Play Therapy
Children speak in behavior and heal through play. Play provides children an opportunity to work through their experiences in the language that is most natural to them. In play therapy, the relationship between the child and therapist is the therapy. I follow their lead without presenting an expectation for them to be anything other than who they are. Children feel safe and realize the freedom to express themselves. In the playroom, my role is to be fully present so that I can observe, listen to, and identify what thoughts and feelings children are communicating. I respond in specific ways that facilitate esteem, growth, and healing. As children age, I find that therapy may become more directive. I see children under 5 on a case by case basis.
Parents as Partners
As a parent, it is very important to me that you know I am on your team. I empathize with the difficulty of parenting, the baffling behaviors we witness, and how it brings up our own personal history. I view parents as partners in therapy and help them partner with their children, working with them instead of against them. Often parents come to see me, and they cannot wait for their child's behavior to change. It is impractical to ask our little ones to do all the changing. I help parents to consider new ways of understanding and responding to their children's behavior based on current research and my clinical understanding of child development and family patterns. Parents who work with me experience the rewarding benefit of strengthened connections with their children. I thoroughly enjoy this work and am open about how it is also a reflection of my blood, sweat, and tears in parenting my own children.
The amount of time a child may need to spend in therapy can vary greatly. I inform parents of what to expect and help them understand the stages of therapy. I keep an open conversation with parents about where their children are in the stages. What clients are experiencing at home is typically a reflection of this.
