How I Can Help
I provide individualized support for children, teens, and parents, with a focus on building understanding, strengthening relationships, and helping families navigate challenges together.
Individual Child Therapy
When working with young children, I utilize a child centered play therapy approach. While children can experience deep and intense emotions, just like adults, they are often not yet able to verbally process complex thoughts and feelings sufficiently in order to experience relief. Play is a child’s language and the way they make sense of their world. It is for this reason that I utilize play to treat a wide range of childhood issues. Many parents might wonder how playing can assist their child with challenges such as behavioral difficulties, anxiety, depression, history of trauma, or difficulties with self-regulation. While your child may describe that during session they, “just played,” there is so much more that has occurred. I am trained to observe and respond to your child during play in ways that encourage the exploration of underlying thoughts, feelings, and needs, while enabling them to feel safe, contained, and accepted while doing so. Play therapy assists children in feeling more comfortable wondering about their experiences, as opposed to actively avoiding thoughts and feelings out of fear they will be too overwhelmed. Play therapy also builds skills such as flexibility, problem solving, communication, perspective taking, managing strong feelings, self-regulation, adaptive coping, and more. At times, more directive strategies during treatment might be warranted. For example, a child may require support in developing specific strategies to remain regulated and manage challenging behaviors at home or at school. It is my goal and priority to meet the individual needs of each child and family, and my treatment will be tailored to what will be most helpful and supportive to you. I view collaboration with parents to be critical in achieving success when working with children. As parents, you know your child best, and I encourage and welcome the opportunity to work closely with you to identify the goals you have for treatment, answer any questions about my approaches to therapy, and continually revisit how effective we are in making progress during our work together.
Parent Guidance
When providing therapy to children, I view parent sessions as a necessary component to treatment. I utilize guidance sessions in a variety of ways. I help parents to explore the challenges their child and family are faced with and manage the strong emotions that are likely experienced. I also assist parents in gaining confidence in their ability to employ effective strategies for managing difficult behaviors and providing support to their child. The parenting of our own children is greatly impacted by the way we were parented ourselves. Through exploration, I aim to support parents in gaining greater understanding of how they came to be the parents they are today, how to work to become even more effective and confident in their interactions with their child, and to build strong, secure bonds within the family to help everyone grow and thrive.
School Consultation
When children are struggling to manage their emotions or behavior, they may have difficulty meeting the demands of their daycare, preschool, or elementary school environment. I view collaboration with schools as an important part of supporting children and families. With parents’ permission, I collaborate with educators and school professionals to better understand a child's needs and develop practical strategies to support their success. Services may include: • School observations • Feedback and recommendations provided verbally or through written letters or reports • Participation in school meetings with parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators • Ongoing consultation with school staff to support a child's needs and promote consistency across settings • Consultation with school professionals, including individual or team conversations about relevant topics related to child development, behavior, emotional regulation, or supporting individual students • Training for school staff on relevant topics related to children's social-emotional development, behavior, and mental health
Selective Mutism
Selective mutism is an anxiety-based condition that can make it difficult for a child to speak in certain social settings, even when they are comfortable speaking at home. Treatment focuses on reducing anxiety, building confidence, and gradually increasing comfortable communication through a supportive, individualized approach. Collaboration with parents, teachers, and other important adults can help create consistency and support progress across settings.
