Children's Therapy
I specialize in therapy techniques that fit the developmental needs of children. This includes a combination of attachment and relationship therapy, emotion regulation therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, education, skills development, experiential therapy, and play therapy. I use techniques that foster a child’s communication and gives them a reparative, healing experience. My therapy methods include: modeling a secure relationship, practicing social skills, practicing behavior regulation skills, attention and focus building activities, art, role-playing, games, music, sand tray work, and other methods of play therapy.
Taking Your Child to a Therapist
Kids, like adults, can often benefit from therapy but there are many important things to consider as you look for the right therapist.
Click here to read more on this topic from Kids Health from Nemours.
I am trained to diagnose and treat mental health disorders that affect children
- Victims of trauma and abuse
- Depression and mood disorders
- Anxiety, including separation anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety
- Attachment/ Relationship Issues
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Therapy can be helpful for children and teens that are dealing with major life events, such as:
- Adjusting to divorce, parent separation, blending families, or relocation
- Custody conflicts, parents with high conflict
- Military deployment of loved ones
- Bereavement / Loss issues
- Sexual, physical, or emotional abuse or other traumatic events
- Being the victim of bullying or bullying other children
Children and teens cannot always tell you when they are struggling. A child may benefit from therapy if they are showing these any of these behaviors:
- Learning, focus, or attention problems, such as ADD
- Regression in developmental tasks, such as in wetting / soiling, regressive speech (baby talk), and sleeping in their own bed
- A significant drop in grades or avoidance of school, particularly if your child normally maintains high grades
- Behavior problems, such as excessive anger that is difficult to calm, high aggression, opposition toward adults, conduct problems, and stealing
- Episodes of sadness, tearfulness, depression, or lack of confidence
- Social withdrawal or isolation
- decreased interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Sudden changes in appetite and sleep (particularly in adolescents)
- Mood swings between happiness, exuberance, hyperactivity, and severe irritability and anger
- Sudden avoidance of persons, places, or reminders of something that has caused them pain
- Excessive worry, separation anxiety, or compulsive behavior
- Management of a serious, actue, or chronic illness
- Signs of alcohol, drug, or other substance use
- Signs of sexual acting out or pornography use
- Self harm or reports of thinking about suicide
- Development of or an increase in physical complaints despite a normal physical exam by your doctor, such as headache, stomachache, or not feeling well