therapy services

Play therapy

The therapeutic model I use the most with children ages 4-10 is play therapy. Play is a child’s natural way of communicating and children can create in-depth narratives of what’s going on in their lives through play. Toys, games, arts, sand trays, and puppets are just a few tools for play that you’ll find in my office. Play therapy allows children to express their emotions, calm down their bodies, problem solve, integrate social skills, and use their strengths. In addition to individual play therapy sessions, I also hold regular parent sessions to collaborate on the goals, growth, and challenges that a child might be experiencing at home or at school.

individual therapy with Teens

Having spent seven of my ten years in middle and high schools as a counselor I know that the teen years are marked with excitement around greater independence which also can be met with enhanced pressure and expectations. I have experience working with anxiety as it manifests in different settings such as internalized pressure in the form of perfectionism; performance-based anxiety as seen in presentations, tests, or sports; and social anxiety ranging from fear of initiating conversations to feeling caught up in the comparison trap. As a former athlete and coach, I have particular expertise and interest in working with female athletes around body image and self-esteem.

Supporting parents of young children

Children learn how to navigate the world around them through relationships with caregivers. Developing trust, security, and emotional regulation are important milestones for infants and toddlers. I use a relationship focused approach, drawing upon my training in Promoting First Relationships, to join in with you and learn about your experiences as a parent. By engaging with you about your own experiences and emotions, we can gain insight into the experiences and emotions of your child. Promoting First Relationships (PFR) is a 10-week evidence-based curriculum that involves videotaping caregiver-child interactions and reflecting on the emotional feelings and needs of both child and caregiver.

family therapy with children, teens, and young adults

I use my background and training in EFFT when working with families. This approach of working with the family unit gives me greater insight into family dynamics and a better understanding of attachment-related needs. Unlike individual therapy, this approach focuses on working with parents and children together in session. By working as a unit, we’re able to uncover relational blocks and work towards repair through attuned emotional responses.

family support around a cancer diagnosis

In my past professional and volunteer experience, I’ve spent time at hospitals and non-profit organizations working with families affected by a cancer diagnosis. Sometimes I’ll provide individual therapy to the child or teen if it’s a parent with cancer while other times I’ll provide therapy to the adult with cancer or to the primary caregiver. If you are looking for family support around a cancer diagnosis, I’d be happy to help.