Foster and adoptive families
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Grandparents and kinship caregivers raising young children
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Childcare providers and early childhood educators seeking consultation
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Home visiting programs and early intervention teams
Infant and early childhood mental health is a specialized field — and genuine expertise in this area is rare, especially in Central Illinois. Gateway's lead clinician, Michael Remole, holds the Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (I/ECHMHC) credential, a rigorous endorsement that reflects advanced training and supervised experience specifically in the 0–5 population.
This credential matters because the 0–5 population requires a fundamentally different clinical approach than working with older children or adults. Young children can't tell you what's wrong. They communicate through behavior, through their bodies, and through their relationships. Understanding that language — and knowing how to respond to it therapeutically — requires specialized training that goes beyond standard licensure.
Gateway's approach to early childhood mental health is grounded in:
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The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (Dr. Bruce D. Perry)
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Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health endorsement framework
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Reflective practice and relationship-based intervention
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Collaboration with pediatricians, early intervention teams, and childcare providers
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Reach out. Fill out our intake form or call us at 217-488-8006. Tell us a little about your child, your family, and what's bringing you to us. We'll respond within one business day.
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Connect with our early childhood specialist. We'll match you with our I/ECHMHC-credentialed clinician and schedule an initial consultation to understand your situation and discuss the best path forward.
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Begin. Whether that's a Newborn Behavioral Observation, a parent consultation, or ongoing therapeutic support — we'll walk alongside you and your child every step of the way.
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