Child Counseling
Has your child experienced a traumatic incident? Witnessed violence? Experienced abuse?- Has your child been bullied or engaged in bullying behaviors?
- Does your child seem down or not want to participate in activities that he or she used to enjoy?
- Does your child get frustrated or give up easily?
- Is he or she excessively worried?
- Is your child having trouble falling or staying asleep? Or have trouble sleeping in his or her own room?
- Does your child avoid situations that cause anxiety?
- Does your child have angry outbursts that seem out of proportion to the situation?
- Is your child having difficulty in social situations or have trouble making or keeping friends?
If your son or daughter is having these or other issues, you may be understandably concerned. As an experienced child clinician, I offer compassionate support along with evidence and skills-based solutions to help your child overcome challenges.
Using play-based interventions rooted in neuroscience, I help children:
- Process traumatic memories
- Learn to identify and express feelings and needs
- Regulate emotions
- Uncover and challenge distorted thinking
- Learn coping tools to manage anxiety and anger
- Increase self-esteem
- Learn communication and social skills
In order to connect with and support my child clients, I utilize a number of therapeutic tools and evidence-based practices including:
- Play Therapy
- Sand Tray Therapy
- Expressive Arts
- Theraplay with child and parent
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Mindfulness practices
- EMDR for trauma work
Play Therapy
Play therapy is a form of treatment that helps children and families express their emotions, improve their communication and solve problems. Play therapy capitalizes on children’s natural ability to express their feelings and resolve conflicts through play.
Play is the natural language of children. When they are given an environment that is filled with the things of childhood, namely toys, their anxiety and resistance to change decreases and their openness to learning new skills and/or practicing new coping increases as their overall sense of mastery is encouraged.
In my work with children, I use play therapy approaches including sand tray, visual arts, puppetry, and games to help children process difficult life experiences. I am rooted in the belief that there is meaning behind behavior and am curious to uncover the child’s underlying needs.
Through play interventions, children learn how to identify and express emotions, how to regulate emotions, and effective communication skills.
Skill sets that can be enhanced by play therapy include;
- Attachment capacities
- Emotional regulation
- Pro-social skills
- Positive Coping skills
- Cognitive Restructuring/Positive Self-Talk
- Boss Back Skills for Anxiety Management
- Anger and Stress Management Skills
- Trauma resolution
Play therapy helps children:
- Become more responsible for their behaviors and develop more successful strategies
- Develop new and creative solutions to problems
- Develop respect and acceptance of self and others
- Learn to experience and express emotion
- Cultivate empathy and respect for thoughts and feelings of others
- Learn new social skills and relational skills with family
- Develop self-efficacy and a better assuredness about their abilities
Play therapy is one of the most empirically validated forms of therapy for children and families. Some studies indicate that play therapy can exert positive effects for several years after the end of treatment.
If you’re interested in learning more about play therapy and how it can help your child grow, contact me today for a free 20-minute phone consultation.